how do you tell them??

[Mark W.]

Re: You're walking on thin ice...

Sticking ones head in the sand, instead of standing up and doing the right thing is a problem we see all too often in our society. What is wrong with telling this individual you owned the car many years ago, but it had a small block in it, but you don't know if it was the original engine back then (did it have a BB hood). This way, you let him know that at one time, it had a different engine in it and if he wants, he can then do the research to find the truth.

[Dale P.]

Re: You're walking on thin ice...

If you were around in the early 70's .. many corvettes ran with some type of modified hood .. yes it had a BB hood .. but it too was modified to "act" as a ram air type hood ..the small block ran everything from dual 4's to a FI system (this was not part of the orginal equipment) to even trying 3 x 2 .. I found later that it ran best with a small qjet .. it also had 308 rear that was changed out to 4;11 .. one thing I remember not liking about this car was the wide ratio trans .. always wanted to change it out but never did .. the other thing is how it now has TI .. funny I don't remeber that when I had to replace the nose after trying to move a parked one ton truck !!

[terry plata]

Sweating bullets

The perpetrator was obviously very knowlegeable and competent. Wouldn't it be something if he were reading this right now? Sweating bullets for sure!

[Rob A.]

Re: how do you tell them??

If you haven't already told the new owner that you were a previous, you might want to mention it. If he then asks you for any information on the car you can offer it a little at a time. By simply answering any questions he may ask, you should not hurt his feelings with any information he may not be pleased with. It's possible that you may hurt his feelings by NOT letting him know you were a previous owner. He may prefer to know the "correctness" of his car in the event he chooses to sell it to avoid any problems directed at him.

[Les Jacobs]

Horns of a dilema

Dale It seems to boil down to...are you willing to risk a lawsuit to help an acquaintance or prevent a fraudulent transaction in the future. If the answer is a soft "yes", but you still want to hedge your bets you could tell your friend that the car was yours quite some time ago but the engine doesn't look familiar..and stop. If your acquaintance wants to know more they'll ask and you can spool out a little more. If they don't ask, don't tell. You'll know they know, and they know you know, and thats probably about all you could hope for anyway. Good Luck Les

[Mark W.]

Re: Horns of a dilema

This is the second post stating Dale could be sued. I fail to see why or how that could happen just by telling the current owner the car had a different engine when he owned and sold it years ago.

[Dick G.]

Re: Horns of a dilema

Years ago, I bought my first 69 Camaro B.B.. The old addage of "buy the book before the car" story. Short version: I discovered what I had was not a big block SS but was a fake small block SS. OK, 2 years later I sold the car pointing out to the new owner THIS CAR IS NOT A BIG BLOCK CAR. Several months later I received a call from an excited young man happy to find me and eager to document the car. I immediately asked him, do you realize the car is a fake Big Block. I could here his heart break! I took no pleasure in this. He was lied to by the jerk I sold it to. Thanks! Dick

[Dave Suesz]

Silence = complicity

If, as you stated, you know as per the VIN the car is absolutely fake, then by remaining silent you become a willing partner in the fraud. I submit that your only risk of legal exposure is if you remain silent. If, as you say, this will start a string of lawsuits (considering the stunning price of '67 435hp roadsters I'd sue too) if through judging or other means he discovers the fraud and you have said nothing you are, as they say, screwed.

Too bad GM didn't put the engine type in the VIN, Ford did, which is why fake big-block Fords are a non-problem. If GM could cough up the invoices this would go away, too. The Ford records for 67-73 (and more) are now available, many fake options such as GT, deluxe interior, A/C, etc. have been exposed.

[Lonnie Johnson]

Re: Horns of a dilema

Dale,

It certainly is a personal dilema for you, and really no one can tell you what you should do. I would suggest you think clearly about 2 points prior to making your decision:
1. What is your motive for telling the guy about the situation? If it is to preserve our dearly held hobby more sacred, then it might be wise to tell him. If it's to make a nightmare out of some poor unsuspecting guys dream, it might make you out to be the villian.
2. Put yourself in the current owners shoes. Would you want to be told? If the answer is yes, then the right thing for you to do would probably be to tell him.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Lonnie

[Les Jacobs]

Re: Horns of a dilema

Good point. Maybe we could get a lawyer to weigh in. But Im of the same opinion that some of the others are, that this is a litigious society, and if you can sue and win for spilling coffee on yourself you can sue for just about anything.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Sweating bullets...

Terry, remember that Dale didn't mention his friend's name or the VIN...there could be several "carmakers" feeling anxiety as they read this thread.

For me, it all boils down to "The Golden Rule"...treat others as you would want to be treated. Would I want to know? You bet. What happened after that would be a function of individual character and worthiness as a human being.

[Garry Barnes]

Re: how do you tell them??

Dale, this thread has me begging for a few answers to a few questions. Your initial post indicated that you bought the car as a high school graduation present to yourself in 1973 therefore, the car at that time was six+ years old depending on the assembly date. What did you know about the car at that time? Could it have been a real 427/435 that a previous owner blew up and replaced with a small block?

Secondly, you mentioned that you didn't want to go into details on how you know this was your car. May I assume that you got a look at the trim plate and or better yet VIN number and recognized it as the one you had? Clearly the trim plate could be suspect as well. Is it the same VIN?

To me, the key here is definitive proof that this is the same car and that it was originally a small block . If you have such proof then I believe the owner needs to know. The ideas shared here on how to break the news to the current owner seem sound. If you don't have definitive proof then we revert back to buyer beware.

My $.03....inflation you know.

[Clem Z.]

remember this, if you tell the guy and he sues

the seller YOU are the main witness so be prepared to spend days in court at your expence. been there done that and i did not benefit one thin dime.

[William C.]

Re: remember this, if you tell the guy and he sues

As I mentioned, I was involved in one of these (as a Witness) a few years back, and it was handled thru depositions. I was happy to give my time as I felt it was worth it to stamp out some of the Fraud in the Hobby. If not addressed now, some time, some where, it will come out as Bogus and the judging field is a tough place for an owner to find that out.

[Clare Carpenter]

Re: how do you tell them??

I agree with Garry Barnes. I have read this entire thread and Dale, you leave out alot of information. I would be interested in knowing the rest of the facts surrounding your knowledge of this car and it's history. If you know ABSOLUTELY for a FACT that the car is a clone, then tell the guy you owned it and that during that time it had a small block. If the guy bought the car as a documented, original motor, matching numbers, REAL car, then he was fraudulently misrepresented to and surely paid too much for the car. Therefore, he would legally be entitled to some sort of compensation. Possibly a total refund, with the car returned or partial refund if he wants to keep it. What if this car is done so well that it passes muster in the judging arena and then gets resold as an NCRS Top Flight car? Surely THAT'S never happened before?