blue ca plates

[Wise-Man]

Going to CA to p/u my "new" car and drive it back to NYC next week. It has blue CA plates and i'm thinking that i could keep it registered in CA.

Any thoughts? Mostly I wanna keep the blue plates. Do the blue CA plates add any value? Am i being a jerk if i ever try and sell by calling it a ca "blue plate" car when it lives in NY?

I know NY doesnt want me to do it but really, they dont care. I drove my last car w/ CA plates until the ca tags expired b/f i switched em.

[SteveJ]

Blue plate special?

Do a search on YOM (year of manufacture) plates. The laws are still in flux in many places about what is and isn't allowed. There may be a chance that you can find a set of 1970's NY plates and set it up to legally use them.

For most of us in CA, it is mainly about having the original plates on the car, or at least something that is period correct.

[HBChris]

Yellow, Black or Blue they only add value to those of us who treasure originality and to document when the car came to California. Currently, the YOM law only allows cars built through 1962 to apply for a Yellow (1956-1962) plate with the correct year tag that applies to the year of the car. However, in July of 2009, the YOM law is changing in California. They will then allow cars built up through 1969 to apply for Black (1963-1969) and Blue (1969) plates to be reregistered. Again, plate must match correct period when car was built. Looks like like this leaves out 1970 and later cars that still received Blue plates up through the early 80's. Perhaps their intent is to only reregister the Black plates, it is not clear.

To keep the Blue plates registered in CA you will need an address in CA, but why do that? Keep them in your trunk with the original title that proves those plates were on the car. If you ever sell the car to someone in CA they can reregister the plates as long as they have the original title. Unless CA decides to use that number series of plate in their Environmental/Personalized series in which case you're screwed.

I have noticed that many of the 1600s and early 2002s on this board in CA proudly wear their Black plates. These cars were kept registered or were filed under non-op status with the DMV for a number of years, otherwise the DMV just says sorry, they're gone. Hope this helps.

[citizenchan]

Yeah, I agree it's more of a period-correct thing. Just another thing to hark back to the original stock condition of the car. I'd say, if you mod the car in any way, the plates are a moot point. Still good to hang on to them for the history factor as HBChris pointed out.

[jerry]

Personally, i consider having the original blue plates to be another distinguishing factor that those of us without them can only look longingly at. unlike some blingy-bobble that can be purchased and attached, once those plates are gone, they're gone. extra special bonus points for having a black plate car.

Dang PO of my Turf 68 1600 exchanged the original black plates for the personalized TADPOL. pity.

[Wise-Man]

Thanks guys...still weighing this over. Do have an address in CA to use and like the idea of using the CA plates. However, its a hassle.

Did some reasearch and i can get vintage (not historic w/ restrictions) periord correct plates for the car.

After some reading...why the hell metal tab are they talking about? My car is a '72

(from the NYDMV):

What are vintage plates?

Vintage plates are the authentic vehicle plates that were issued in NYS during the model year of the vehicle. You can put vintage plates on a historical vehicle instead of historical plates. For example, you can use a set of authentic vehicle plates that the DMV issued in 1963 on a vehicle of model year 1963. You must provide a full set of original vintage plates. The DMV cannot issue a registration for vehicle plates that are copies or that are painted again. Vintage plates issued in the model year of 1972 and earlier must display the embossed year or have the original metal tab for that year. Make sure that the tab is attached and legible. A sticker that indicates the model year is not required to use the vintage plates. Vintage plates issued in the model year of 1973 and later do not have metal tabs or plate stickers.

[Wise-Man]

Follow up: Anyone in NY know where to get some 72 NYS plates?

(from the dmv)

You can buy vintage plates from a local source like an automobile collector, an antique dealer, or a flea market. Make sure that the vintage plates are authentic. Newer copies are not acceptable for a vintage registration. Before you purchase a vintage plate, contact the Custom Plates Unit at 518-402-4839 to verify that the number on the plate is available for your vintage plate registration.

[Craig74tii]

Sell me the plates for my '72tii. I'll figure a way to bamboozle the DMV into letting me use them.

[HBChris]

Craig,

I have done it before and can provide some guidance.

[frank]

My car is registered in NY with vintage plates. According to NYSDMV...

"A vintage vehicle is a historical vehicle and receives a historical registration."

Again according to NYS...

"You cannot use a historical vehicle for daily transportation. An automobile collector normally registers a historical vehicle or a vintage vehicle to use it for exhibits, club activities, tours, and parades."

Do I have restrictions??

[Wise-Man]

My car is registered in NY with vintage plates. According to NYSDMV...

"A vintage vehicle is a historical vehicle and receives a historical registration."

Again according to NYS...

"You cannot use a historical vehicle for daily transportation. An automobile collector normally registers a historical vehicle or a vintage vehicle to use it for exhibits, club activities, tours, and parades."

Do I have restrictions??

That's how I understood it. Not clearly written on the website (though I'd guess the actual law is more specific) but my understanding is that unless you're driving to a club event, a parade, etc. you can't drive the car.

[richdnyc]

I kept my blue plates on and I live in New York City. Email me and i'll tell you how to do it. It's easier than you think. Where in Cali are you picking up the car?

[BarryA]

equivalent of the adhesive backed annual renewal sticker that's been used in CA ever since 1956 - the metal tag attached to one of the upper corners of the plate.

A general comment on keeping the blue plates with the car even after registering it in NY - since CA issued plates for the life of the vehicle (at least until they gave in and started issuing "vanity" plates in the late 70's), the existance of the originally issued plates and annual renewal stickers through the end of it's CA residence is a irrefuable proof of the car's history as a west coast vehicle (assuming that the three letter sequence is appropriate to the model year of the car - blue plates were first issued in late 1968/early 1969 in sequences starting with "Axx).

Personally, I'd make copies of the CA title and the last registration card, keep any back year registration cards, and tell the NY DMV that the plates disappeared in transit from CA, then keep the plates, title and registration with the car as part of it's "provenance".

[richdnyc]

frompus AT gmail DOT Com

[rogerspeed]

equivalent of the adhesive backed annual renewal sticker that's been used in CA ever since 1956 - the metal tag attached to one of the upper corners of the plate.

A general comment on keeping the blue plates with the car even after registering it in NY - since CA issued plates for the life of the vehicle (at least until they gave in and started issuing "vanity" plates in the late 70's), the existance of the originally issued plates and annual renewal stickers through the end of it's CA residence is a irrefuable proof of the car's history as a west coast vehicle (assuming that the three letter sequence is appropriate to the model year of the car - blue plates were first issued in late 1968/early 1969 in sequences starting with "Axx).

Personally, I'd make copies of the CA title and the last registration card, keep any back year registration cards, and tell the NY DMV that the plates disappeared in transit from CA, then keep the plates, title and registration with the car as part of it's "provenance".

Slight disagreement here. The blue plates which were first issued in late 69/early 70 and were six characters with a group of three numbers first followed by three letters (example 123 ABC) the black plates which were last issues in late 69 also had six characters, three lettters followed by three numbers (example ZZZ 999). Later the blue plates were issued with seven characters, I'm not sure what year that started, but it was well after 73, seven digit blue plates on roundies are not original, The black plates were sequential, my current early 68-1600 starts with "WL", my previous 69-1600 started with "ZQ" the 69-1600 off and on e-bay, ragtop conversion must have been very late, its plate starts "ZZ" (no affiliation with the conversion car)