1968 camaro rebody

[DBasher]

Originally Posted by Vega$69

Swapping VIN tags is Federal crime. You can not take the tag off the old body and attach it to the new one

You're no fun I get it and kinda figured. Let me ask this, what is the process for these guys that buy a car, get it blasted and find the only usable part is the inner roof structure? All panels are replaced, aftermarket clip and rear set up, motor, transmission....How much of the original needs to be kept? Title, vin and?

[preston]

How would the DMV know ?
It looked like a '68 camaro, now it looks like a '68 Camaro.
it has a VIN tag in the proper place. My state doesn't have inspections (only emissions) so there is no point in time where an "inspector" would questin the validity of the VIN tag. May vary in your state.
As long as there are no "mysteries" tied to the existing VIN and no other chicanery or another car doesn't pop up with the VIN.
OR -if you are a pro shop turning out multiple cars.
otherwise I would not worry about it.
But to the OP, you certainly need to do what you feel is best for your situation I don't disparage you at all for being 100% up and up.

[bobcat68rs]

What do you mean by re-body? If you are buying a shell like dyna-corn or from real deal steel, these are considered kit cars and they come with state of origin paper so you can get them registered. If you have the title for your car and are replacing some or all your sheet metal you don't have to get a different title, just fix it and enjoy. That's how it works in wva not sure where you are.

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by preston

How would the DMV know ?
It looked like a '68 camaro, now it looks like a '68 Camaro.
it has a VIN tag in the proper place. My state doesn't have inspections (only emissions) so there is no point in time where an "inspector" would questin the validity of the VIN tag. May vary in your state.
As long as there are no "mysteries" tied to the existing VIN and no other chicanery or another car doesn't pop up with the VIN.
OR -if you are a pro shop turning out multiple cars.
otherwise I would not worry about it.
But to the OP, you certainly need to do what you feel is best for your situation I don't disparage you at all for being 100% up and up.

The rivets will be carefully examined and are a tip off to a swapped VIN tag.

Don

[Che70velle]

Originally Posted by dhutton

The rivets will be carefully examined and are a tip off to a swapped VIN tag.

Don

It's a touchy deal. Guys that replace the cowl area of their cars have to drill the rivets, and replace the rivets after paint. Other guys, like myself, pull the vin, and cowl tag before blasting, to keep the pieces from bring hurt from the blasting process, plus there is usually some surface rust under the cowl tag anyway, so off it goes.
I started with a very rusty shell at first, that we pulled out of the woods. It had a tree growing up through the engine compartment. But anything can be fixed, right? Well a quote for $10K to replace basically the entire car, minus the driver quarter, and I said no thanks, I can buy a donor car cheaper, and I did. So I put the rusty 70' Chevelle shell on Craigs List, and I had 4 phone calls from guys that straight up told on on the phone, that all they wanted off of it, was the VIN. One guy even told me he would give me $1500.00 just for the VIN...I crushed the car.
Swapping VIN numbers is a crime, but removing one for damage repair/paint is not, as long as it goes back on the same car. Unfortunately these get swapped and that's how hard working folks like us end up losing our cars during a theft. Sad but true.

[im4u2nvss]

I cant imagine doing a full restoration and not re-painting behind the vin tag. Rosette rivets can be purchased online. As others are saying, dont put a vin from a old body onto a new shell.

[Musclerodz]

Originally Posted by dhutton

The rivets will be carefully examined and are a tip off to a swapped VIN tag.

Don

How does that apply to a restored Camaro with a replaced upper dash? Most DMV people are idiots. Its the car guys that they can't get by.

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by Musclerodz

How does that apply to a restored Camaro with a replaced upper dash? Most DMV people are idiots. Its the car guys that they can't get by.

All it takes is one overzealous expert law officer and you could have a problem. I once dealt with the Dallas car theft task force. Unbelievably incompetent experts who concluded the original VIN tag on my 57 Belair was not original. I got the car from my neighbor who owned it for 50 years.

If it were me I would cut out the metal around the VIN tag and butt weld it into the new dash.

Don

[TheJDMan]

Originally Posted by dhutton

All it takes is one overzealous expert law officer and you could have a problem. I once dealt with the Dallas car theft task force. Unbelievably incompetent experts who concluded the original VIN tag on my 57 Belair was not original. I got the car from my neighbor who owned it for 50 years.

If it were me I would cut out the metal around the VIN tag and butt weld it into the new dash.

Don

I would think that welding the VIN on like that would make it even more obvious that something had been changed.

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by TheJDMan

I would think that welding the VIN on like that would make it even more obvious that something had been changed.

Not if it is metal finished and painted etc. Either that or find the correct rivets.

It's hard to appreciate the seriousness until you have dealt with some of these self proclaimed law enforcement experts.

Don