What is the significance of a CA black plate?

[Hammer03]

Black plates with yellow lets/nums had three letters followed by three numbers (assuming passenger cars, not trucks or other plates), blue plates with yellow lets/nums had three numbers followed by three letters and later had a number followed by three letters followed by three numbers, white plates had a number followed by three letters and then three numbers and various paint color differences and script. How are you going to paint one to imitate the other when the number/letter or letter/number sequence is different? Repainting a plate in its original colors would not change anything other than the shine if it's a black or blue plate. A cop could easily determine that the colors were altered by the sequence of numbers and letters at the slightest glance.

You are correct that simply painting your new plate (1ABC234 for example) would be obviously incorrect. However, if you were to register a vanity plate of "ABC 123" for instance, and then paint that plate black/yellow, or even buy the legitimate black/yellow plate (of the same text) and switch them, how would someone be able to tell that that was not in fact the original plate?

[f1reverb]

so it would be obviously fraudulent to a cop. You could take a current vanity plate and paint it, but it won't have the stamped embossing for the "California" portion of the plate at the minimum and it would have to be colored no earlier than the first issuance color of the original option of vanity plates. You are just asking for trouble. The rear plate is the real problem. With the front you could pretty much do anything you want and probably face no more than a 5200 CVC ticket for no front plate, as you can see many '02s don't have any at the front or a German plate replica. A question about your license plate by a cop can lead to an inspection of your engine compartment to see if it's smog legal too. Questions open doors you might not want opened.

[mbaze]

What he's saying is to create a vanity plate with a normal letter/number combo that fits that era. That would probably look weird, though, because the letter/number sizes are smaller than they were pre-1970. You'd have a huge gap in the middle.

But again, I say what's the point? If you don't have a car that warrants a black and yellow plate, then suck it up and move on. Why be a fraud? I just cleaned and polished my blue and yellow plate last night, and it looks fairly great.

[Green2k2]

The only thing that the DMV cares about the plate is-----

plate size

letter size

that "CAL or "california" is across the top

and that both MONTH and YEAR stickers on on it.

there is a statement that calls for the "issued plates" to be installed but...how are they gonna know as long as all of the other specs match.

ppl restore plates all of the time. its legal to do...and there are at least a kajillion vanity plates with all sorts of colors....not to mention special interest plates...plates for the arts...memorial plates and on and on.

"NEW" plates have to be reflectorized but old ones (restored ones) don't.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd3c1a7.htm

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc5004_1.htm

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc5201.htm

[Hammer03]

But again, I say what's the point? If you don't have a car that warrants a black and yellow plate, then suck it up and move on. Why be a fraud? I just cleaned and polished my blue and yellow plate last night, and it looks fairly great.

I think a black/yellow plate would look great on my flat black '74, while a shiny new blue and white looks pretty out of place. I'm not all about restoring the car to original condition (hopefully building as a track/autox car) so I'm not worried about the .05% of the population who might recognize a pre-'70 plate on a '74 being out of place. I'm not going to be trying to fool anyone into thinking it is the original plate, or that the car is anything it isn't, just that it looks better.

And to clarify, I was suggesting what you say, register the old plate text as a new vanity plate, and then display the old plate (at best) or get similar text on a new vanity plate and paint it black/yellow (with the space at the beginning or end) to be semi-almost-kinda-authentic-sorta-looking (if you really really want it, at worst)

[jmon0261]

Found this helpfull article to get a year of Manufacture license plate.

I am determined to get blk/yllo plates back on my 67.

keep you all posted when I go through the process.

http://www.ply33.com/Misc/yom

found this info on another site

Can I get my 1963 - 1969 black plates in use again after not being kept current?

If you let the tags expire on your plates, you MIGHT be able to get them back in use since they finally passed the law extending the YOM program through 1969. It won't take effect until July 1, 2009, so save those plates.

Do they allow newer than 1962 in the YOM program?

Year of Manufacture Plates — Operative July 1, 2009 Amend: Vehicle Code §5004.1 (AB 462 Chapter No. 497) Extends the Year of Manufacture (YOM) license plate program to include 1969 year model or older passenger vehicles and 1972 or older commercial vehicles. Increases the original YOM application fee (Fee Code 017) to $45. see: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/about/leg/leginfo_vr.htm

[HBChris]

Joseph,

If you have a set of black plates hang onto them until next July, the YOM program will include them for the first time beginning then, assumming yours are DMV clear. The ABC123 configuration has been reused in some sequences on the Environmental plates, e.g. the Palm Tree plates and such. The price of black plates in pairs has been going way up on eBay because they will be eligible next year for YOM.

As discussed earlier, there are few black plates around because when cars traded hands in the 70s and later, many buyers probably thought that the newer plates would make their car appear newer too. Also, if the registration lapsed, the DMV wouldn't reissue them, partly because they wanted to reuse them on the random sequence environmental plates. If however, you have an old title proving they were once on the vehicle, and, they are still clear, the DMV may (big IF here) reregister them on your vehicle. You may need to try several DMV offices before you find a sympathetic employee.

One way to get a 123ABC blue plate on your vehicle is to order one of the environmental plates (like the Palm Trees) that come in that configuration and then buy a blue plate from licenseplates.tv with those same letters/numbers and put the tags on the blue plates. As for a true vanity plate, the DMV will NOT issue any vanity plate with ABC123 or 123ABC configuration even if you try to swap an O for a 0, or an I for a 1. On their web page you can input one of these numbers and it gives you an initial "it is available" but once you push the button to purchase them it replies with a "not available." I have tried and it won't work.

In SoCal, you see the Hot Rod crowd with current blue and even white plates with 7 figures painted black and it just looks dumb. All it takes is a local cop to see one of these "modified" plates and he can pull you over, although apparently it is pretty rare that this happens because you see many modified plates.

BTW, you missed the "Parade of Lights" in Chico this past weekend, I was there visiting my daughter at Chico State for family weekend. What a great town, I could just never personally live that far from the ocean!

[Guest Anonymous]

HBC- Thanks for the info-

I have 1 B/Y 67 era plate WBL ### plate from my bother in laws 67 mini S.

He lives in Oregon so he gave it to me. I was going to get a 2nd plate made.

I think the reg is quit old though. I have a second set YNT### from my first 69 02- but they are 69. My 67 has a salvage title so not sure if that will mess things up as well. I asked the DMV lady the other day when I was getting my license renewed and all though very nice she new nothing of it. She recommended that I talk to the main CHP guy regarding the info. So I will wait till July and try my luck. My 73 has the original plate.

Funny you were here in Chico, I was in LA at the So Cal Vintage show.

I asked for you and was told you were having a family weekend.

Let me know the next time you are up here and i will give you a tour that will make you forget about the ocean.

[HBChris]

Joseph, Sounds like the WNT### plates will be perfect for your `67, you can check with DMV or even AAA to make sure they are clear. Now is the time to restore one or both if needed.

We did the trek up to Upper Bidwell, what a neat park! Also drove up to Paradise and down to the covered bridge, also had to visit the Sierra Nevada brewery and try the sampler tray, even better. I can actually find my way around Chico fairly well, my daughter is at University Village in her first year. I probably won't be back until May when she moves out and we set her up with an apartment. My wife (her stepmom) graduated from Chico in `84 and had not been back since then, things have changed a bit. I wish I could have attended the Vintage meet, I hear my buddy Ray won best 2002 with his original `73 Tii.

[Gordon]

For everything you want to know about CA license plates

http://www.calpl8s.com/

G-Man

[Hammer03]

For everything you want to know about CA license plates

http://www.calpl8s.com/

G-Man

Hmm, vanity plates weren't available until the blue and yellows... Thats a bust. I still might have to give it a try.