Body in White vs. Full Restoration, Food for Thought Options

[GTPatrick]

Since there is another thread on new bodies in white for other cars by Tom T. , Mustang , Camaro , etc. ,. I thought that I'd put out some food for thought questions concerning the same subject .

Knowing what was said that if a body in white were used to rebuild/restore a car , say a real rust bucket 914 , it would have to be registered as a new car under another name . Right/wrong ?

If that were so , then when one restores a rust bucket 914 or 914-6 / Then at what point does the amount of new parts or rebuiling of old parts turn it into a building of a new car vs. a restoration ? 20% new parts , 50 % new parts , 75% new parts , 90% new parts or even 99% new parts ? Is there a real difference ?

But if someone were to use a new body in white and use the rest of an old rust bucket 914 parts aren't you coming at it from a slightly different angle but still keeping at a restoration level since say you are using 50% or whatever level old 914 amount of parts as you would have used in the previous paragraph ?

It seems to be just about semantics and how one interprets the reasoning ? What laws and other legalities determine what's a restoration is versus a whole new build ? What laws and other legalities determine what % amount of parts determines it a restoration versus a new build ? Does the law even make any legal determination as to what legally defines the meaning of new parts ,restoration or new build mean ?

It's kind of luck looking at a fence from one side or another of that fence with 2 or more people trying to determine or define what it is . Either way it is still a fence no matter what side you are standing on .

Does anyone have any thoughts on this ? Any real facts or information out there that is actually fact and not fiction ?


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[GTPatrick]

12/31/11

Before I get started , Happy New Years everyone ! ! ! Well at least in a few hours . I hope that everyone here finds 2012 a better one for themselves and their family than this one .

My original statement/question probably will never be answered . It's like repairing a wooden sailing ship like the sailing frigate USS Constitution has experienced throughout its life . Darn near 90% or more of its wood has replaced , sometimes many times over in all of these repair/restorations . It is looked upon as the same sailing frigate as it was back in the war of 1812 or is it ? Or another easier explainable example . You have a fence that has been surrounding your Grandmothers house and built by your Grandfather . It's worn out and needs repair so you replace say 90% or more of the wood and paint it with 2 coats of new paint . You then stand back with your Grandmother admiring it and still call it the same old fence that your Grandfather built back in the 1950's and she agrees with you . Or is it really the same old fence and not a new fence that was rebuilt/restored with a few parts of the old fence ?

Several have said that you can replace the panels and other stuff in a basket case 914 and keep the same s/n and it will still be the same car and no need for a new s/n . But if you change the s/n plate and put it into a new body in white frame/car while including some of the parts from the old car also include some body and frame parts from the old car , well you have a new car and therefore need a new s/n because you took the s/n off of the old car and put it into a new body in white car .

Is there really a difference between putting a lot of new parts and assemblies on an older rust bucket junk car and keeping the old s/n calling it the same car versus using the same amount of parts and s/n plate that is still attached to one of thse parts/assemblies , some built by you or built by an outside source but then call it a new new car that can't use the old s/n ?

To me it's a matter of semantics and how one interprets the situation and the laws further muddy up the situation because they them selves are not clear cut and 100% accurate in what they say .

I can understand taking the s/n data plate off of the old car and only that part/plate and putting it on a completey built ready for road use car may not be kosher or legal but that is a different situation from the above paragraph and all of the previous threads . Maybe there is no real definition or opinion that would make a complete and certain decision/judgement . Therefore its a moot point and certainly a rhetorical point .

Well unless some one else can add some other logical reasoning to this thread I guess that its died a natural death . I only wanted to get some debate going here and find a real clear cut answer but then that didn't happen . Kinda of like asking Santa for a new Porsche 911 turbo for Christmas and finding a used up abused Yugo in my driveway on Christmas morning . It ain't gonna happen .

Again folks , have a Happy New Year and may it be safe and prosperous one for all you . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Also , lets not forget those who have passed away from all of us this year . May they live on in a better place and may we never forget them .

Ciao for now . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)



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