[Laneco]

If ever a VIN involved, things get muddy pretty quick, Milt. Most of the time, for most of the states, the VIN is persistent. So if it was a 69 VW bug in our state, it would remain a 69 VW bug but could be considered a "rebody." You get into a very, very gray area when you have a chassis with a VIN and you eliminate the VIN or use another VIN without some very serious DMV and legal footwork.

There are a still a few pan built cars out there and this is an easy way to register them in most states. We have two behind the shop that are pan-based speesters (eventually to have turbo subaru engines). They'll be registered as a 71 and 72 VW Beetle rebody. It's easy and makes selling the car a snap.

The thing is, most kit car/replica cars now are built on their own tube frame chassis. There is no donor chassis. You get an MSO with the kit that provides a number that is some states (like Oregon) is used as the VIN. Other states will assign a VIN. It will generally be a non-conforming VIN (e.g. won't be 17 digit, etc). MSO's rock, but many states do not have a clear path as to what to register the car as. In the case of Washington, it has been nicely spelled out, no fancy footwork required.

One major and very important reason for a state to allow the vehicle to be registered as what it looks like (e.g. 32 roadster, 67 Cobra, 55 spyder) is so that the vehicle can be identified for law enforcement purposes. Imagine the 911 dispatcher trying to explain to the police officer that it's a "fiberglass or something, car, ummm...that is got not roof....ummm....it's got two doors....ummm....". Tell a cop it's a Ford Cobra, he knows what he's looking for.

angela