There was some russians where I lived in middle tennessee who would buy two identicle wrecked cars, typically one hit in the front and one hit in the butt and cut them in half with a sawzawl, right through fuel lines and harness brake lines... and splice everything back together, weld up the sheet metal, throw on some paint and run them through the auctions, some of the worst cars ever "made in america" !
This was a common practice by various (typically immigrant owned) shops in California in the 80's (probably other areas as well) and that is why we now have Salvaged titles as a federal (I believe) requirement on totaled vehicles.
