Year of manufacture license plates

[dmjlambert]

Do you folks remember somebody here mentioning they have old license plates available, a stash in a garage or shed? I remember a post from some months ago, but I can't find the thread. I am interested in 1963 Texas license plates.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I've seen old plates for sale on ebay.
By coincidence I collected license plates since high school, but a '63 TX I don't think I have. I could look, but I think it's later.
A coupla years ago I got a White '68 AZ plate from a site member. Saving it for my '67 K/10 Suburban, or my '68 C/10 Stepside.
The Yellow '69 AZ plate I have as a YOM on my '71 GMC Jimmy was either on my Dad's 1964 Olds wagon or I found it in a cave. I ran it thru MVD and it was clear.

[dmjlambert]

If you would like to look and it may be something you could part with, I would be interested. In Texas plates are in pairs, one for front and one for back. The lettering is black on a white background.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

If you would like to look and it may be something you could part with, I would be interested. In Texas plates are in pairs, one for front and one for back. The lettering is black on a white background.

I checked. I have only one Texas plate. 1970. White with medium blue letters. ABC 123 format. No registration sticker, so it was probably a front. Also the top right is dog-eared over. [Fell off a car on the freeway, and got bent. Maybe?]

[1972CheyenneSuper]

Quite a few on ebay, a lot of unused ones even.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...lates&_sacat=0

My grandfather collected license plates and I now hold the collection, but I don't have many Texas plates, and not many that year. One of my favorite pieces I have is actually a Texas plate set, that was unused with the paper separating the two plates. The other matching plate is currently displayed in my shop.

[cericd]

Is this the post you were thinking of? https://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vbo...47&postcount=9

Or maybe this one from the same thread. https://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vbo...6&postcount=20

[dmjlambert]

Yes I bet that was the one. Thanks, I had trouble finding it.

[cericd]

No problem. I was recently trying to get stuff together to register my TX YOM plates so I had that thread bookmarked.

[dmjlambert]

Did you find it possible to call somebody or look up online when contemplating buying plates to know if a particular plate was going to be OK to register, or do you just buy the plate and take it into the tax office and see what they say?

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Did you find it possible to call somebody or look up online when contemplating buying plates to know if a particular plate was going to be OK to register, or do you just buy the plate and take it into the tax office and see what they say?

In my case, and only relevant in Arizona, I had the plate in my collection. When I got collector car insurance, I took that plate to the ADOT/MVD branch [NW Tucson] and the agent ran the number. I asked if it was one that came off my Dad's 64 Olds wagon, but he said no, the last name wasn't the same as mine. He wouldn't tell me the PO's identity, but it was Clear of encumberences.

So I figured it was one I got out of Crystal Cave... When I was with search and rescue, following a cave rescue training session, we cleaned out any non-natural elements from the cave. Some one had once thought the bright lemon yellow plate would make a great escape route marker. It did, but it was man-made. I swagged it.

A guy on the forum took some Black w/Yellow numbers, plates to their local CA DMV. They told him there was over $500 in fines or back fees associated with that plate.
So check with your state's licensing authority. They could differ wildly.

[cericd]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Did you find it possible to call somebody or look up online when contemplating buying plates to know if a particular plate was going to be OK to register, or do you just buy the plate and take it into the tax office and see what they say?

Shortly after I purchased my truck back in 2012 I found out that it was possible to run YOM plates and I really liked the idea so I went on the hunt and purchased a pair that appeared to have never been installed (absolutely no damage to the mounting hole areas). I never found a way to check to see if they would be refused because of the actual plate numbers (and letters) but I felt sure they would pass the visual inspection. I didn't end up registering the truck in Texas until a few months ago. Fortunately the plates were accepted, however, rather rudely, by a clerk that tossed them around on her desk while she slapped a magnet on them to see if they were reproductions. Contrast that to when I registered the truck with YOM plates in Denver about three years ago; the clerks were polite and very knowledgeable. They even informed me that I didn't need to switch my Texas title (that I got back in 2012) to Colorado, I could just register it.

[dmjlambert]

Clear of encumberences, that is an interesting phrase, I like it.

Attaching $500 in back fees and fines to a license plate sounds wacky. Too bad the DMV had no records whatsoever that would give them an idea of who owned the plate when those fees and fines happened. Obviously, some other guy walking into the DMV with those plates and inquiring about using the plates as YOM plates on some other vehicle would not be the one to hold accountable. But obvious and DMV may not always get along.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Clear of encumberences, that is an interesting phrase, I like it.

Attaching $500 in back fees and fines to a license plate sounds wacky.

We are talking about the CALIFORNIA DMV.
Wacky is their watchword.

[Steeveedee]

I saw somewhere that the employees are getting training on how to act better, after some biddy got videotaped being "not a nice person". I recall that I've had my last name spelled wrong since I first got my license. No big deal, it's two words but they lumped them together. 1966. Fast forward 43 years, and it turns out that my birth certificate with my (then) little footie prints wasn't good enough for my security clearance update. Never mind that I had a clearance in the Navy, and from '84 til then with the little footie prints certificate. The new certificate had my last name correct, so when I went to the DMV to renew my license in '09, I took the new one with me. I mentioned that I'd like to get my last name spelled correctly (nicely). The biddy looked down her nose at me, sniffed, and asked if I had my certificate with me. BAM! Whipped it out and put it on the counter. She got her revenge, though. Whenever I go to buy ammunition, I have to tell the person running the background check that the magstrip information doesn't include the space.

Pretty sure she's buried under a lemon tree, somewhere.

[Hutch]

Yes,
I repled to that post quite a while back
I guess I got lucky
At the time the weathertech protectors cost more than the plates
I also registered the truck as an antique at the same time
$50 for 5 years and no inspections
Saved me some money over the years
Just have to have all of your ducks in a row when you arrive at the dmv

They wanted proof of current inspection
Two plates (which they inspected)
Drivers license and proof of current insurance
Plates had to be texas truck plates
Correct year for vehicle

The initial fee for registering the truck as an antique had a fee also

['68OrangeSunshine]

The AZ MVD had my '71 [GMC] Jimmy down as a K/1500 Chevrolet for a couple of years.
I was able to straighten it out at the ADEQ [smog station] window eventually.

Not DMV-related but, GMC VINs of my period have a space or a dash in the sequence. With the understanding if the vehicle has certain Pennsylvania State certified equipment, a code letter would be filled in. Most agencies ignore it.
Example:
KE114-S134XXX.
So I had to get a battery jump at 2200 after work one night. My brights had been on since 1200. RoadSide Rescue guy came out [2330] it started, and I was two blocks into being on my way home, when the rescue guy called my cell back. His computer wouldn't buy my VIN. We RSVP'd. He shot a pic of the VIN plate -- still would not compute. Too short. So we added three more zeros to the VIN and HAL 9000 was happy.
Go figure.

[franken]

Each state is different. I wonder about the inability to search the internet for tx dmv.
https://www.txdmv.gov

[Jason Banks]

It really depends on your county tax office. I have never had to much problem. I've always got the plates from eBay.

But, a friend in a neighboring county with a Model A couldn't get them to accept his plates until I painted them for him.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Jason Banks

It really depends on your county tax office. I have never had to much problem. I've always got the plates from eBay.

But, a friend in a neighboring county with a Model A couldn't get them to accept his plates until I painted them for him.

That's great you could do that for him, but by the '60s and '70s, many states had reflective plates. Not a technology I'm equipped to handle.

[best view]

Glad I live in New Hampshire the crap you guys go through is crazy

[67-72C10]

On ebay now ( truck plates) https://www.ebay.com/itm/32550556758...Bk9SR8qhnaCBZA

[dmjlambert]

Yes that would be fun to get the red letter 63 plates registered. Technically they are not allowed to be registered for year of manufacture, because the red letter plates were replacement plates. Just not allowed. They physically take the plates to a table on the back wall where they have a big book of example plates from each year, and make sure it is black letters on white background for 63. But it is possible a tax office person in a way-out-in-the-country tax office would overlook and register anyway. It would be a risk, but would probably make good wall decoration or patch panel if registration didn't work out.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Yes that would be fun to get the red letter 63 plates registered. Technically they are not allowed to be registered for year of manufacture, because the red letter plates were replacement plates. Just not allowed. They physically take the plates to a table on the back wall where they have a big book of example plates from each year, and make sure it is black letters on white background for 63. But it is possible a tax office person in a way-out-in-the-country tax office would overlook and register anyway. It would be a risk, but would probably make good wall decoration or patch panel if registration didn't work out.

I know zilch about Texas law. Would it be illegal to have an artist like Jason mentions paint over the Red with Black?

[cericd]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Yes that would be fun to get the red letter 63 plates registered. Technically they are not allowed to be registered for year of manufacture, because the red letter plates were replacement plates. Just not allowed. They physically take the plates to a table on the back wall where they have a big book of example plates from each year, and make sure it is black letters on white background for 63. But it is possible a tax office person in a way-out-in-the-country tax office would overlook and register anyway. It would be a risk, but would probably make good wall decoration or patch panel if registration didn't work out.

Hey dmj, where did you read that you couldn't register "replacement" plates of the correct year for your vehicle in Texas? I see on the forms for both the Application for Classic License Plates and Application for Antique License Plates, that it says, "The plate must have the original color scheme" but I wonder if they mean just because your vehicle is orange and green you can't paint your YOM plates orange and green to match. Those red and white '63 plates are the "original color scheme" for replacement plates that year.

I have two sets of 1970 Texas Truck plates, one is the original blue lettering on a white background and the other is the "replacement" color scheme, teal lettering on a white background. I thought long and hard about which set I wanted to register. The teal set would be more rare since they were replacements but I eventually decided on the original issue color set because it looked better with the color of my truck. I have a pdf of the book I believe you are referring to which outlines all of the color schemes of Texas plates through the years. Here's a link to it on the txdmv site in case anyone is interested. I registered my YOM plates at the Tomball location. I wonder if they would have rejected my "replacement" plates.

[dmjlambert]

Originally Posted by cericd

Hey dmj, where did you read that you couldn't register "replacement" plates of the correct year for your vehicle in Texas? I see on the forms for both the Application for Classic License Plates and Application for Antique License Plates, that it says, "The plate must have the original color scheme" but I wonder if they mean just because your vehicle is orange and green you can't paint your YOM plates orange and green to match. Those red and white '63 plates are the "original color scheme" for replacement plates that year.

I have two sets of 1970 Texas Truck plates, one is the original blue lettering on a white background and the other is the "replacement" color scheme, teal lettering on a white background. I thought long and hard about which set I wanted to register. The teal set would be more rare since they were replacements but I eventually decided on the original issue color set because it looked better with the color of my truck. I have a pdf of the book I believe you are referring to which outlines all of the color schemes of Texas plates through the years. Here's a link to it on the txdmv site in case anyone is interested. I registered my YOM plates at the Tomball location. I wonder if they would have rejected my "replacement" plates.

I wrote to one of the sellers on eBay and asked why the description said replacement, and he wrote me back and said the replacement sets were for mid-year replacement of damaged or lost plates and replacement plates can't be used for YOM registration. I told him it was interesting and pretty, and he said you could try it and sometimes things like that will be accepted and I might try several different tax offices to see if it get successfully registered at one of them. So, my evidence/statement is only anecdotal. Other eBay sellers have put in their listings Farm Truck plates can't be used for YOM registration. I don't know what percentage of this stuff slips through the scrutiny of the tax office, but I feel pretty confident Plano tax office is extremely picky. I actually like the people working in the Tomball tax office.