[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

This couldn't be further from the truth. It's a HUGE problem. The 69 Z/28 is likely by far the most popular car to clone. Correct well done RS Z's can be a 6 figure car (if it's real), and standard Z's (real ones) trade hands for $60k on up if restored correctly. So you can see there is money to be made with fraudulent activity. The trim tags on a Norwood built Z by mid December 68 were positive identifiers of a real Z (among other clues).

So guess what......the problem now is that these trim tags are reproduced with anything you want, and clones are popping up everywhere with the Z/28 codes on them, and asking big money for these cars. The saving grace right now (so far) is that the reproduction tags still have flaws and if you know what you are looking at you can tell if it's a repop. But they are getting better unfortunately.
It has gotten to the point that a research group now has a large stock pile of documentation that weeds out the fake from the real, (I had my Z verified and put into the Registry) and people like Jerry McNiesh that offer a verification service checking for hidden vins, fake tags, restamped blocks etc.... It's big business in the Chevy camp and the 69 Z/28 is a real problem in this area so you really have to do your research when buying.

Chrysler has Govier to weed out the fakes and protect buyers, and Ford has had Kevin Marti that offers a service just like PHS. I have the Marti Report on my 69 SCJ verifying it's pedigree, and is in the Registry as well.

Because of all this monkey business I'm not a fan of transferring tags, it's really become muddy water. If I even see a trim tag that shows any hint of the rivets having been tinkered with, I walk away.

;;

I wasn't referring to the high dollar Z/28's, COPO's, etc. I'm talking about your garden variety SS396 Camaro or Chevelle. You can even buy an entire 69 Camaro body! Add your own engine, badging, etc. Some states might be a little different than others on registered a clone, but you can build an entire car out of a catalog.

The correct cars with iron clad documentation are going to bring big bucks. But there are plenty of other cars out there trading every day and the buyers don't seem to care, they just adjust the price accordingly. Seems there are more 67 427-435 'matching #' Corvettes out there now than were ever built. The reason being is that the Corvette community accepts restamped engines and trannys. Evidently they couldn't discern which was factory or not so they decided to accept them all in judging.