The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk License Plate - Refurbished!

I was darn lucky one day to find and old 1946 South Carolina license plate! I took it home, stripped it and repainted it! This is what it looks like now! now!

Lucky indeed! It looks great and you did a nice job with it.

The funny thing about the original year plates is that I figured it would let folks know what year the truck is because it is on the front and back. They still look right at the plate and ask "what year is the truck?" Then they ask "why don't you have antique plates?" Always makes me laugh but it breaks the ice and starts the friendly truck talk...

I feel most fortunate to run across that plate Virginiafiretruck!

AND, your absolutely correct, people's first question most of the time is, "What year?" Since South Carolina only requires one license plate, I'll mount the '46 plate up front. Thinking about attaching it to the old hand crank guide on the front bumper. Anyway, I'm very excited about the find!!

And Alvin, I'll keep my eyes open for that "52 SC plate for that gorgeous panel you've got!! Anyone else in SC looking for a plate for their Stovebolt? Just let me know and I'll work at keeping my eyes open for one!!

Antique plates would be nice, but they can be restricting. Don't know how they would enforce such rules.

Okay, how did you get the lettering so perfect?

The last swap meet I was at in Raleigh had at least 5 different vendors selling nothing but old license plates. Everything fro $5 junk to $200 matching pairs of speciality plates.

Seems the first year they put the words Farm Truck on NC plates was '51 (same year as mine) and they are very rare and obscenely expensive.

Perfect lettering requires patients, paper and a little rubber cement. Of course this begins after you've totally stripped the old plate of all paint and rust.

All I did was tape a piece of heavy stock paper over the plate and gently scrubbed the surface with the side of a sharp pencil or charcoal pen so that the image of the letters/numbers would transfer to the paper. Then with an exacto blade and straight edge (as needed for straight cuts)started to cut out the letters/numbers. Where the letters/numbers curve you can use a french curve to help guide your cuts or if your hand is steady enough cut free hand. You must be very patient to do this. It can be a pain, but what the heck...just take your time.

After all the letters/numbers were cut I simply rubber cemented the back side of the paper cut-out. Then I rubber cemented the plate which I had already spray painted the background color. Next the paper pattern was secured and excess rubber cement was lifted off the exposed number/letter areas that will receive text paint. I spray painted the color of the numbers/letters in about three short thin passes. It can turn out nice if you take your time in prepping the cut-out pattern for painting.

Key word...PATIENTS!!!

That looks amazing! Nice job.

-W

Nice to have neighbors like Lucile.....now if I can just find that 52 tag Nice job David.

Yup Lucille,
I was lucky enough to find a PA 52 plate on e-bay for a good price that I mounted on my splash Apron ..but still even with a Antique plate that says 1952...I get asked "WHAT YR"..lol
Tim

Lucille - You ain't a guitar are you? Just kidding, but I too tried to do it myself and made a perfect mess of an old plate I ended up sending it to MoJoe Artworks (located somewhere here in the 'Bolts garage.) He did a nice job although I think now if I would have seen your instructions I could have done it myself. More than likely though it would still be hanging out in the garage awaiting my attention.

Although I run this plate on the front, and this registered YOM "Year of Manufacture" on the back I still get folks asking "what year is it? They also ask... does it have the original flathead in it? I smile and kindly explain.

Nice job,

Don

downtosea,

The quote on your first pic says:

"Vanity" License Plate I lost when I parked it in 1995. Someone else claimed it.

Some thief stole it in a parking lot?? :mad:

Guess I'll have to make mine "thief-proof" if there is such a way!!

BTW, thats a nice program FL has for Historic Vehicles and their tags.

Lock-Tite!
DG

Actually I let the registration lapse while the truck was "resting." After one year of non-registration the "Personalized" plate is available for anyone to claim. I let it go thinking no one would claim it--wrong.

In a way that's fine because I actually like the YOM plate on the back and the "old" non-registered 41 CHEVY plate on the front so it all worked out okay.

I've put the new old plate on with bullet head screws that have three small holes in the head. You need a special three pronged wrench to hold them. I know of course that this would only slow down the serious thief but would deter that casual snatch and grab type.

Don