[Don Kennedy]

10.2.F page 98 of 2002 rule book states "Vehicles titled as 'assembled' or 'shop-made' are permitted." In PA this would be a reconstructed title (usually applied to a totaled wreck that has been rebiult). Has anyone ever done this and what problems existed within SCCA.

 

[MDBodnar]

As you note this would apply to "rebuilt" vehicles. I don't know the number running but there are several rally cars that have been re-shelled with a new body -- different VIN gets you a "shop built title"

Have not heard of any vehicles having an issue with the SCCA as long as they are built properly.

Mike

 

[Bruce]

Building from junkyard shells used to be fairly common, and I've heard of new production cars being built from "white" shells. SCCA doesn't actually look at the title, just inspects the car as it stands.

This section of the rulebook just points out that the car need never have been an actual production vehicle in its present incarnation...it just has to meet Production specs.


Bruce

 

[Mad Mike]

RE: Anyone ever used

>10.2.F page 98 of 2002 rule book states "Vehicles titled as
>'assembled' or 'shop-made' are permitted." In PA this would
>be a reconstructed title (usually applied to a totaled wreck
>that has been rebiult). Has anyone ever done this and what
>problems existed within SCCA.

Doug Shepherd might have more intimate knowledge about the example I'm about to share, but my exposure to this piece of the rulebook was embodied in the silver Dodge Charger Turbo that John Crawford campaigned in PGT prior to my joining CMC Motorsports, Inc. in 3Q 1985. Residing at the shop behind Marr Dodge in Oroville, CA. when I arrived was "Christine" (the red Daytona Turbo soon to be delivered to Doc Shrader in Memphis), the silver Charger Turbo that was "shop made" by Chrysler in anticipation of the production model's roll out and a blue 1985 Charger Turbo with which Crawford was finishing out his run in PGT. Crawford had competed in the 1985 PGT championship with the 'assembled' car until the blue one was prepped, he won the 1985 and 1986 PPIHC Prod titles with it and it was subsequently run at selected ProRally events in both 1985 & 1986 by the late Dick Maxwell. It had no VIN plate and ran with MI. Manufacturer's license plates, but so far as I could tell it was identical to the blue car (at least once I figured out that the difference between how the two braked was thanks to where the master cylinder rod pin had been welded on the respective brake pedals).

For the 1986 season Shepherd and Crawford swapped classes so Doug could continue his championship-winning ways in PGT and JC claimed his first ProRally title with Joe Andrieni riding shotgun in the Dodge Omni GLHs I built and maintained. Except for 'Silver' all the cars I was involved with as a professional Dodge Boy came off a Chrysler assembly line complete with VIN plates and after rally prep ran as the models they were built.

I guess what I'm trying to say is the rule likely was added to allow a manufacturer to create a car for a class before the production line was fully up to speed (or caught up with early customer orders). Is that any where near accurate Doug?

Halley ...
http://www.realautosport.com

 

[jandreini]

RE: Anyone ever used

All of Guy Light's P cars were titled as "Assembled" vehicles in Michigan. They were legal cars constructed in his shop, rather than in a factory(made changing an 8v GTI into a 16v GTI easy!) I remember the line about 'assembled' or 'shop built' vehicles was added shortly after I told Guy I was tempted to protest his car as not being a legal VW GTI (the title said so). I was only kidding, of course, but it was too much fun to yank Guy's chain, as he always responded in such a satisfying way. Coincidence? Maybe. Jimmy Brandt would know.

 

[RichardM]

RE: Anyone ever used

In 1980, I helped Tom French assemble a Production Saab that helped Saab win the manufacturers title again that year. The front end was a 1974 model revised to have the 1980 grill. The back end was a 1980. The engine was 1980 while I think the transmission was an earlier model. Who knows what title he used but it looked like a 1980 model and was mostly legal.
Richard

 

[JField]

My Celica was purchased at a salvage auction and rebuilt using two cars (roof from one welded on to another) and a lot of bondo. Not exactly shop made, but certainly "rebuilt".

Jeff