Unintended doesn't have to result in cheating. The shrinkage of ITC, this clarification on roof panels are just the start. I didn't think of them when we voted and I am sure we will uncover some more.
Eek, man. Both of those were on the forefront of *my* brain when I was writing my support for it. I
expected that this would drag cars out of ITC into ITB, and that there would be arguments over the sunroof (though they're the exact same arguments as before 1/1/09; nothing's changed in that regard).
But, as I noted many, many, many times in the past, that VIN rule stopped nothing. I, for example, fully intended, had I wrecked the NX, to find a hardtop NX1600 and convert it to a 2000, and transfer over all the VIN plates and stampings. And, prior to rescind of the VIN rule, I had always planned to use a hard-top Integra to replace the wrecked GS-R (though I agree the action of actually having to follow-through on it was never "unintended"
).
All this VIN rule did was save me the trouble of transferring over the plates.
We have separate issues here:
1- any spec line competing must be exactly as delivered from the factory, except as the rules allow.
I agree. To be legal it's got to be exactly as factory-delivered, except...
2- Does the sunroof rule allow complete roof replacement?
Of course it does; always has. If you disagree, then you need to resolve exactly why the words "replacement skin" were used, versus simply stating "...sunroofs may be replaced with panel...of the same material as the original surrounding roof material."
"Replacement skin" clearly refers solely to the outer skin of the roof, or the roof panel, if you will. Always has been interpreted that way, from the get-go. - GA
If I had a manufacture catalog with roof parts I would check & see if the car manufacture calls the piece over your head a skin.
