Just been there and done that. In my case over Cobra CSX2049 It was DMV's
position that removal and junking of the original front suspension tower (upon
which the VIN numbers were placed) in order to change to rack and pinion
steering invalidated the car's identity and they cancelled title. Instead they
recognized a car from Penn that had the CSX2049 front tower but not many other
original parts, and no clear chain of title, as the original car. I won at
trial and DMV appealed, where I also won. But how much do you want to spend to
get your mg title back in good standing at DMV.
Incidentally, read a case from the Queens Bench, Royal Courts of Justice,
London (90/MJ/2474) titled Hubbard v. Middlebridge Scimitar Limited. It
purportes to define just what is a car and is about the best support you will
currently find for your position. It's 42 pages of just what we want to hear
and if I can muster the time I will type it and put it on my mg page.
Ernest
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From: "Randy Rees (Starwave)" <Randyr@starwave.com>
Sent: Friday, August 30, 1996 12:25 PM
To: "'mg'" <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: RE:GT or not GT
you wrote>>Most DMV inspectors are hip to the trick. Oh ya, It is most
criminal to do.
And if DMV discovers it you might have a problem keeping it registered.
Probably have to get it re-registered with a CHP serial after much
inspecting and hassel.
Since there are no secret numbers to verify its original year they are
going
to put it in the most recent year possible and make it a smog car.
Well there are tell tale body signs, i.e. no backup lights, front turn
signal placement, Metal dash, ect that can verify approximate year. As
for the numbers job, it wasn't a criminal act we are talking about, it's
a body tub replacement for a care that is wrecked beyond repair and a GT
that has a bill of sale but no title. BTW not having a title does not
make it illegal to sell, just means that you can't register it for on
road use. i.e. race cars. My proposal was to move the VIN's to a good tub
with a good bill of sale but no Vin's to identify it. Since I would be
the legal owner of both cars an no matter how you slice it only one car
could be on the road legally, it would not matter what year the donor car
was only what year the Title and VIN's said. A new body from Moss would
not make it a 1996 even though that was the year of the body. The title
and Vin plates would make that determination.
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