tegwin
|
| posted on 6/1/08 at 10:26 PM |
|
|
A contentious question about copyrwrite...
Im looking at ways of making the production of the body for my midi a bit easier...
There is currently a car that I quite like in production by a well known company....
Where would I stand legaly if I buy a set of their bodywork (off a crashed car), and set about doing some significant modifications to it...Moving the
headlights, flaring the wheels, moving vents etc...
By the time im finished it wont look a huge amount like the origional car, but it might look similar from some angles...
Would I be able to do this legaly without infringing any copywrite work?
Not that I want to, but what happens if I wanted to sell some of my custom bodywork to someone else...is that then illeagal?
I am NOT copying their bodywork, mearly using it as a scafold to build my own shape...
[Edited on 6/1/08 by tegwin]
|
|
|
|
|
Confused but excited.
|
| posted on 6/1/08 at 10:31 PM |
|
|
"I am NOT copying their bodywork, mearly using it as a scafold to build my own shape... "
Seems like you just answered your own question. It's not like you are building replicas for sale.
Plenty of kit cars use OEM windscreens etc.
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
|
|
|
Howlor
|
| posted on 6/1/08 at 10:32 PM |
|
|
If the existing vehicle has registered design rights then the legal stance is that your vehicle must look different in the eyes of an educated
person.
Educated means that the judge would look at it and may call upon say a car designer to say in his eyes if the design is different.
By the way this would only matter if you actually sell them.
Steve
|
|
|
RK
|
| posted on 6/1/08 at 11:24 PM |
|
|
If you are not going to make any money off of it, you probably won't have a problem copying. I think the Locost 7 was based on another car
somewhere, if I vaguely recall correctly.
|
|
|
thunderace
|
| posted on 6/1/08 at 11:50 PM |
|
|
just look at all the f355 mr2 cars out there.
|
|
|
nitram38
|
| posted on 6/1/08 at 11:56 PM |
|
|
Just look at some of the Lada Rivas and Fiat 126's. I have never heard them take each other to court and come to think of it, neither Lexus and
Mecedes!
It is not a direct copy, so no worries.
|
|
|
Peteff
|
| posted on 7/1/08 at 12:08 AM |
|
|
Ladas and FSO Polonez were Polski Fiats
They were built under licence like the Indian Austins and Mexican VWs. As mentioned earlier if you aren't intending to copy and sell it you
should have no problems with copyright law.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
|
|
|
Dutchman
|
| posted on 7/1/08 at 12:28 AM |
|
|
Look westfield and cateham , so even if U'r going to sell them it is good enough to add went on hood and change rear lights ... trust me ,
I'm doing some import from china and U wouldn't believe what minor changes pass the copyright law (talking about pioner, soni, panasanics,
tehniks audio equipment  )
Tarzan English with foreign accent!
|
|
|
balidey
|
| posted on 7/1/08 at 08:22 AM |
|
|
Have a look at Pre-lit vs Post lit westfields, hardly any difference in my eyes. Change a few subtle details and dimensions and then even the mighty
lawyers at Caterham stop.
|
|
|
matt_claydon
|
| posted on 7/1/08 at 08:31 AM |
|
|
Doesn't matter if you aren't selling the chassis. As for the body, if it's going to be completely different then that's no
problem either, plenty of companies have offered alternative bodies for other peoples base cars (there was a nice one for the MK Indy but I
can't remember the name).
|
|
|
Howlor
|
| posted on 7/1/08 at 09:01 AM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by balidey
Have a look at Pre-lit vs Post lit westfields, hardly any difference in my eyes. Change a few subtle details and dimensions and then even the mighty
lawyers at Caterham stop.
I have some personal experience of this with a large court case for infringement on a registered design and patent.
It is certainly not ok to change subtle details and dimensions. The court would ask for an educated person to decide upon the case and they take an
overview of the design, not just looking for subtle differences.
If the shape is unique then the registered design is even stronger as anything that looks remotely like it could be infringing.
Steve
|
|
|
zxrlocost
|
| posted on 7/1/08 at 11:17 AM |
|
|
I wouldnt worry about it to much
chris
|
PLEASE NOTE: This user is a trader who has not signed up for the LocostBuilders registration scheme. If this post is advertising a commercial product or service, please report it by clicking here.
|
