Here is Interesting case of a non-matching numbers car, Western District, Wisconsin:

The owner reimbursed the buyer $375,000, fined $95,000, pled guilty to fraud (felony), three (3) year federal probation, not including defense costs which are $$$,$$$!! And, cooperated (if others are engaging in similar activities) they are in the feds microscope.

https://www.wausaudailyherald.com/st...s/73034807007/

 

I'm surprised that they refunded the Boss purchase. Must've had another buyer waiting.

 

The article mentioned that the VIN derivative stamps were changed. For an Oldsmobile you could change the stamps on the engine, but I don't know how you could change J heads into D or F heads.

 

I’ve seen E heads turned into F heads.

 

Fraud is part of why I got out of the 68-72 W market. Just ruined it for me. May consider another Rallye 350 or 72 Cutlass someday but done with the W-cars. Well, If I found one in a barn maybe but that is a big maybe.

 

I noticed the newspaper is from Wausau Wi. My family and I spent some years there when I was recruiting for the Navy, it was a small place then but has probably grown somewhat. Stratford is even smaller but the shop probably wasn't even around back then.

 

That article is poorly written. The charge is intent to commit fraud, which is what all the VIN-tampering laws are about. I don't know about Fords, but the GM VIN derivative isn't a complete VIN. Nowhere in the article does it say that the seller altered the legal VIN of the car, only the stamps.18 U.S.C. § 511 is the federal law that applies here, and as I've pointed out in the past, tampering with ID numbers is allowed "when reasonably necessary for repair". If that were not the case, anyone who swapped in a different engine or trans would be guilty of "tampering". The law is focused on "with intent to commit fraud", which was clearly the case here.

 

Every Olds car I've ever owned was matching numbers: 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.

 

The bullshi# sellers faking numbers matching has made me pull away from the whole hobby. Watching the defense even here has made me say no thank you. BJ and all the other auction spots saying "Oh we have no responsibility" I am over it all. I will never ever overpay for someone's bullshi#. I have seen so many cars bought at auction that were junk when they got home. No thank you.

I swear people like to say OH look what I paid instead of paying for quality.

 

Amen. I will look quietly for a 70-72 Supreme. I am so over the fake bullshi$.