Vintage license plates? where and how?

[exmonkeypunk]

I think it's legal to register and run plates from the year of your classic vehicle in most states...... or all, i dunno.... That's my question..... Where can you find old license plates and is it legal to use them if registered?

[myoldchevytruck]

Check with your DMV about whether or not you can use it. I am using a 68/69 red tag on my truck. I live in Florida. I had to "authenticate" it (sent title, copy of license, insurance and the actual tag to the State DMV in Tallahassee our Capital). It was $38.00. By authenticating it, they run it to assure it's clear. Now, where to get one. I got mine from eBay but I also see vendors at car shows with them all the time. There pretty cool - better than just the regular historic tags.

[exmonkeypunk]

Were there B-Truck plates back in the day? or were they just plates?
I have regular plates on the truck now, because antique plates limit when you can drive in Illinois.

[myoldchevytruck]

In Florida, car and truck plates were different. It's identified in the numbers and letters.

[chrislehr]

In texas, they are TRUCK plates, and ebay has LOTS of them.

Mine:



g/f's:

[Longhorn Man]

You can run them in Ohio, and the BMV doesn't care if they are ruck or car plates. However, they are registered as historical tags, and in theory limits the use of the vehicle... however, it is largly unenforced. Plus, one time fee of about 30% the normal one year fee... makes them very nice to run.
I got these on E-bay, and they were dirt cheap

[myoldchevytruck]

Here in Florida's we had different color tags for our vintage tags. In the 50's, Fl tags were Black. In the early 60's, Some years were Green and in 68'/69' they were Red. 69'/70' were Green again and then in 71', I think they went to the beginning design of the White tag. There is also a Baby Blue Historic Tag for vehicles that are 25 years and older. Here's my Red 68'/69' tag. This worked out great cause the trucks a 69' but the front clips a 68'. The red tag matches all of the 68' badges.

[70c10]

Too bad your not in Maryland. My dad has about a hundred sets for sale.

[Longhorn Man]

I just found 5 sets on e-bay goin pretty cheap. (1/3 the cost of mine) however, you'll need to check to see if you'd need front and rear... I think these are all single plates.
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...tes&category0=
Kinda blah lookin IMO... kinda look like plates of recent years

Even if your state won't let you run them on the street.. you can put magnets on the back, and when you go to a cruise in or a board meet or what ever... as soon as it is off the public road, you can slap them on and no one can do a thing about it.

[GRIMSS]

I got mine from this guy. Got a '56 local truck for the panel and a '68 car for the Camaro. Email him if it's not on his site he might have a source for others.

www.larryslicenseplates.com

[basketcase]

I found a pair of 1959 Ohios for my '59 Corvette at the fall Auburn Kruse Auction and swap meet. In Ohio you have to have an antique plate for the car and keep it in the vehicle while you are running your year of manufacture plate on the car or truck. One nice thing, other than the already mentioned one time fee, is that you don't have to run a front plate with YOM plates like regular cars and trucks do in Ohio.

Most state BMV web sites will tell you all you need to know about special plates.

Tom

[Longhorn Man]

they told me I still had to run both plates. Maybe in 59 they didn't run front plates?

[lks dcvn]

I found a set on Ebay as well - still in the BMV envelope () - needed some cleaning but with some scrubbing they look new.

Had to go to the BMV with the plate so they could take a photo copy of the 'old plates' and I also have to keep the actual historic tags in the car at all times (glovebox still in wrapper) - in case a LEO wants to see them.

I run both plates, but I didn't hear that I HAD to run them - maybe it depends on the counter person or the county in Ohio.

I have seen year plates and antique plates here in Ohio in the winter - since most of the plates are covered by snow anyway - but not sure what the penalty would be if you 'got caught'...(not worth the risk in my opinion).

[k5hart]

In S.C. you just have to send in a form, a picture of the plate, and some money to the main DMV office in Columbia and they verify the number is OK to use and thats it. Pretty easy actually. I have the month sticker and a letter stating the plate is legal in case I get pulled over. I found my plate at an antique shop.

[Tx70gmctruck]

Originally Posted by chrislehr

In texas, they are TRUCK plates, and ebay has LOTS of them.

Mine:



g/f's:

What did you do a search for eBay to find the Texas 1970 truck plates? I only saw some buy it now option and they were like $75 for the set. Also, is it pretty easy to obtain the authenticity to run them on your truck? Do you have to be the original owner and such?

[myoldchevytruck]

Originally Posted by Tx70gmctruck

What did you do a search for eBay to find the Texas 1970 truck plates? I only saw some buy it now option and they were like $75 for the set. Also, is it pretty easy to obtain the authenticity to run them on your truck? Do you have to be the original owner and such?

Here's a set of Texas Plates on eBay. Item number: 300230106449
BTW, I Googled 1970 Texas Truck Plate
You can also try doing a "Wanted" on Craigslist. You may get lucky.

[chrislehr]

Originally Posted by Tx70gmctruck

What did you do a search for eBay to find the Texas 1970 truck plates? I only saw some buy it now option and they were like $75 for the set. Also, is it pretty easy to obtain the authenticity to run them on your truck? Do you have to be the original owner and such?

If you have a cop friend, ask him to run the plate #'s before you buy - if there is a NEW tx plate using that number, you cant use em.

The g/f bought a set she couldnt use.

[basketcase]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

they told me I still had to run both plates. Maybe in 59 they didn't run front plates?

I knew that I read this somewhere on the Ohio state DMV site. Here's the paragraph explaining the use of model year plates.


Historical Model-Year Plates
If your vehicle qualifies as an antique vehicle, it may display the vehicle's original Ohio model-year plates. You'll only need one plate (to affix to the rear of the vehicle), but the plate must be in a usable condition.

To apply, complete the antique and model-year forms. Submit them along with a copy of the original plate(s) to a license agency, or mail everything to the address listed above.

There's a one-time $4.50 fee (plus mailing costs, if necessary) to use the plates. The plates don't need to be renewed.

The BMV provides additional, detailed information concerning model-year plates.

[Longhorn Man]

Hmmmm.... that's pretty sweet.
Now is the delima... Do I run just the rear and push the local cops (considering I drive it WAY more than those tags are legal for) or do i run them both just becouse it is so cool to have 72 plates?
Decisions decisions.

[basketcase]

I don't mind a front plate on these trucks. I'll probably run one on the '59 Vette too since Chevy went through all the trouble to make that big ole license bar bumper thing.

It would be fun to just have a printed copy of the rules with you to show any cop that stops you for no front plate.

[ChevyDude]

I think I have heard that you can get your old plates off ebay or where ever, then go to the DMV and buy a vanity plate with the same numbers as the Old vintage plate, then just keep the new vanity plates somewhere in the truck and run the Old plates. Registration will match, no problems from the cops.

[exmonkeypunk]

Illinois tags have always been "blah". Even our newer ones are boring, with a picture of Lincoln's head barely visible. I had a set of new truck tags made for the truck instead of going with antique tags, and after seeing how boring the tags were in 1972, i think i'll just stick with getting some Custom ordered tags later. If there were a car club around this area that wasn't a bunch of pricks, i'd join it.