The car you end up with is whatever you say it is and can convince your
state DMV to issue (or recognize) a title for. You haven't created a new
car, but you HAVE eliminated one of the original VIN numbers. The
registries would never know unless you told them.
As someone who IS maintaining an official register (Austin-Healey 3000 BJ8
models), as well as a private register for RWA Midgets (thanks for the
plug, Frank!), I would like to know the fate of all of the cars involved.
What was the VIN number of the car you took the plates FROM? What was the
original VIN number of the car you put the plates ON? Originally, there
were two cars manufactured, and that accounts for both of them.
Interesting thing about the registries. Because of a personal interest in
the numbers, I began keeping a register for RWA Midgets and for BJ8s about
a year ago, mostly using the resource of the e-mail lists. After a year, I
had a (private, not AHCA) list of 750 BJ8 Big Healeys. During the same
time, I was able to collect only 61 RWA Midgets. I wonder why? One guy
on the Spridgets list recently, when I asked for his number, indicated to
me that such information was "seemingly useless" (he didn't bother to
provide the number, either), while I have never seen that attitude on the
Big Healey side.
Steve Byers
Havelock, NC USA
'73 Midget GAN5UD126009G "OO NINE"
----------
> J. Adrian Barnes wrote:
> >
> > That brings up this question: If I take a '75 rust bucket with a title
and take all the
> > good parts and bolt them onto a '76 body with no title, therefore
finishing with a new
> > car, titled as a '75...what car do I actually have? Have I created a
new car? How do
> > the registries take that into consideration?
>
Frank Clarici replied:
> You sound as bad as me with a 73 Midget titled as a 67 Sprite.
> Don't ask what I did to title the 59 Austin A40!! But the VIN starts out
> HAN9L/
>
> The registers take original info like what the chassis ID number is on
> the shock mount. This number is the original number on all Sprites and
> Midgets except the Bugeye. They also want engine, tranny, rear, and body
> numbers.
> I did not register my 73 Midget which I titled a 67 Sprite with the
> Sprite register, however, I do have the info for the Midget register but
> I did not finish the number search on the car. My shock frame numbers
> have been filled with paint from many resprays thru the years.
> Steve Byers is also compiling a RWA Midget register if any Midget owners
> want to help him with his database.
>
> Frank
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