The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Restoring Old License Plates

I dont know how any other states are but in California old vehicles have these license plates that are black with yellow letters and numbers. They dont make these plates anymore and old trucks just dont look the same with plates of today. I have heard people talk about restoring these old plates but i dont know anyone. Has anyone ever heard this before and if so do they know who does it?
jason

Jason,

Check the CA DMV website for information on using original old plate(s). Each state has different rules.

In NY, an old plate may be used as long as the number is not being used by someone else. You pay a higher registration fee. You must use the same number of plates used in the year of the plate that you want to use. For example, I have a 1953 NY SUB (Commercial, Suburban) plate and a 1954 year tag (no full 1954 plate was used in NY, it seems). Only one tag is needed because only one tag was used in NY in 1954. NY allows you to use this type of plate (Vintage plate) on a vehicle registered as an antique/collector vehicle or registered as a regular vehicle (no usage restrictions). The plate is supposed to be original (not restored).

Maybe someone with experience in CA will answer with useful information.

Tim

1954 New York license plate

There is a fellow up here in BC who restores and then clear coats old plates. I bought one from him for my 49 and it is pristine. He says he has a bunch of the California ones you mention and he sells them for about $20 restored. That is in Canadian dollars.

I forgot to add, MoJo Artworks retored my plate and tag.

Tim

I found a nice one for my 58, prolly from the same guy, blu - but it\'s the wrong color !!
up here you can't use the old ones for actual registered plate, but they don't mind ya havin'em mounted along w/ the current ones

Bill

There's a guy here in Albemarle,NC that runs his own business "Trash Can License Plates" He has thousands from all states. He does a good bit of business too. They're usually around $20 to $25 restored.

Mike

Jason, in Ca. its illegal to alter your current plates. What you must do is purchase a set, when you see them, on e-bay. It is required that you have one for the front and one for the back. Make sure they are for commercial(truck)use, as passenger car #s are not valid. You can take the pair and register them at the DMV. I went thru great lenghts with the DMV to get mine registered. If you have further questions on this email me privately. Cecil......

Detrimental64

Unfortunately California doesn't allow you to assign the 1963-1969 (black base/yellow numbers) plates to your vehicle with YOM (year of manufacture) program. I'm assuming you have a '64. Unless your truck already has the old plates on them, then your screwed.

Owners with older trucks can assign the earlier style plates (1951-1955, 1956-1962) to your truck as long as you have both plates and they are "clear" at the DMV. I bought a pair of plates off of eBay for my '56 Porsche and assigned them with no problems.

As far as restorers go, try a Google search or start here:
http://www.calpl8s.com/

51Jimmy,

I was able to use commercial plates on my Porsche. See here: http://www.pbase.com/ninerjoe/image/39261549

I guess it depends on whose behind the counter at the DMV...

Red 58 we can't use them legally either out here but I have had mine by itself on the front. I keep my regular plate with me in case. But half the cars here, especially the rice rockets, don't wear them and furthermore half the vehicles drive with missing headlights and no one stops them. But one day the might catch us.

YOM-YEAR OF MANUFACTURE

HEMMINGS

RESTORER

SCROLL AND READ

If your are refering to the 1963 plates, they are not acceptable under the YOM rules. Only plates made prior to 1963 are allowed to be used on your vehicle of the same year. "Confusion as to which bases are available for YOM registration stems from the fact that all the bases shown here can still be seen on the road. However, any old plate still on the road is only valid because it has been continuously registered to the same vehicle since it was originally issued." If you are trying to restore the plates that originally came with your truck just for display, then I would pursue having them restored. If you just want a nice set of 63 plates for display then look on ebay, they can be found in mint to unused conditon for under $50. Look for commercial plates (one letter and five numbers) 1963 COMMERCIAL PLATES I think there are rules that say you can have passenger plates on a truck but you cannot carry anything but groceries in the back or you will be heavily fined. .......g

NinerJoe, I agree with you. You can put commercial plates on a car, but you can't put passenger plates on a truck. Gmoniz, great job in puting down what was in my head but couldn't get on paper. The rule about having passenger plates on a truck and not carrying anything but groceries is an old rule that no longer applies. All trucks must have commercial plates according to the clerk I talked to about a year ago when I got mine. Now, did the clerk know what she was talking about???? Cecil......

Fla allows tags from the year of your vehicle manufacture. Sometimes they allow restored tags, sometimes they don't. Tag has to be sent to Tallahassee for verification. Price is the same as an antique tage, $35.00.

In NC you can run the tag of the year of the vehicle as long as the vehicle is 30 years old or older. They will not let you register the old tag. You simply just keep your new tag inside the vehicle in case you get stopped. There are no use restrictions here. We also do not have to have 30 year old vehicles inspected anymore.

Mike

In MO you can run YOM tags. The DMV registers them as personalized Historic Vehicle license. I was going to do this on my '73 Mustang until I found out they were Historic license and limited to 500 miles/year.

I restore my own plates...in NJ you can't use old plates...but I change over to my antique plates ('49 & '52 Commercial) when I go to shows or cruise nights...nobody hassles you.
The restoration process is actually pretty simple (if you have raised/embossed numbers)...I match the paint colors...completely chemically strip the plate...spray on a good epoxy primer, then a couple coats of the base color and then I roll on the letter/number color with a rubber printers roller. Finally I clear coat.

Here in Oregon you can either run your old plates as Vintage Vehicle with use restriction or you can get vanity plates with the same number (assuming they are clear) and use the old plates instead of the new ones as long as the plates are inspected and deemed to be in good enough condition. I have a set of '50 farm truck plates to go on my truck after I finish it.

In OHIO you can register your car or truck as a historical vehicle if it is 25 years old or older.
You get historical tags. You can then send a photo copy of the model year tag that you are wanting to put on your car or truck to the BMV. They approve it. You then have to have the historical tag in the glove box or somewhere in the truck. You can put the model year tag on the car or truck. You can run two tags or one. If it's one you have to run it on the back. You are suppose to have the tag the original color that the State provided for that particular year.
Some guys paint them to match their car or truck and seem to get away with it. (The police seem to overlook the color change).

The only catch to the historical tag and model year tag is that the vehicle is not suppose to be for daily use. It is suppose to be used for cruisins, parade, club activities, car shows etc etc. (Again, I'm not too sure how much the Police really monitor that.)

The other thing is it costs you I think like twenty bucks for a one time registration. You DO NOT have to renew the historical model year tags every year like a regular car or truck.
Your tags never expire. It's a great deal if you can live by the rules.

well my plates are on there they are original from '64 the front one is even stamped '64 on it. They are registered with no problems. I already own them they are already on the truck and registyered all i need is for someone to restore them for me so i can continue to use the plates but have them look better.
Jason

Jason, I gave you a site that restores them TAG DR Another one is DARRYL\'S PLATES , he's got a good reputation too. Check out your plates again, they should have a 63 stamped on them both front and rear. You can find a 64 tag and place it on the plate after you get them restored and have the new tags in a special holder so not to damage the plates. ........g

I use the old plates on my collector vehicles.My wife painted a couple sets fo me,but it is a very tedious job.Most big swap meets usually have a vendor selling restored old plates.They usually go for about $50.a pair.I have 1955 OH farm plates on my 55,they are quite rare.It is regestered as a historical vehicle.