GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

[Ronald L.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

Richard, Just a TIP - if you have a paid subscription to Hemmings, you can log on and search the October issue.

[Wayne M.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

Where is the article in Hemmings? I have the october issue and don't see it...

I found it at the end of the Corvette section, after cars and parts, where there's a grab-bag of ads for Corvette wanted, etc.

[Richard E.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

Thanks...I'll check it out....

[Jack H.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

"...and that any legal obligations to the (old) GM that this person might have had have evaporated with the bankruptcy."

That's an interesting legal opinion but I doubt it holds water. While the 'old GM' underwent bankruptcy, their assets didn't. My gut tells me intellectual property rights survived the proceedings and became the property of the 'new GM'...

[Dick W.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

"...and that any legal obligations to the (old) GM that this person might have had have evaporated with the bankruptcy."

That's an interesting legal opinion but I doubt it holds water. While the 'old GM' underwent bankruptcy, their assets didn't. My gut tells me intellectual property rights survived the proceedings and became the property of the 'new GM'...

Bingo Jack! You won the prize for the right answer

[Tom M.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

Bingo Jack! You won the prize for the right answer

put the cards on the table

[Michael G.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

Intellectual property rights? The number of Corvette vehicles built and their respective options has been in the public domain for many years. These are facts, not covered by copywrite or other protections.

Maybe no one ever bothered to gather all that information into one database (and,if not, its probably too late now) but there was a time when anyone with the wherewithal could have assembled such a database from readily available information. GM (old or new) has no particular claim to that information now.

[Paul S.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

My gut tells me intellectual property rights survived the proceedings and became the property of the 'new GM'...

The bankruptcy was a reorganization. Assets that were not sold off or abandoned to creditors, would still be property of the "new GM", but with this wrinkle.

One can, however, abandon property, and to know whether GM abandoned these documents would depend on knowing all the facts and circumstances explaining how these documents got from GM's control to where they are today. So the issue is not certain, by any means. No doubt, however, that a "sale" of the documents could give rise to litigation. As a recent example, read the press accounts of the "lost" iPhone 4 and Gizmodo buying it from the finder.

I can only imagine the difficulty in working something out with GM and the other parties involved. Clearly others have done this with documents like the service manuals and AIM that are reproduced with license of GM. Despite the difficulties, that is the prudent way of "acquiring" these documents.

[Clem Z.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

it depends which corvette you own if you want the records found or not.

[Larry E.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

I believe the article in question is in the September Issue of Hemmings not
October in the "Corvettes Wanted" section. Hope it will bear fruit.
Larry

[Jack H.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

My hunch is the focus of this contact attempt isn't to acquire information as benign as the number of Corvettes produced each year!

[Gene M.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

Nah....I believe it's called "caveat emptor". Unless you are tampering with serial numbers and registration papers, there is nothing illegal about swapping engines or accessories that I am aware of.

Agree, but what about the stamping of the VIN on a replacement block to imitate the original? Why is that any different from a fake VIN tag or another car's VIN tag being applied to the body?

[Clem Z.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

Agree, but what about the stamping of the VIN on a replacement block to imitate the original? Why is that any different from a fake VIN tag or another car's VIN tag being applied to the body?

did not they do that with some of those high $$$ corvettes like the "last stingray" and the "12 mile L-88" since they don't have the original engines.

[Gene M.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

did not they do that with some of those high $$$ corvettes like the "last stingray" and the "12 mile L-88" since they don't have the original engines.

Clem, I think you are right they replaced engines. But what if they had replaced the main body and birdcage that involved the VIN tags. Would that be viewed differently?

So my original question still is why is the VIN (as well as trim) on the tag sacred and the VIN on the pad is open to recreation?

[Clem Z.]

Re: GM Documentation; T. Michaelis ad (offer) in Hemmings

Clem, I think you are right they replaced engines. But what if they had replaced the main body and birdcage that involved the VIN tags. Would that be viewed differently?

So my original question still is why is the VIN (as well as trim) on the tag sacred and the VIN on the pad is open to recreation?

maybe it has to do with the potential value of the corvette, the more valuable the more can be done to resurrect the car.