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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
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| | | | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 301 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 301 | This question goes for the Illinois bolters in particular. I just finished assembling the front end on my 49 and I really don't like the idea of ruining the view with a license plate holder and plate. What are you guys in Il. doing, leaving it off and hope the police let it slide? Or put it on?
1949 Chevy 3600
1975 W-25 Hurst Olds
1970 GMC 1/2 ton Fleetside
2010 Chevy Silverado
| | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | Around my area, Danville, I ran mine for about 8 years without a front plate on it, didn't have the first complaint from anyone, not even when I got stopped for speeding. I do have a front plate bracket on it now, custom made for the center of the bumper, but that's mainly for display of my YOM plate.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | In NY, if you have an original historic plate for a year in which one plate was use, you may use one plate (presumably in the location that has a license plate lamp - the rear). | | | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 899 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 899 | Check my pictures at the bottom of my post. Neither 55 has a front plate, or a place to put one. The 210 I've been driving about 10 years, and the 3100 about 4 years. I've never been stopped for not having them, but if I was I would tell the officer the truth why I don't have them. "I think they look ugly on there" And hope he isn't an A Hole and give me a ticket. 
Brian
1955.2 3100 Truck
The older I get the more dangerous I am!!!!! | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 | Yeah but Brian....out where you live the sheriff is still riding
a pony, he never gets to see the front end of you ride.
And lack of is a custom thing, taint the way it came from the
factory, they were meant to have that front plate. Also it keeps
people from asking what year it is if you have a YOM plate
pointed out toward the spectators.
dg
Denny G
Sandwich, IL
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | Yeah but Brian....out where you live the sheriff is still riding a pony, he never gets to see the front end of you ride.
And lack of is a custom thing, taint the way it came from the factory, they were meant to have that front plate. Also it keeps people from asking what year it is if you have a YOM plate pointed out toward the spectators.
dg The lack of a front plate is not necessarily a custom thing. The A-D trucks were equipped to ALLOW a front plate, if your state required a front plate in that year. As I posted above, it was not uncommon for states to issue only one license plate, and the license plate would be mounted in the rear, where the truck has the required license plate lamp. Most sheriffs are not aware of this. The very young sheriff that stopped me for speeding several years ago was not aware of this (NY DMV is aware of this). | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 | Up early this morning are ye Tim? You're retired now, ya gotta get
used to sleeping in!
But they all were equipped to ALLOW a front plate which meant
the holes were in the splash pan and the bracket was installed
and when you remove it.....YOU'RE CUSTOMIZING IT to your own
custom taste, you hot rodder you.
That's the 98% purist in me talking Professor.
dg
Last edited by Denny Graham; 07/18/2015 1:25 PM.
Denny G
Sandwich, IL
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | The way I look at it, Denny, that front license holder was an after-assembly/paint add-on so trucks could be legal in all states. The plate holder was not painted with the sheet metal (it was black on all trucks).
Yes, customizing by removing an end-of-the line add-on that is not needed.
Is your front holder painted black or body/apron color? | | | | | Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,263 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,263 | If that guy standing in front of the hood would just move... ...pic... | | | | | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 301 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 301 | I'm going to leave it off. The front splash apron is a repro and doesn't have the holes for the plate holder so I'm not going to put holes in it and keep it clean looking up front Thanks guys.
1949 Chevy 3600
1975 W-25 Hurst Olds
1970 GMC 1/2 ton Fleetside
2010 Chevy Silverado
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,263 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,263 | I like them .... .... Good way to show off the topper Most the shows I've been to I see the customs and hotrods leave them off Stockers and lowriders like the show them I use it on my 50, but my two modern cars I don't | | |
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