Caveat Emptor

[William]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news...?ocid=msedgntp

[William]

SEMA and Barrett-Jackson getting involved,

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news...edgdhp&pc=U531

[rlw68]

The bizarre thing is there wasn't a 'VIN# discrepancy' with the Vette's paperwork but they siezed the car only because the plate was clearly reattached according to the owner's story. In North Carolina, we are likewise required to have older cars purchased out of state inspected before the new title will be issued. I assume this is when the Vette ran into issues. The duties of our Theft Bureau somehow also includes emmission inspections so I got to wait for hours in line with others trying to get temporary waivers. Then finally when its my turn the dude does a quick search on his computer (NICB?) and we go outside to look at the vin plate through the windshield.

[olredalert]

---- I believe that 58 Corvettes had their ID tags screwed to the steering column under the hood. The resto people took of the tag during the resto to paint the column. The problem came when someone reattached the column with rivets instead of the screws. The poor owner's been between a rock and a hard place, that seems to be finally working itself out. From what I have read, the car seems to have been sitting outside in a storage yard. If so I can't imagine how bad the car has suffered during this long drawn out episode. Who does he go to to make him whole?.....Bill S

[rlw68]

I'm calling BS on the wrong rivets restoration story being spun by the owner and his legal team. The hidden VIN on the frame was also defaced, a fact they conveniently leave out.

https://www.kctv5.com/2021/09/08/imp...ss-contraband/

From the local news report above:

"In the past five years, seven vehicles have been seized—all with purposely destroyed vehicle identification numbers. They are essentially contraband.

The classic 1959 Chevy Corvette falls into that category because in addition to the VIN on the dash, the VIN on another part of the car is destroyed.

The Kansas Highway patrol sent us a statement. It reads in part:

The Highway Patrol says if it’s a simple restoration, they try to work with owners. But this case is more complicated because other ways to check the VIN were also damaged. The car was legally purchased, but has been pieced together."

[R68GTO]

I wonder what the "intent" of the law was when it was written? The law seems to have been written to address a common practice when theft or "chop shop" activity is taking place. Was it also written to discourage potential buyers from creating an environment where this illegal activity is profitable? Maybe/probably? In either case, it seems weird that they would be spending all this time making the current owners life miserable rather than following the ownership chain back until they find where the car's history gets shaky. This guy bought it from a licensed dealer. Who did the dealer get it from? etc. etc. I guess if there is evidence the current owner conspired to have someone "create/find" the car of his dreams, that's a whole different story. Doesn't sound like that's the case here.

[William]

I have no idea how many 1969 Camaro VIN and body tags I have examined but it must be in the thousands. Very common to see swapped or repro body tags; VIN tags that have obviously been removed and re-attached with hardware store rivets. Is that VIN tag on its original body? Who knows? I have seen two Camaros with Chevelle VIN tags. That's why special rivets were mandated.


I'm sure the same thing goes on with Chevelles, Mopars, any old car of potential value. This dumpster fire is currently for sale on the 'net, asking close to six figures.

[rlw68]

Originally Posted by William

I have no idea how many 1969 Camaro VIN and body tags I have examined but it must be in the thousands. Very common to see swapped or repro body tags; VIN tags that have obviously been removed and re-attached with hardware store rivets. Is that VIN tag on its original body? Who knows? I have seen two Camaros with Chevelle VIN tags. That's why special rivets were mandated.

Why wouldn't the two hidden vins on a Camaro provide a high level of confidence that the tag is on the original body? The problem with this Vette is that the frame vin was tampered with. Caveat emptor, as you say...

[67ssmn]

several years ago my brother had a resto shop in AZ, a guy comes in with a chevelle, believe is was a 66 or 67 and wanted it repainted and insisted on the vin tag being removed, he had nos rivets, well my brother said no way, but owner insisted and removed it he reinstalled it with the nos rivets, my brother said it looked 100% correct and original , for some reason the car had to be inspected and the inspector just glanced at the vin tag and said who took the vin tag off, the owner of car admitted he did, luckily for him my brother knew inspector well and told owner never ever touch vin tag and car passed, inspector said he can tell very easy if tag has been off

[x33rs]

Arizona has been kind of an odd duck in these scenarios. When I moved out here 15 years ago I had to take every single car to the DMV and have a vin inspection done, new and old cars. That took several days as we drove 2 cars at a time to the DMV and had to make appointments.

They were sticklers, and complained on one car I had because the vin was covered with a piece of tape. Something that was done in Ohio years before to deter a theft ring that was going on at the time. Long story but I forgot it was there. He was a real %&$^ about it, didn't want to remove the tape at first stating if the tag is even scratched he won't pass it, yada yada.

Anyway, fast forward, 5 or 6 years ago when I decide to put the 69 Z back on the road, it had been sitting and had not been tagged for almost 30 years. Went to the DMV and the car simply didn't even exist anymore. Was told after 10 years it's just purged from the system. Oddly, when I told them the vin they said, oh just give us a couple days to run that vin through the system and if it comes back clean you're good to go. They didn't even look at the car and never asked I went back a couple days later and they gave me the paperwork and said I was good to go.
They did the exact same thing when I put the 69 SCJ mustang back on the road that had sat dormant for about the same amount of time.
After being such a pain 15 years ago now they don't seem to give 2 squirts of duck poop.