VIN numbers and a "what if" scenario

[hemi71]

I have a what if scenario for you all...curious to see what you think about this.

Say i get really lucky and win the lottery....first thing i do after i get the check is i hunt down and buy a 71 hemicuda...real BS27R1B car. Hey, $$ is no object and I've got the $$!!! 

I'm the type who drives his cars, even the 3-5 million $$ ones, so i insure the car thru Lloyds of London for $5 million.

I'm cruisin down the road one day and a nimrod crosses the center line and hits me on the left front of the car....high hit.

The following is badly damaged....grille, header panel, radiator support, left inner front fender with the attached fender tags, left side of cowl, even the left "A" pillar and the dash...it's such a hard hit even the VIN plate on the dash is damaged beyond repair.

Being I'm so lucky (remember the lotto win) I walk away without a scratch...but the hemicuda ragtop is hurtin. I've lost all the above parts, plus all the stamped numbers in the cowl and radiator support are gone. the fender tag is torn and crumpled beyond recognition, along with the VIN plate. Since the hit was high, the frame rail and K member, along with the #'s drivetrain are OK.

Now since the car is insured for 5 million, unless this thing is burnt to the ground, ,there is NO way the insurance co is going to total this one. Heck, buy a donor 318 71 ragtop, part it out and you can fix this one for probably around 100-200K MAX.

The title wont show a reconstructed brand, since the car was not totalled by the insurance co.  So now what do i have?  All the numbers on the car are gone....but in all reality 75% of the original car is still there, I still have a valid title and #'s matching drivetrain.  I can get a repo fender tag and VIN plate, so that's not a problem. (unless harms gets his way!   J/K   LOL)   

So what do you think?  What would you call this car?  Just a mental excerise here.

I was thinkin that it's funny how all the numbers on the cars are on the drivers side of the car. Even a B body, the #'s on the trunk rail are on the drivers side of the trunk. Anybody know why?







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[MEK-Dangerfield]

Larry,
  You've been thinking too much.  OK, you have the title. The door sticker will still verify the VIN. If the numbers engine and tranny are still OK, then I don't see why anything would have to change. Replacing the fender, cowl, and whatever else, is just insignificant in my eyes. The fact that the frame and drive train are original, still makes this the same car in my eyes.  OK, that's my 2 pennies... have fun with me, but be nice. 

  Mike

[Andrew]

Like MEK said, your thinking too much into this.

And with 71 hemicuda convertables being so rare, everyone would know the story of the one that got in that weird accident, so you wouldnt have any trouble with people doubting its numbers.

Plus, If I won the lottery, I wouldnt spend it on '71 hemicuda convertables.

Id rather have:
'68 Roadrunner (hemi)
'69 1/2 Roadrunner (hemi)
'68 superbee(hemi)
'69 1/2 superbee (440+6)
'71 gtx (440+6)
'70 challenger R/T (hemi)
'70 challenger R/T S.E. (440+6)
'70 challenger T/A
'70 AAR cuda
'70 cuda (440+6)
'72 Valiant  E49 Charger
'76 Valiant Charger white knight special
'73 RoadRunner (440/727)
'68 Barracuda fastback (big block)
'70 superbird (440+6)
'69 Daytona (hemi)
'67 charger (hemi)
'69 chatger (440)
'70 charger (440+6)

Thats a list of cars Id buy before Id get a '71 hemicuda convt.
No offence to you '71 cuda owners, but I dont like the look of the '71 and convertables really aern't my thing.


EDIT: wow, I didnt think the list was that long...

[Oldschool]

The way I see it,  It will still be a numbers car.   There is a good chance that most 35 year old cars have had some of what you mentioned replaced anyway.  Still, it's cool to wonder what if?.................         ...Oldschool

[hemi71]

Andrew....I've owned 10 of your list of 19....LOL.

I guess I was bored at work today when i thought that one up.

Time for this now.         

[torredcuda]

If you started with a legit car I would have no problem with repairing the car and putting the numbers back on it.It would be the same if it were rusted and needed a lot of metal replaced,it is still the the original car with some parts replaced.I think people get too concerned over original numbers,if the car is legit-no problem,if someone is trying to pass off a car as something it`s not than we have a problem! 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

Around here although it would be a "clean" title it would be an "insurance claim paid" . A purist wouldn't want it but call me after you fix it, so I can relieve your pain of having a not so "original" cuda

[whitesatinmopar]

Larry what is the difference of being replaced because of your little accident or due to mother natures rust rebellion, either way it would not be totally original but still got all them high dollar #'s. Besides Larry you need to quit eating at two in the morning and having these wild thought dreams 

[Plum6Pak]

   This is a hoot! I don't care. I'll never win the lottery or have anough money to ever think about a Hemi Cuda. I have a Hemi and a Kuda and one thing I have that no one with any amount of money can get with their Hemi or their Cuda, mine loves me!!