Hemmings video; new car bodies
 

This is pretty darn cool to me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBBZrjwqWZc

Let's look past the fact that the subject of this video is not a Pontiac, and instead look at this as a behind the scenes of how repop bodies are being manufactured.

This video was shared a short while ago on another forum I frequent, and it's taken me a while to get around to watching it - after watching it, and not seeing a thread here mentioning it, I had to share it for you all.

I have seen a couple images of repop complete 1970(?) Camaro shells, and even one repop 1970(?) Firebird shell and have to believe this is how it's done.

IMHO, the manufacturers should get behind this, and with some oversight, make these available a "restoration parts" - or something like that...
I mean, if people making "clone" cars (eg: turning an Esprit into a Trans Am) hasn't made a discernable dent in the market, then I'd think there should be room for this...

I saw that too. I agree, pretty cool.

I watched that the other day. The scale and process is impressive. To be honest, I expected a much more negative response from the car community.

There are two big hurdles to overcome with these "complete" body reproductions: 1) Licensing with the original manufacturer; 2) Acquiring a proper VIN for the completed vehicle.

Several years ago, I visited Texas Trans Am to discuss restoration of my 1970. The shop was just getting into producing 1st gen Camaro shells. In order to pass those two hurdles, the customer was responsible for purchasing the Taiwanese sourced body parts and securing the VIN from a scrapped Camaro of the same model year. Texas Trans Am built the welding jigs to assemble the body for the customer. So a completed "shell" was never sold. Just the parts and welding labor separately.

Guys who buys new shells usually have rotted out shells with VINs in them. Transfer them over, prest-o change-o.

I think it's awesome these bodies are becoming available! Quite a few American car bodies are already reproduced, so seeing some iconic Japanese cars joining in on the fun is great!

I enjoyed the video.

Question: When a new 60's body and old VIN is put on a new frame, with a new crate engine, new trans, etc; what is the vehicle considered for all the regulatory requirements? NHTSA, EPA, etc.

my understanding of this all being reduced to minimum levels:

the vin indicates the model year;
as long as the vehicle has components to make it compliant with regulations for the time of that vin, then it's compliant.

if this is not the way it goes, then that would seem to suggest that any vehicle at any time could be required to be compliant with up to date crash/saftey/emissions standards...

and extra two cents worth:
there will never be more vins for a given model year than originally produced - actually attrition suggest that there are less every calendar year.

China shells
 

As with anything made in China. It will be total Junk In my opinion. OEM parts will not fit these new shells as well as the originals. Just like the re-pop QPs and other parts.
Just watched youtube on a 1972 FJ80 Landcruiser Body that was the same as what was shown. Same company.
They ordered it to replace a rusty shell.
Total garbage. Nothing fit correctly. Parts from the old truck like regulators and window channels were all incorrect dimensions. Body would not fit the frame correctly. Dash holes were incorrect. Hours and hours of filling holes and drilling new ones. front fenders and hood were 2 inches to long. Had to chop it down to fit correctly. They said a DIYer would never be able to repair this and get it to work.
Primer over rusted panels and dented panels with bondo.
They had 6 solid weeks of 3 guys working for repairs and at the end they said they could have fixed the old body for less and it would have been better, They are still not done with repairing the body to make all the OEM part fit as they are not finished and do not know what lies ahead for fitment issues.
The other thing is the seller has ghosted them and there is no re-course for the amount of money they spent.

I would repair the original

Just my 2 cents.

If you're using the old vin, it's whatever the vin says it is. If you register it with a state assigned vin, it'll vary by state, but most will assign it a year that the car represents.

As for parts not fitting new shells well, beggars cant be choosers. If you're fortunate enough to have a shell that's worth saving, you're still doing metal work. Its more of a "pick your poison" scenario.

Pick your poison... funny how many cant listen to those with hands on experience, most owners are not willing to do anything other order "new" junk parts.

My own take after dealing with too many idiots, is to let these super smart project owners experience the ill fitting Asian sheet metal.

Speaking of ill fitting gotta love those '66-67 GTO doors!!! How the H is a door digitized to make multiple dies for production & the door comes out 3/4" too short on the bottom?

Lot of ill fitting repop sheet metal out there, get out and about in numerous shops & one will see the frustrated shop owners & occasionally a project owner w next to zero sense.

Swapping a VIN out of an original car into a Chinese or Taiwan body will get you in a LOT of trouble.
In my state there have been two puppymill builders busted by the Feds.. One for combining DynaCorn '68 Mustang bodies with original fender rail & VIN numbers.
Another due east of OKC was building fake Shelby Mustangs out of Cougars & repop sheetmetal.. Before either mess, the unethical activities of one checkerboard carlot
operation resulted in our state legislature passing a law regarding swapping of trim tags.

There must be a market for these Chinese bodies because their is considerable investment in the tooling and scaling up to do an entire shell. I just can't fathom the thousands of hours it would take to make a nice fitting car out of one of them. Just the the most simple Chinese replacement part with three fasteners usually requires redrilling one hole and slotting the other 2 to make it fit. It makes my head spin thinking about hundreds of welded parts, each needing to be modified so a bolt on part will fit properly like a door or a deck lid or fender. No thanks.

The Chinese are capable of building some good stuff, but all we usually see is junk, because people only want to pay prices that dictate junk production quality.

I'd be willing to bet these shells fit together pretty well, and if they produce a 69 Charger body, I'll be one of the first in line to order.

Absolutely true, you get whatever YOU spec out for them to produce. Like any other manufacturer in whatever country.

When it comes to collector era reproduction sheet metal from Asia, unfortunately, not every panel is properly prototyped, sent back to the US. These pieces HAVE to be tested for proper fit , any issues noted, then communicated with the manufacturers (typ one of two in Taiwan, or the one above in mainland China).

Many times what one US source has done is shipped mid to late '60's cars overseas. The examples I've see pics of were not nice solid straight examples of partscars. The optimistic expectation being, the producer can then copy the specific panel, then manufacture moderate cost dies, & finally stamp out quality panels. Unfortunately, important details get lost in the process. If the production entity is actually digitizing individual sheet metal panels to a close tolerance, how does product line after product line have serious gap fit issues upon final production??? I challenge ANYONE that can't get this into their head to get out & get in body shops & true restoration shops & examine the fit issues with many of these large panels.

Here's just a few with blatant issues... Feel free & add to the list!!!

-'70 Chevelle fender/door/ 1/4 gaps (marketed by Diedndacorn)

-'81-87 C/K cowl hoods marketed by Diedndacorn.
Amazing how examples of this hood from previous competing Marketing Group, Goodmark, actually fit quite well.

-'68/69 GTO fenders, so bad PY wouldn't offer them for sale years ago. my 2 cents compare even the "new improved" versions to a nice original.

-last, will mention it again: the repro '66-67 LeMans/GTO doors,
No way can install original or repro '67 GTO rocker trim & lower door trim with these disasters. 3/4" too short along the bottom edge, 9/16" too short at a parallel line above at the door handle. Obviously not properly proofed before in the supply line.

PRC or Taiwan? The repop bodies and panels sold through Dynacor are produced in Taiwan; whole different animal from the PRC when it comes to quality and fitment.