I have a late 69 coupe. The California legislature is presently considering a bill to allow owners of 63 - 69 cars to participate in the "Year of Manufacture" license plate program available to 62 and earlier vehicles. I've already got CA yellow on black plates for my 69 Mustang convertible (built in Oct. 68 and probably first licensed in Nov. 68), but I've got my doubts about my Vette. The Vette is a late 69, built in mid-October 69. It was probably first registered in November 69. Since CA began issuing the yellow on blue plates for the 70 model year, is it possible that my 69, being registered two months into the 70 model year, would have gotten yellow on blue plates instead of yellow on black? Anyone out there know?

 

Well considering it's called the "Year of Manufacture" program, I don't think they'll care when it was originally registered since it's a 1969 model.

 

I remember getting the yellow/blue new plates on my registered '69 model in September 1969.

 

In these parts, plate registration is calendar year, not automotive model year. Contact your DMV and see what they say.

 

How does the "Year of Manufacturer" program work?
A friend was telling me something related to this just last week and I didn't quite understand it. Is it like historical plates?
He was saying something to the effect that you can use an old registered plate, from that year, and use it to get custom plates, if a name you want is already used. Which seems odd, because I wouldn't think two different people could have the same plate name/number.
I guess I am not understanding where and how you would get plates from that long ago and how you could register them or what the advantage of this really is.


Thanks

 

Here in CA the DMV wouldn't be able to help. They destroy their records after three years. No history on what they did four years ago let alone forty.

The Year of Manufacture program here in CA allows owners of vintage cars (up through 62 as of now) to re-register the cars with correct vintage plates on them. They have to be actual CA plates (not reproductions), they have to be clean and legible, and they have to be certified as "clear" meaning that number is not associated with any other vehicle on their records presently. The advantage is simply authenticity of appearance. There is also some desirability associated with the old CA plates here in CA since the yellow on black plates (63-69) are still in service on cars that have not been resold by a dealer since they were first registered. They retain the black plates and that attests to the fact that they are original CA cars. Less rust and all that. Dealers would usually remove plates and re-register the car with current version plates when they were re-sold. That's how my 69 Mustang convertible got it's present 1982 vintage yellow on blue plates and how my 69 Vette got the modern blue on reflective white plates. As far as your question regarding custom or "vanity" plates, CA didn't start a "vanity" plate program until the advent of the yellow on blue plates in 1970, so I don't know how that would work in your state. I doubt the state would look kindly on issuing the same vanity plate to two different cars, however, regardless of color.

 

I bought a set of clean YOM title plates for my 39 Plymouth last year, it was easy to re-register, but you have to go to DMV and take the plates, thay have to approve everything including appearance. I have the name/number of a old guy that has a garage of plates, they are not cheap though....John Serio 559-226-4972 or 559-269-9274
Every state is different,some call for historic plates,we are lucky here..

 

The YOM program still only extends to 62 and prior. The assembly Appropriations Committee is looking at a new bill that would extend it to 69. They've tabled it because the analyst says it would cost $180K to implement and $100K annually thereafter to administer. That does not consider the income from applications ($35 per car) and registration fees ($10 a year). An identical bill died in suspension in this committee last year. They don't know if enough people would want to do this to make it worthwhile for the state. It would take 5,143 applications, state wide, to make it break even in the first year. Even the annual costs could be offset if 10,000 cars got into the program or if they increased the annual fee to $20. If you want to influence the committee, go to assembly.ca.gov and click on "Committee Directory" and "Committee on Appropriations". All the members and their e-mail addresses are listed there.

 

Not quite true - IIRC, CA began issuing the yellow on blue plates in late 1969 (don't know the exact date), which coincided with the 1970 model year introductions. Any car, regardless of model year, that was issued a new CA license plate after then would have gotten yellow on blue.

 

Some, if not all states, which allow YOM, not all do, require you to have a current type plate in the vehicle.
About half of the states have the program. Pa has none. I believe SCar just initiated one.
Pa old yello blue plates with a standard issue number could be issued as a vanity plate. I'm not aware that any state would issue the same number/letter combo no matter the year. At least one state will issue the same number for a car, a truck and a motorcycle.

 

Yeah, that's why I asked. I'm betting my strike delayed 69 that hit the road in the 70 model year (anytime after August 69) would have probably gotten the blue plates. Unless someone familiar with VINs were to eyeball it (it's a 32xxx number), I doubt most people would notice if I put black plates on it. Of course, the way the bill is written it allows owners of 63 -69 cars to re-register with date correct license plates. Maybe that extends to blue plates on late 69s. Hey, those blues might look good with my LeMans Blue car.

 

A few of our friends have taken the white reflective w/raised California and powder coated them semi gloss black, then painted the off yellow. NONE have had a problem, some have run them for many years, all old cars though...or theres no reason you cant put a clean title black plate on your car,does not have to be YOM's...

 

I met a guy at the Pomona Car show who had Black plates on a 68 he just bought in TX. He bought a set of Black plates and got a new vanity plate from DMV with those numbers on it. If a cop pulls you over and runs the plate he the numbers are correct. They don't ask what color it is.

 

My October 69 has yellow and blue original plates.

 

Here a another 69 with the blue plates...

 

My 69 came with black and yellow plates.
The black and yellow plates have 6 digits.
The blue and yellow plates on up have 7 digits.
Changing the color would be an invitation to get pulled over and the number of digits would be a dead give away.

 

I would check to the paperwork of that car very closely. The guy is probably lying. The DMV is not supposed to do that (we all know that they couldnt make a mistake!). I tired doing that same thing twice and got shot down both times.

Sometimes I will see cars with old blue plates that are painted black to make them look authentic. These are pretty easy to spot. With ylw on blk plates the letters are placed prior to the numbers. Vice versa on the blue plates.

Some 1970 models have original blk plates. There are not many but they are out there. If you really want to get **** there are actually 2 sets of the early style ylw on blue as well (both with 3 numbers then 3 letters). On the first style the word "California is approximately 3/4 inch shorter than the later style which was issued later.

 

These are my original 78 plates....6 digits...



I have seen both yellow on black and yellow on blue plates on 69 Corvettes...
Rich

 

[QUOTE=pchmotoho;1560201473]I would check to the paperwork of that car very closely. The guy is probably lying. The DMV is not supposed to do that (we all know that they couldnt make a mistake!). I tired doing that same thing twice and got shot down both times.

Yea, he was selling and we all know people who sell at Pomona NEVER lie.
I have a orginal blue plate on my 71 so I never followed up with DMV. Thanks.

 

www.davesclp.com
He's in Vacaville,,he'll know.