Nitrodamus

The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Vehicle Theft Unit served a warrant Thursday at the classic car dealership to search for altered and tampered vehicle identification numbers.

Authorities seized two cars, two VIN plates and six data trim tags, the documents said.

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/ne...h-1381702.html

rick66

I don't see this ending well.

Davids02

I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt though, A lot of things can happen with cars 40-50 years old! Touchy subject for sure!

66since71

I read the article, you should, too. It will scare you. The Highway Patrol expected to find matching, unaltered vins on the vin plate, the engine and the frame. When they did not...

I'd guess it puts half or more of the cars out there up for siezure, if you follow it to the most pessimistic end.

Then there is the question of accountability for a 40 year old theft report?

Harry

Mike Terry

It looks like someone somewhere did something they should not have done. Now they must figure out WHO?

67's

Besides the extra tags they had laying around, which looks bad, I think they took the cars just to justify being there, I am not condoning their business, I think they are one of the dealers that has cars waaay above market for their condition.

mcb55-210

Wow-my '62 has a '68 327 in it. PO installed it in the early '70's. No documentation-hope I never get caught!

John McGraw

I guess the lesson we should all take away from this is, make sure that you restamp your NOM, otherwise it might get seized! What a bunch of Bozo's! They seized the chevelle because the engine stamp pad did not have a VIN, and the GTO because the frame stamp could not be read. That describes thousands of classic Corvettes!


Regards, John McGraw

kenba

If the police are going to confiscate every car that doesn't have matching # motor,frame ETC. we are all in trouble. Not many old cars have all original parts.From the article it sounds like a witch hunt. I have known Danny for 30 years & I can't see him knowingly buy stolen cars or switch SN'S. It is very easy to get a title for any car and then sell it. I don't see why that is not illegal.

jimgessner

Sounds like an ''old'' problem in 1994 has resurfaced. And the goverment needs a ''wipping'' boy.

Danny has been around for a long time. He will survive, but this will put all on notice

Powderboy

I guess you could say I’m somewhat familiar with this phenomenon…….



http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...my-66-nom.html

jdk971

i have dealt with mershons for years and my cousin has longer. mistakes are made every where and in every business. mershons has always tried to correct any that arise from their
business. i can not complain the way they have treated me or my cousin.
at least i know one thing, my 63 impala on their show room floor is legal. jim

63Corvette

Yeah, I had heard that the NCRS was imposing "DRACONIAN Penalties" for Non-matching numbers cars

MiguelsC2

There's no way they are going to start popping anyone whose motor doesn't match the vin.

They were making an example out of the dealer. They sent a lot of people because they wanted to make a public impression and get news coverage towards a dealer that probably deserves it ie:lots of vin plates etc.. with improper documentation numerous attorney general complaints and lawsuits etc...

They are trying to send a message to the classic car dealers. STOP FU%%ING WITH SERIAL NUMBERS.It's a rampant problem and if guilty, I hope they bust the hell out of them!

These guys give the honest car dealers a bad name. And there are many honest ones out there.

JohnZ

Nope, not for "non-matching numbers cars"; the penalties are for cars with non-GM-installed (read "fake") VIN plates and trim tags.

Rokndad

What's a bunch of trim tags doing laying about in the workplace? That really sounds bad. Repaints/changed interior color? Wow. I hope that kind of thing isn't going on there.

SupremeDeluxe

I never comment on drama such as this, however it is certainly questionable that there were VIN and trim tags on premises that were not attached to cars.

RRod

I remember buying a 63 FI Split Window way back in 1984 from a private party in Southern California which was already registered in CA. For some reason the DMV made me take it to a Highway Patrol Office that particular time where an officer crawled under the car to read the numbers on the transmission. All was well according to the officer and he would not elaborate. DMV then proceeded to transfer title and sent me the new pink slip. I really never figured out why that car chosen for special inspection as I have bought and later sold numerous other classics in CA since then (including mid-year Corvettes), and DMV never again asked for a special inspection. Up until now I had essentially forgotten about it. Maybe the car had been previously stolen and then recovered (or something like that) is about all I can think of as the VIN tag was clearly original and unmolested.

So maybe the Ohio authorities in the current case know something more than they have publically released or maybe it's like a random IRS Tax Payer Compliance Audit ..... i.e. the Dealer was randomly picked as part of an ongoing general investigation into the world of nationwide alledged VIN tampering of older classics?

We will probably never know the real story.

Nitrodamus

Anyone remember these posts about Mershon's...

Mershon fraud

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1s-...hon-fraud.html

and this...

1963 SWC For Sale....

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1s-...-for-sale.html

C2Driver

More than a tad suspicious.