When restoring any car , and the original motor or trans is missing. What should be the excepted practice? 1)correct motor or trans, correct dates, no vin 2)correct with close vin 3) correct with restamp vin Let the people weigh in on this topic.
1 or 2 is good. 3 is not IMO
I hate forgery. I have a 68 Z/28 that I've owned since 1976. Engine & transmission gone before 43k. I restored it the best I could & I've enjoyed over all these years. If it looks correct under the hood, most people wouldn't know the difference...Joe
I totally agree Joe... There is ONLY ONE engine that was installed in each of our cars in the factory. Whether that engine is still installed (Or Not) is a fact! To represent anything else is a LIE, forgery, and potentially fraud (when you sell it, or represent it as original).
Make your non original engine LOOK correct. Make it RUN correct. But do not restamp it...
My 69 & my 33 Chevrolet are the only 2 cars I've ever owned that still have their "born with" engines...Joe
I ,like most people ,don't like restamps. So the next option would be an over the counter motor , correct pad date and code stamp (no vin). 2) correct motor with a close vin.
When I bought my '69 RS in Nov 1991, the engine in the car was not the original - it was basically a 327 out of a 64 full size Chevy. In March 1994 I found a guy locally who was parting out a 69 Camaro that still had the 327 in it. I bought the engine and stored it until 2004 when I had it rebuilt. I then installed it in my 69 RS during restoration of the front of the car. I did not try to remove, alter, or restamp the VIN or engine codes.
So now, although the original engine is long gone I do have the correct engine in my car - donated from another 69 Camaro - and the engine bay looks totally original.
This is all well documented in the history notes and pictures I have on file so it will always be clear to a subsequent owner.