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Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:09 pm

Can anyone recommend someone who can restore my vintage year of manufacture license plates?

Unfortunately, its a well documented problem that in 1963 Massachusetts used defective paint on the plates. As a result very few plates from that year (which were distributed for two years) survived.

I have a pair that are in OK shape, but would like them to be perfect.
I'd like to get them restored by someone who has experience.

Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:14 pm

http://www.darrylsplates.com/

Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:23 pm

If you intend to have a car registered with vintage plates, check into your state's rules/reg's on the point. I have heard that repainting plates might in some cases make them ineligible for registration.

Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:27 pm

Bart Dunn wrote: If you intend to have a car registered with vintage plates, check into your state's rules/reg's on the point. I have heard that repainting plates might in some cases make them ineligible for registration.

I did, they said as long as it is already registered with the plates they can be restored. I've also heard stories of the RMV telling people their YOM plates had to be restored before they would allow them to be used.

If done right, its shouldn't matter, legal or not... but they gave me the green light

Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:15 pm

Bart Dunn wrote: If you intend to have a car registered with vintage plates, check into your state's rules/reg's on the point. I have heard that repainting plates might in some cases make them ineligible for registration.

I was just about to bring up this point....if you did this in NY, you wouldn't be able to use the plates.

Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:44 pm

how bad are the plates that you want restored? I know not everybody likes the old, weathered patina look but most restored plates that I've seen just don't have the right look...almost fake.

Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:55 pm

Check with your state DMV. in New york it's illegal to restore a license plate.

Mon Nov 01, 2010 4:56 pm

I can't be sure, but I believe that restored plates are not allowed because they won't have the reflectivity of the original plate, obviously assuming that the original plate had the reflective number paint on them.
Otherwise, I see no reason that a well restored plate would even be noticed by the DMV.

Mon Nov 01, 2010 5:33 pm

Glenn wrote: Check with your state DMV. in New york it's illegal to restore a license plate.

same with florida.

Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:18 pm

I think that Alabama's law says the same thing. However, unless you keep your car in a climate controlled garage, the vintage plates seem to peel and rust in a couple of years. Some years seem to be worse than others.
My '67 plate was in great shape when i put it on my bus in '06, now it's solid rust. After all, they were only meant to last a year.

Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:20 pm

VWAdam wrote: However, unless you keep your car in a climate controlled garage, the vintage plates seem to peel and rust in a couple of years. Some years seem to be worse than others.
My original 74 plate when it left the dealership.

Not bad.

Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:23 pm

Sorry, I was meaning the ones in my state.
I guess in New York they were made more durable with the road salt and all. :lol:

Mon Nov 01, 2010 8:16 pm

Glenn in Arizona you would be getting a ticket as the officer cannot clearly read the state. How stupid of a law. My plate on the one car haas no reflectivity and when I registered I asked if I keep it they said yup. They never came and looked either.

Tue Nov 02, 2010 3:45 am

As posted earlier, Daryl'sPlates is the man. He has done 3 for me and they are excellent. Cost for the last one was $108.00. I have not figured out how he does it but I think that they are powder coated. With melted powder used for the letters and numbers as paint. Located in Duryea, PA.

Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:22 pm

gt1953 wrote: Glenn, in Arizona you would be getting a ticket as the officer cannot clearly read the state. How stupid of a law.

Gordon - I think that Arizona law about frames only pertains to Arizona license plates, not to out of state plates. Shouldn't our "finest" KNOW what our own state plates look like? Granted, there are a zillion here, to try to raise more $$$.

I'll ask Jan Brewer about that, pretty sure she'll respond "Huh????"

Tue Nov 02, 2010 1:29 pm

edgood1 wrote: Can anyone recommend someone who can restore my vintage year of manufacture license plates?

Rod Pearman at the Tag Dr.
http://www.tagdr.com/
Site has lots of links to: before and after pics, Testimonials, FAQs.

One of the FAQ is:
"Q. What plates don't you do?
A. We only restore embossed plates. No graphic, flats, porcelains or reflectoriazation paint. We don't make duplicate plates and we can't do anything with the "green Massachusetts" plates. "

Read the FAQs before sending him an email.
Send him a few pics of your plate and he can give you an idea how much it will cost to restore before you send them to him.

Wed Nov 03, 2010 6:51 am

I was able to roll my YOM plates on my '65. They were in good shape to begin with though, but had been touched up in a few areas. The Colorado DMV didn't say a word about the repair. Good luck. YOM plates make a great addition to your vehicle.

Wed Nov 03, 2010 9:52 pm

edgood1 wrote: Can anyone recommend someone who can restore my vintage year of manufacture license plates?

Unfortunately, its a well documented problem that in 1963 Massachusetts used defective paint on the plates. As a result very few plates from that year (which were distributed for two years) survived.

I have a pair that are in OK shape, but would like them to be perfect.
I'd like to get them restored by someone who has experience.

this is a 63' Mass plate correct?

heres what i do for vintage plates, there a company http://www.licenseplates.tv/usa-state-plates-1.html that make about every US plate new and old out there for each state, theres two ways to go, if you live in a state and can run a vintage plate this is what you can do and what i have been doing for the last 10yrs in NY. AZ. and CA.

Each state has different ways of registering, some have stickers on the plate, some on the windshield etc,,,here in Calif on my early cars that I have black and yellow plates on I just order a black Calif plate with the current numbers of my white plate and go to DMV and get replacement plate stickers, month and yr decals, i just tell them somebody stole them off the plate and bingo 6.00 and i get a new set put them on the new black and yellow plate which is for 63-69' and bingo, vintage plates no bullshit from dmv. The numbers/letters match my current and legal reg' and if i get pulled over its all cool, your reg doesn't say if you have a white or black plate so its no big deal, I do the same thing is Arizona with my cars i have out there.

Back in NY you can run the year of plate for the car, but you need to buy the plate decal which on early plates up till 74' or 75' they all read 12/xx 12 being DEC expiration date until 73' i think, then went to different months based on reg rather than end them all at the end of the yr, after that, I used "XX" as an example being the yr 66.,67,68, etc the car that is, not the yr the plate is!!, thats how NY does it, so if its a 66 VW or any car for that matter,, it would need a 12/66 sticker and from a plate collector you can find the stickers if your in need of a NY one or then other states for that matter see here for vintage plates, http://www.alpca.org/ these guys are a close knit group of collectors.
Now in Mass you easily just order a replacement plate from www.licenseplates.tv have them made with your current legal registered plate numbers that are on your plate now and your good to go with out the hassell of dealing with dmv going the the usually long and tediuous year of manufacture plate program, some states take forever to get it done, here in Calif its like 3-9 months sometimes.
I over the last 10yrs have been stopped for somethings while drive for one thing or another and never got questioned about any of the plates, they always matched my registrations, there all current, i always have current and proper insurance, so its never been a problem, Now the reason i may have gotten pulled over is another story,,, :lol: :oops:

Is it legal to do that with the plates? maybe in some states may not in others who knows??, I have done it for along time without even being questioned, bottom line is if your not slinging crack, smoking dope, driving drunk or murdering somebody any cop that happens to pull you over for a minor traffic offense is not going to even know the difference what color your plate is or care, besides they got bigger fish to fry than worry about what color the plate is on your cool vintage classic VW or any car for that matter, if you reg' is current along with your insurance and your not driving like some asshole jerk-off kid or an idiot you really have nothing to worry about!

Wed Nov 03, 2010 11:11 pm

VWAdam wrote: I think that Alabama's law says the same thing.

Uh-oh. :oops:
Repainted my registered, daily driven plate. :wink:

Oh well. :roll:

Thu Nov 04, 2010 4:49 am

CLASSIC CAR GUY - thanks for the info. I may go that route and just order repros of my existing plates. thanks.