Lien/Hold on Dodge Dart 75

You did the right thing by talking to a lawyer (lawyers), most will spend 30 minutes or so no charge, that's how they get new clients.

I would have thought it was criminal fraud but most police forces have been cut back so much they don't want to get involved in this stuff

And Chryslerfat is ABSOLUTELY correct that it is a criminal offense to move a VIN from one vehicel to another. There was a '65 Shebly GT350 that the long time owner "rebodied" since the original body was rusty, it was easier to replace the body with a donor Mustang. BAD move!!! To avoid criminal charges he sold it outside the US as a "clone" with original Shelby parts and lost about $100,000 in value and there's someone in South America that has a great car for cheap.