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Thread: What is car conversion?

  1. #1
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    What is car conversion?

    Ok, I know this sounds like a stupid question, but I always thought car conversion was when a car thief changed engine/chassis/plate numbers on a stolen car, to those of a legit car, for the purpose of selling the stolen car for a profit.

    In other words "converting" the car's identity.

    But someone is telling me that any car theft at all, including a quick joyride, is seen by the law as "car conversion".

    Which is correct?


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  2. #2
    Senior Member dmoltrup's Avatar
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    Don't know. The authorities here simply call it a "File One".
    blah.

  3. #3
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    I doubt that my interpretation of car conversion is the same, but when I was growing up in the US the fad was to modify a car...re-design it in some way. Take you car and change the appearance and looks... paint it in your colors and design. Customize your wheels in some way..being unique with what you have.

    At one time, I had a Ford body on a General Motors frame, using a much larger GM motor than was available for the stock Ford. A friend had a sedan that had been "chopped and channeled"... this was done by taking about 4 inches out of the entire body horizontally around the body...windshield included!! ultra cool for the times.

  4. #4
    Account Closed Optimus Prime's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Bovon
    I doubt that my interpretation of car conversion is the same, but when I was growing up in the US the fad was to modify a car...re-design it in some way. Take you car and change the appearance and looks... paint it in your colors and design. Customize your wheels in some way..being unique with what you have.

    At one time, I had a Ford body on a General Motors frame, using a much larger GM motor than was available for the stock Ford. A friend had a sedan that had been "chopped and channeled"... this was done by taking about 4 inches out of the entire body horizontally around the body...windshield included!! ultra cool for the times.
    That's what it should mean, not that i know jack **** about cars... but conversion usually means changing something for something else, like modding a computer case or something .

  5. #5
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    Well dunno bout stateside but over here the practice of fiddling with serial numbers is called 'ringing'

    Car conversion is more this sort of thing



    Nice

    --Jakk

  6. #6
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    Originally posted by Optimus Prime


    That's what it should mean, not that i know jack **** about cars... but conversion usually means changing something for something else, like modding a computer case or something .
    Thats what I thought as well. My Dad used have a sweet "converted" Chevy van a couple years back. Converted to 4WD. It defineatly got a whole bunch of looks when we went on accessible beaches.

    Company named "Pathfinder" out in CA did the work I believe.

    Never heard of the term used for car theft, etc.

  7. #7
    Complete & Utter Member j.m@talk's Avatar
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    Maybe the thief "Converts" it in to his Property !

    Or "GTA" or Perhaps "TDA"

    Grand Theft Auto
    Taking & Driving Away

    Either way having it on his heels or wheels wiv ya motor

  8. #8
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    Ok, so the term "car conversion" is obviously not used in the UK, or the US. At least not the same way as it is here...

    I guess I just thought the term might be in use internationally, probably because a large part of NZ law is based on UK law.

    Never mind, thanks anyway guys.

    Here's the US version of conversion.
    Attached Images Attached Images
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  9. #9
    Member steevo's Avatar
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    Well dunno bout stateside but over here the practice of fiddling with serial numbers is called 'ringing'
    Isn't " Ringing " the practice of welding two halves of different cars (but same model) together.

  10. #10
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    Originally posted by Zakalwe
    Here's the US version of conversion.
    Ohhh man!!, does that ever take me back into time!!

    The smell of lacquer, the flame from a torch, the beating metal into shape..the long hours making a dream come true...

    As Hope has said...many times, Thanks for the memories.

  11. #11
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    Ohhh man!!, does that ever take me back into time!!
    Nice isn't it?

    As I've said in a dfferent thread, I'm saving to get my own slice of 60s muscle, a 1969 Mustang, gloss black, big chrome mags, nice 351, etc.

    Here's a pic of the general look I'm aiming for, although of course hell will probably freez over before I can afford a Boss. I'll have to settle for a lower spec car, give it a nice paint job, and work from there.
    Attached Images Attached Images
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  12. #12
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    Isn't " Ringing " the practice of welding two halves of different cars (but same model) together.
    No, thats 'cut and shut'

    --Jakk

  13. #13
    Complete & Utter Member j.m@talk's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Bigjakkstaffa


    No, thats 'cut and shut'

    --Jakk
    Ahh a bodge-up .......... Them were the days

  14. #14
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    Originally posted by Zakalwe
    Nice isn't it?

    Yes it really is!

    As I've said in a different thread, I'm saving to get my own slice of 60s muscle, a 1969 Mustang, gloss black, big chrome mags, nice 351, etc.

    What was the C.I. (cubic inch) of the 289 engine after the upgrade?..321?? whatever it was, it was one sick engine. I had a`73 Ford Ranger with that engine, and it wouldn't pull a boat up a ramp..and if you had a travel trailer...forget it. I finally learned that the engine was nothing more than a screwed up 289, so I went to a junk yard, bought a 289 Boss (4bbl) and completely rebuilt it back to factory specs. Dropped that sucker into the Ranger, and Lordy lordy...that thing would out pull a John Deere!!.. I often said if it had 4 wheel drive, it would climb a pine tree.

    There were two different 351's..one made in the US wasn't worth much other than a huge boat anchor. The Canadian 351 was supposed to be the one to get. I never had either, so I can't really say..but one of my friends built racing cars...stock... and he told me once to never get one kind, and the Canadian version had a name..which escapes me today. Actually, the 289 Boss was the preferred engine for racing...they turned up faster and stayed glued together better than some of the others. They were so popular that they almost became non existent in the late 70s and early 80s. When you could find one in a junk yard, you would pay twice as much for a 289 than you would for other used engines.

    Here's a pic of the general look I'm aiming for, although of course hell will probably freeze over before I can afford a Boss. I'll have to settle for a lower spec car, give it a nice paint job, and work from there.

    Great pic..thanks for sharing...

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    Ultimate Member Baddog's Avatar
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    351 Windsor......351 Cleveland
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