Mikey65

I did a search on this and sisn't come up with a whole lot.. I am looking for a site that restores vintage plates but have not found any. I did find a site that will make a replica plate but I am not sure if the laws associated with these would apply in that case?

I am looking for a 1965 NC plate I have seen at swap meets from time to time. My in laws want XMAS ideas and I thought this would be perfect.. but I have to tell them EXACTLY what to get and where to get it.

Also.. what are the laws involved? I heard that I can mount the NC plate unregistered, and keep the real plate in the car even if it is not displayed? I am currently living in California.. how will the CHP like that?

Venari

... and I'm interested in this too because I'd like to get an authentic US plate made up with my UK registration number when it's ready.



M.

richbopp

quote: how will the CHP like that?

Every time I've dealt with the CHP (and it's more than I ever wanted to) they have not been happy with anything less than an original or current CA plate. Now that may be at the descresion of the officer who is looking to pile on charges in case you beat one of the others.

There is a web site that lists all the "acceptable" and "legal" plates, but I cannot find it for the life of me.

There was a thread here a while ago about a guy who rebuilds plates. Maybe he knows something.

here's the thread
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...license+plates

Donald #31176

You should go to the ALPCA website for a list of restorers. I had Larry Hoeft do a set for me about 4 years ago . He does excellent work and the turnaround was 2 weeks.

http://www.alpca.org/faq.restorers.html

richbopp

Just in case you missed it, here's the thread for the guy who advertised he refinishes plates

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...license+plates

Venari

Hmmmm... I don't get it. Is the registration for the car actually the tag plate not the number?

I let a conversation about 'returning tags' wash over me on another forum. Can someone quickly explain for the non-US residents how this works?

And if I wanted a tag which read (say) COR 327 with a 'FLORIDA' sub/superscript, are you saying I couldn't get one pressed as a show plate?

M.
(Just curious. )

wombvette

The laws vary from state to state. In NC, all that is required to run a vintage plate, is that the car must be registered normally and the registered tag kept in the car. Thats it. At any flea market in NC, you can find many 1966 plates. I would bet e-bay would be loaded with them. Some will be like new originals, some restored and some needing restoring. I really dont see the need for a reproduction tag, but I doubt anyone would care or look to see, if it was displayed on the car.

Jeff Garner

I collect and restore vintage NC plates. I have plates from 1958-1966 that are restored, NOS still in the envelope, used, etc. I like finding them at swap meets. I am currently more interested in area city tags.

Venari

Wow, this is funky.

I think I'm going to start collecting '62 plates.

Why are California plates 10 times more expensive than everything else?



Mark.

rgs

In my case, I still have the first plate I put on my car and it is in perfect condition. I also have 3 other sets I've been issued including the new flat, plate the state currently uses. All have the same number "396VETT". I asked the local DMV about using the old plate and was told that since it was the same number as the current plate, it wouldn't be a problem but advised that I carry with me the current plate along with the registration just in case I run into a nitpicker, since it technically isn't approved yet in Iowa.

ragtopman

Are you looking for a specific plate?? I have a brand new 65 NC truck plate. That being 4 numbers and 2 letters, instead of 2 letters and then 4 numbers.

Mikey65

I don't know the difference between plates.. did they have different plates for trucks and cars? I would like to get one that matches my vette.

Anyone know where to look up laws pertaining to this? And if I have a NC registered car with NC plates do CA laws apply? For example.. california requires front and rear plates while NC does not.. so would that mean a car registered in NC would need a front plate put on if it's in calif??

MICK3

There Are Quite A Few Old Plate Dealers In Hemmings Motor News I'm Sure You Will Find What You Want There, But I Have No Idea On The Legal Issue.

Hitch

I take it that you have moved to CA an not still here in Fayettnam? If I understand that correctly you still have the car registered in NC because you are based there but still claim NC residency? If the car is registered to NC then I would think that CA law would not apply. Following this train of thought a car with NC registration that is over 30 years old does not require an annual inspection. Along with that if you keep you current plate in the car you can display the Year of Manufacture plate on the car. The state law can be found researching General assembly 1985 Chapter 257 House Bill 704 or by looking up vehicle code G.S. 20-63(d). Hope this helps.

Oriondriver

I bought a NOS 1962 plate from a collector for like $20... the plate had never even been registered... I had to send the plate to the FL DMV for verification... they sent it back with the new registration using the old plate... easy...

Scott

macdarren

It should be noted that if you drive the car in CA, in general CA law applies. The basic rule in CA is that if you are in CA you have 30 days to register the car in CA. (you are also supposed to have both plates but seldom (except in LA) do they cite you for that and I imagine if you are an out of state 'visitor' you might get away with it if your native state doesn't issue or require both.)

Registration means buying and using CA plates, the current ones, not the cooler black and yellows. If you live out of state, you could make a case that you were 'just visiting' but if you get pulled over twice and they check and find you have been driving in CA more than 30 days they can cite you for an unregistered vehicle....very expensive.

Registration in CA is really more of a street use tax than anything else. This is how they justify it whenever I have tried (and failed) to question the whole stupid thing. (I want old plates on my 65 but you can't do that unless they are original or if the car is 62 or older) The thinking I seem to get from various sources, DMV, AAA, CHP is that if you drive a car in CA you need to pay for the roads by paying the registration/tax...not sure what they use that 45cents a gallon gas tax for..... Funny thing is the reg. was considered a fee when they tried to triple it a few years back, by claiming it was a fee and thus didn't need to be voted on as a tax would. Seems tax or fee term is applied as the gov't sees fit at the time. Who knows, all I know is CA is restrictive, expensive and confusing compared to other states reg processes.

macdarren

It should be noted that if you drive the car in CA, in general CA law applies. The basic rule in CA is that if you are in CA you have 30 days to register the car in CA. (you are also supposed to have both plates but seldom (except in LA) do they cite you for that and I imagine if you are an out of state 'visitor' you might get away with it if your native state doesn't issue or require both.)

Registration means buying and using CA plates, the current ones, not the cooler black and yellows. If you live out of state, you could make a case that you were 'just visiting' but if you get pulled over twice and they check and find you have been driving in CA more than 30 days they can cite you for an unregistered vehicle....very expensive.

Registration in CA is really more of a street use tax than anything else. This is how they justify it whenever I have tried (and failed) to question the whole stupid thing. (I want old plates on my 65 but you can't do that unless they are original or if the car is 62 or older) The thinking I seem to get from various sources, DMV, AAA, CHP is that if you drive a car in CA you need to pay for the roads by paying the registration/tax...not sure what they use that 45cents a gallon gas tax for..... Funny thing is the reg. was considered a fee when they tried to triple it a few years back, by claiming it was a fee and thus didn't need to be voted on as a tax would. Seems tax or fee term is applied as the gov't sees fit at the time. Who knows, all I know is CA is restrictive, expensive and confusing compared to other states reg processes.

Tom/99

They are easy to restore, do your plates yourself, I did mine;

Mike Smith

These folks restored what was originally a near perfect 1966 plate (purchased from an antique plate vendor) until the USPS mangled it in a mail sorting machine:

http://www.mojoartworks.com/

There were actually two identical plates nested together in an express mail envelope. The USPS delivered them to me in a bag with a letter saying they were sorry. The plates were so bent and mangled I had to work about a half hour just to separate them. There were holes ripped in the plates you could put your finger through. And these were fairly substantial steel plates, heavier than the plates we see now.

Bill McCoy and his wife restored one of the plates to like new condition with no indication of damage for $60.

I can recommend their services without reservation.