Yes, but prior to the NHTSA standard published in 1981, all the relevant sections of legacy US code (18 USC. 511, and 18 USC 2321, primarily) were compromised by Theseus' Paradox....
That's essentially why the 17 digit US VIN standard was published in the first place. There were too many loopholes in the US code to legally isolate criminal intent (which is already hard enough to establish in fraud cases).
Which is why legacy, pre-81 VIN numbers are pretty much disregarded by the legal system (except in substantive cases of Collector Car forgery, or when used as supporting statutes in cases of classic vehicle theft)
We're all going down a very different rabbit-hole here- This car has a title, with a number that matches the number attached to the vehicle. 99.9% of the state Motor Vehicle Department offices in this great land are going to issue a title, without challenge, reservation, or trepidation...
Why is that so hard to simply accept as what it is...???
This is not an observation pointed at any one person (or persons) around here, but since I've joined this forum, I have seen a large number of episodes where guys are prone to blindly swinging sharp sticks, trying to poke black bears in dark rooms...
I don't get it...
It's a kit car, for Christ's sake. It's not a '28 Duesenberg.
Jumping to the conclusion that someone committed deliberate fraud, in order to "cheat the taxman", by using a stolen VIN number off of a Mustang...?
I mean, take two steps back from that statement, and then take second look at it... Does it seem any more absurd now?
Suspecting that someone committed deliberate fraud when they first registered this car (probably back in the early to mid 1980's, 30+ years ago, for crying out loud) is nothing but pure speculation, overlapping woeful flights of fancy...
Remind me- How many Cobra replica buyers have ACTUALLY been subsequently arrested and charged with fraud, after taking possession of their new toy, when attempting to do the title transfer?
Boy, this has been fun (as most of the threads on this forum usually become, once the original topic is completely exhausted, and tossed in the trash bin)
this car was still a good deal- If I had been in the market, I would have bought it....
And then, you all could have had a good laugh when the Men in Black came and hauled me away in handcuffs for trafficking in stolen Mustang VIN numbers, and for driving a 427 Cobra with a greasy undercarriage, and 5-lug hubs instead of knockoffs (which is usually a FAR greater criminal offense around here, isn't it...????)
