Well the law says[1]: Except as provided in this section, sections 30113 and 30114 of this title, and subchapter III of this chapter, a person may not manufact

Well the law says[1]: Except as provided in this section, sections 30113 and 30114 of this title, and subchapter III of this chapter, a person may not manufacture for sale, sell, offer for sale, introduce or deliver for introduction in interstate commerce ... unless the vehicle or equipment complies with the standard and is covered by a certification issued under section 30115 of this title. which according to [2] has been ammended with: (A) LOW-VOLUME MANUFACTURER- The term `low-volume manufacturer' means a motor vehicle manufacturer, other than a person who is registered as an importer under section 30141 of this title, whose annual worldwide production, including by a parent or subsidiary of the manufacturer, if applicable, is not more than 5,000 motor vehicles. So assuming the various shell companies aren't owned by each other it just depends on whether the factory's owner is manufacturing the car or the company leasing the factory. The definition[3] of manufacturer says "person -- (A) manufacturing or assembling motor vehicles" which doesn't give a lot of guidance on that because these laws are clearly aimed at the corporate person not the individual assembly line workers (who would of course be employed by a temp-agency). I mean not that it matters much. They still have to be 25 year old models and any IP has to be correctly licensed (which would mean getting the companies to sign off on a deal with a probably very high dodginess/profit ratio) I don't see any one trying to make or succeeding to sell 10000 '89 Ford Ranger clones. That said you're absolutely right that if it ever got to court the judges would pierce the veil like * that * [1] https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/30112 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/30112 [2]http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&dbname=cp114&refer=&r_n=hr357.114&item=&&&sel=TOC_1393421& http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&dbname=cp114&refer=&... [3]https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/30102 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/30102