Regardless of the rights and wrongs of the legal judgement in any particular case anyone spending that sort of money should have a certificate of originality in writing. At least then there is something to go by if it all goes wrong.

There have been many cases of forged classic cars and bikes. In our area an owner of a panel shop was recently arrested for forging classic cars.

In another instance, in which I was partially involved on behalf of a potential buyer, a racing Moto Guzzi was copied turning one original bike into several. The new frames and engines were given numbers never used by the factory and Moto Guzzi certificates of originality were forged using a scanner and Paint Shop. The potential buyer had already given a well known "reputable" British dealer a substantial deposit. He then started making enquiries when he smelt a rat. It all came unstuck when the person who had supposedly signed the certificate declared that she was not responsible for the certificates at that time and furthermore she was on maternity leave at the time the certificate was dated.

In my humble opinion a car or bike that only uses pert of the original frame or chassis and little else is not original but a replica and if sold as original is a forgery.

I don't know if he ever got his deposit back. Don't ask me the name of the dealer because I don't have it any more.

No names - no pack drill. Just my opinion for which I take no responsibility and has nothing to do with any particular case.

Peter

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