From: jonathon (jemery@execpc.com)
Date: Sat Sep 07 2002 - 20:48:04 PDT
>I think the Bureaucrats have given some of us a break. If not do you know
>what would become of Gama Goats and 151A2's and a few other vehicles that
>were demilled as in cut in half or rendered unoperational or sold with paper
>stating for off road use only.
>Just because its repaired and registered for the highway by an agency not in
>the loop doesn't make it legal.
I post this to the list in general, I am not being critical at all of your
post Dave, the topic just got me thinking about this subject on a more
general level.
Since when does a seller of anything have any right, legally, to control the
use of something they sell to someone else?
I have a thought experiment here, perhaps if you believe that property
rights are absolute you'd agree with me, perhaps others have differing or
divergent viewpoints.
The M151 is a good example as I want one but after collecting this stuff for
almost 20 years I do not yet have one. Concider that I buy several scrapped
vehicles which were sold (auctioned) as scrap or residue. Now I spend much
time and effort and perhaps money and I put one good vehicle back together.
Is it then an M151? If I go to the state to title and license it, is it an
M151 to them? I would have to say no on both question, it is a
reconstructed vehicle and perhaps depending on how much work I had to go
thru it might even be concidered home built. But to a fellow MV collector,
is it an M151? I'd say yes. I listen to people talk about titling problems
and I have to wonder what the big deal is with titles. Personally I think
they are useless and should be abandonded all together. But that won't be
happening soon. But what is the big deal about a title being correct for
the vehicle as built? So what if it says a 1996 home built truck (my
rewelded M151) or a 1963 Ford M151? So long as the serial number is correct
who cares? And as to serial numbers, I have talked to people where the state
refused to use the original number that was on the vehicle and they issued a
new VIN of the states choosing along with a small state issued tag and
little rivets with a "W" on the head (W for Wisconsin) to attach it with.
Seems to me if I had a choice between fighting them over a title that
matched the vehicle as built and having a new VIN with a small id plate I
had to attach somewhere, I guess I'd just as soon go with a new small plate
and new VIN for the title. What difference is that going to make to any
person I would sell it to in the future?
Going back to reconstructing an M151, lets take that a step further. What if
I was so inclinded to make a body from scratch that was indistiguishable
from an original Ford or AMG. Is that then an M151? Having seen the work of
people such as John Geesink I would say that the right person can do this.
As to this idea of the seller (government) controlling the use of what they
sell, at what point is the item you posess the same or not at all the same
as the original item? Is the M151 that I got cut and then rewelded an M151?
What if I put a body together from many cut, crushed, or wrecked bodies,
should they be able to lay some claim on that? What then if I make a body
from scratch??? Where is that line, if any?
Seem to me this stuff is sold (auctioned) by the government either as a
whole operable vehicle, implying a 97 would come with it, or as scrap metal.
What I do with either is my business.
So go another step. M60's, M1's etc. are not supposed to be in private hands
at all right? So what if I reconstruct one from scraped units? what if I
make one from scratch? Can the government then come in and confiscate it? Is
either really a tank (of thiers)? Again..... how and where do you make the
distinction?
Sorry to ramble on so much, this topic is of some interest to me and it has
come up before, just looking for any interesting opinions I guess.
later,
je
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