My Observation
For what its worth..
I am against this practice of re shelling cars. Using a shell from the States. For one its not a UK car anymore is it? The UK car died to give life to this clone. I am not sure of the way its done but I would assume. The only original bits may be the grafted in like the bulkhead with its VIN number, engine,box, dash and maybe some running gear. The rest is well is, American.
It should be illegal to do this maybe it is.
I have a genuine UK car of the same age. Its restored using its original body all of its original bits except a couple of front wings. I spent 3 years doing this and to see this clone makes my blood boil its not an original RHD but a conversion so its value albeit a lovely car should be less than a genuine UK RHD car. How many more of these clones are there?
Not happy with this practice at all.. its a misrepresentation of a UK car. The cars are monocoque construction and the body is some 90% of the actual car. By replacing it then having the cheek to register it on the old cars VIN number is wrong very wrong.
I dont know the legalities of the practice but my brother once had to re shell his early audi quattro rally car and as a re shell it had to be inspected by the DVLA and what ever racing rally people were involved, in the end he could not rally it or licence it on its original plate even though he had the original VIN number or the rolled car on the re shell.
Maybe he was being to honest and should have kept his mouth shut.. in the end it had a Q plate!
Just my observation from a genuine UK car owner.