Front license plate bracket

[DaveSouthampton]

The DVLA ( Driver & Vehicle Licensing Authority I think ) holds the records for all vehicles and drivers in the UK. I guess the equivalent of your DMV ?

When you import a vehicle you have to get it registered with them to obtain a UK registration. To do this you have to insure the vehicle and get an MOT ( roadworthy ) test, although pre 1960 cars no longer need an MOT test.

As far as I know i should get an age appropriate number which should be 3 letters and three numbers. This is the same format as the number which the car had in california which was 352 TUY, and that fitted the plate fine. There is apparently a website called statesplates or something similar where you can get US style plates made.2

Although there are regulations as to the size / shape of licence plates and the text fonts etc. there are exemptions where a standard UK plate wouldnt fit etc. Also the police are apparently quite lenient with classic vehicles. I would hope they'd never seen a squarebird before and would be far to interested in the car to worry about the plates

It is torture having the car and not being able to take it out on the road hehe.

[simplyconnected]

Each state has their own plate (with their own colors). Our plate numbers usually change every year unless the owner chooses to renew the old number. Our plates are only good for one year and are NOT transferable between owners. In other words, the plate belongs to the owner, showing he registered his car.

In the 50's and 60's, folks used to remove their old plate and nail it to their garage wall (or throw it in the trash).

When a car is sold, the plate is always removed but the plate's owner may apply it to another car he owns (like if he trades his old for a new car). If he doesn't transfer, the plate simply expires on his next birthday.

Every car swap meet I have ever attended always had someone there selling old license plates (spanning many years) for a few dollars each. If you ask 100 people here, what number was on the first plate of their ten year old car, none of them would know because it simply doesn't matter.

In Michigan, we can use any plate from the year our classic car was made. We call that a 'period plate'. Again, all those original records were destroyed long ago, so nobody knows (or cares) what car the old plate came off of. It simply needs to be in good shape. If not, some restorers repaint them to the original colors. Obviously, approval will not be granted for a number that is currently registered.

I don't personally don't know anyone who had a plate custom made to look like a period plate because there are so many out there and they are inexpensive.

Our state offers 'personalized' annual plates for a fee. We submit a suggested (tastefully done) number with remittance and they either process it or reject the submission. - Dave

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by simplyconnected

In Michigan, we can use any plate from the year our classic car was made. We call that a 'period plate'.

Guys at the shop were talking about this the other day, and I thought they were nuts. But here is the text of the NC statute:

"Any motor vehicle of the age of 35 years or more from the date of manufacture may bear the license plates of the year of manufacture instead of the current registration plates, if the current registration plates are maintained within the vehicle and produced upon the request of any person."

[Yadkin]

I wonder if this will pass.

[Joe Johnston]

Most states have some provision for year of manufacture (the term in Ohio). Here is the plate on my 63 Sport Roadster.

[Yadkin]

Nice. Who made yours?

[scumdog]

Here in NZ we can use the number-plates the car was issued with, we have to have one front and rear.
We can update to another one if you lose the original one (or it's badly damaged) but the replacement won't have the same letter/numbers.

Our plates have six digits.

OR you can pay $$$ to get a personalised plate, the sky is the limit if it's not already taken - sadly 66 TBIRD etc were alrady taken.

So I got personalised plates with the same letters/numbers as th eoriginal Oregon ones.

And just left the Oregon ones on the car!

Not EXACTLY 100% legal but not been stopped yet!!

[Joe Johnston]

It was a lucky find and I had it restored after getting our 63.

[tbird430]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

Guys at the shop were talking about this the other day, and I thought they were nuts. But here is the text of the NC statute:

"Any motor vehicle of the age of 35 years or more from the date of manufacture may bear the license plates of the year of manufacture instead of the current registration plates, if the current registration plates are maintained within the vehicle and produced upon the request of any person."

That's close Texas law down here too. We can actually register the old 1930's-1940's-1950's-1960's plates & legally run a matched set on our vehicles!!

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Joe Johnston

It was a lucky find and I had it restored after getting our 63.

Find? I thought it was a reproduction.

Reading the NC statute, it appears that a custom plate, as I have contemplated, would be completely legal.

And no, I don't plan on asking some state agency for their interpretation. Better to proceed with the assumption of legality...