Interesting VIN number on 68 Barracuda

he jeryst...

thank you for your straight-forward and legally correct comment.

my intention in starting this discussion was not to beat anyone up with the law or to threaten anyone or to "nit-pick" problems with "used cars." my intention was to alert fellow FABO folks about the problems one might encounter if one does not properly investigate a car before they buy it.

as to the difference int the states as to "car titles and registration." yes, as to old cars, some states issue titles and some states do not. some states are more strict about registering older cars - some are more lax. HOWEVER, IT IS A CRIME TO ALTER A VEHICLE'S VIN NUMBER in ALL 50 states - under both state and federal law.

and as to my fellow FABO members who believe that buying a vehicle "as is" will provide a 100% shield to the seller either from a civil suit or criminal prosecution: YOU ARE TAKING A RISK BY BELIEVING THAT!! if you sell a vehicle with a defect that you know about and don't disclose to the buyer, you MIGHT GET SUED once the buyer finds out. that doesn't automatically mean that you as the seller will lose the suit. however, in every state, the buyer would at least be able to file the suit if he has enough money or is really pissed off. and as to a criminal prosecution - well, again, if you have participated in or know about any alteration of the VIN on the car you are selling, and do not disclose that fact - YOU MAY GO TO JAIL!

i grew up in West Virginia. in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's, West Virginia was the "Wild West" as far as vehicles were concerned. you could buy, sell, repair, salvage any car in any condition you wanted. there were scores of "back yard mechanics" and "repair shops" in my hometown. i had one of those "backyard shops." we never did anything illegal but we never really complied with all the "commercial standards" expected of a "real" business either. at that time, the state authorities didn't care about cars with frame damage going down the road sideways (we used to call it "dog-legging"); or "flood damage" cars cleaned up and repaired and resold; or cutting one car up for the VIN numbers to repair another car so you could get a title for it. that was THEN - NOWHERE in the U.S. can you get away with that kind of behavior for very long in the year 2016.

for my fellow FABO members who still think my concern about the VIN number on the car i've been discussing is "much ado about nothing" - i would just caution you that you may eventually get sued or have the cops stop by your house if you don't think the concerns i've been talking about "are no big deal." none of us want to see great old cars go to the crusher because of a technical "legal problem." however, in almost all cases, "legal problems" on a car can be solved - THE RIGHT WAY!!

please remember my concerns whether you are buying OR selling an old MOPAR or anything else!