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When one makes a reproduction part, can they put the original part number on or in the part? Do they also have to put the name of the company that made the part? How does the GM licenses program work, in order to reproduce a part does one have to go through them in order to reproduce a part now?
Yes, you have to get a GM license to repro a part with their logo or part number on it. There were a few simple parts I wanted to repro, they wouldn't even return my calls or e-mails. If you don't do it and they find out, they have plenty of lawyers on staff to make you miserable!
Why do you think that they would not return your calls? Was it that they wanted to sell you a license? Maybe the volume was to low.. Could you tell us what you wanted to reproduce? If you would rather not I understand
The licensing of the reproduction parts is/was handled by a company called EMI. Maybe Art Armstrong will chime in with more information. It has been a while since I had contact with EMI
Yes GM's licensing agent is EMI in conjunction with GMSPO. GM is interested in licensing quality reproduction parts and therefore uses these two entities. If approved, yes, you can use the GM part number for said part. In addition, if available, you could probably get the GM drawing for said part.
EMI can be reached in Detroit at 810-680-8757 or in San Diego at 619-558-2500.
Additional information can be found, on this subject, on the inside cover of the GM Restoration Parts Guide. This guide is GM part number 12363125 and can be ordered from and GM dealer.
I have an interesting copy of the 1990 Corvette Black Book with a very interesting chapter in the back regarding Corvette labels written by M.F. Dobbins. From the forward to the article it says he was awaiting trial in 1988 for countefeiting charges brought in Pennsylvania presumably by by GM for reproducing copyrighted material, in this case labels. All charges were later dropped. After the charges were dropped the blurb from GM that I found interesting and at odds with what you are saying was "GM has since publicly acknowledged its desire to assist enthusiasts by licensing companies and INDIVIDUALS to reproduce various obsolete parts including labels".
Either they have amended that sentiment to be only companies or you have to be taken to court first then be given the permission. Hopefully it is that you are just not getting in touch with the right people. I would consider contacting others who have successfully reproduced parts (ie Trim Parts) to see how they went about it.
I don't know anything about the 1988 counterfeiting charges that you mention so I can't comment. I'm not sure when GM hired EMI to handle their reproduction parts business, but it wouldn't surprise me if wasn't until after 1988. I do know that if you do not go thru EMI, GM will probably come after you....................which they have every right to do.
GM's statement in their licensing program: " The program was created to offer a direct method to obtain licenses to manufacture and/or sell GM restoration parts".........
I think this may be a reference to that announcement. Looks like it was originally back in 1993, or this one was. I thought it was earlier than that. Item #43
The charges against Dob stemmed from a traffic stop of what turned out to be a stolen car. It was a C-3 and had the blue label in the door jamb. It had a ficticious VIN on it. The "ball" rolled down the hill after that and got to smelling real bad. They raided Dob's store and Chevycraft in Lowbuck, TX. Maybe a few more, but my memory is vague on what else happened. Chevycraft did not get any charges brought, but Dobbins spent a considerable amount for defense. I have heard over the years that he had to sell his '69 L/88 to cover the legal defense.
Shortly after the raids Equity Management (EMI) started showing up at swap meets looking for "counterfeit" parts. The first time that I saw them was in Bloomington at the old fair grounds.
I went to the then correct website and submitted multiple requests over about a year time. No reply at all. My guess is that a bigger player may have already been looking, but that was 4 years ago and nobody is selling yet.
I lot of this also was about the same time that counterfeit parts were showing up on the shelves and in the parts system. In AC Delco boxes. Some time later AC had to start putting a red dot in the box in order for one to identify it as a real AC part. The parts looked that good, of course they were crap. And were made of inferior materials. I seem to recall that a lot of the parts were from the middle east, if memory servers me. They made a lot of AC parts, some of them real safety items such as brake pads. With that going on it did not help the reproduction people just trying to serve the restoration crowd.
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