[License] Plates, plates and more plates...

[Randy Forbes]

Well, almost three (3) weeks ago, I finally got my car titled/registered in Ohio, after moving here nearly seven (7) years ago.

As the car could now be legally driven, albeit with a (temporary) paper plate that I was instructed to place in the rear window in clear view (as if I had a rear window), I elected to just keep the Louisiana plate on.

About a week ago, my sequential (as opposed to personalized) Ohio Historic vehicle plate arrived and was installed. Woo hoo, BIG DAY! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Today, a very-very good condition set of 1957 Ohio plates arrive in the mail (god bless ebay) and another trip to the BMV results in that plate being assigned to my Healey.

Though I can put the 1957 plate ON the car, the sequential Historic plate must be carried IN the car; small price to pay, if it keeps every onlooker from asking me "what year is it?"

Now that I can drive the thing, I guess I'd better keep whittling down that punch list...

 

[anthony7777]

randy thats pretty cool, in your state do they require both front and rear plates to be mounted? and ive never asked this before but does anyone know if a set of old european plates can be used as well?, i purchased a set of ct. "american classic" plates when i registered my healey its less expensive to do so i cant tell you how many people come over to me and say " hay man dat car aint merican" oh well. lic. plate side note - yesterday afternoon i went with my son to pick up my wifes new infinity fx-35 i thought it would be one of those deals were ya signed your name to everything but the declaration of independence and then have to wait two days for the dealer to send someone to our d.m.v. to register the car get the lic. plates etc. but no after a couple of signatures one of the mechanics walks over with a neat package with all the stuff in it including new plates the sales manager whom i was dealing with explained the dealership purchased all the programs/hardware to be able to do what any d.m.v. can do right there on the spot, said it cost a fortune the mechanic screwed on the plates and off we went it actually took the sales manager longer to give his obligatory explanation of the bells and whistles in the car.

 

[SHG]

Hey 7777, each state has different MV laws, so what works in one doesn't mean much in another. In NY, a car over 25 years old can get "year of origin" plates, provided you send MV a photo of the plates and they send back special approval. You then get a new reg with the new plate numbers and they're for real. But you can't do it at a DMV office, they have to go to Albany for approval and it takes about 2 months to get it back. Also, it has to be renewed annually instead of every few years like a regular registration.

But the bright side is that I can use my official 1964 New York World's Fair license plate (thanks, ebay), which has the added benefit of being the last time New York used only a rear plate. This doesn't mean much to people in states where front plates aren't used, but in New York this is a pretty cool thing, and causes some serious confusion with the police. I carry a copy of the law that permits this with me, just in case.

And Anthony, every day, my son checks the mail box for a fedex package. He looks so sad when he walks back up the driveway. It's like his Flash Gordon secret decoder ring didn't come again.

 

[Randy Forbes]

randy thats pretty cool, in your state do they require both front and rear plates to be mounted?

Yes, whether normal plates or Historical/Special affiliation (you wouldn't believe the choices). The "Model Year" plate is the only one I know of where you can legally use just the rear plate (though I never run one on my gray car either). Normal plates have to renewed annually on your birthday (takes some of the joy out of that, let alone NOT being able to ignore another year gone by).

and ive never asked this before but does anyone know if a set of old european plates can be used as well?

I don't know the answer to that, though I used to run a couple of different UK plates when I had the car in San Francisco. Only real benefit I found was being able to ignore the double-parking tickets (Healey was a daily driver during the 70s-80s).

i purchased a set of ct. "american classic" plates when i registered my healey its less expensive to do so i cant tell you how many people come over to me and say " hay man dat car aint merican" oh well. lic. plate side note - yesterday afternoon i went with my son to pick up my wifes new infinity fx-35 i thought it would be one of those deals were ya signed your name to everything but the declaration of independence and then have to wait two days for the dealer to send someone to our d.m.v. to register the car get the lic. plates etc. but no after a couple of signatures one of the mechanics walks over with a neat package with all the stuff in it including new plates the sales manager whom i was dealing with explained the dealership purchased all the programs/hardware to be able to do what any d.m.v. can do right there on the spot, said it cost a fortune the mechanic screwed on the plates and off we went it actually took the sales manager longer to give his obligatory explanation of the bells and whistles in the car.

Yes, when we get new BMWs, the plates are already on them; the exception being the gray car, as it was picked up at the factory in South Carolina and had a thirty (30) day transit plate, though the local dealer had a plate almost immediately upon our return. That will be six (6) years ago next week. We always go to the BMW Roadster Homecoming (Labor Day Weekend) and it was in 2001 that we brought home the ultimate souvenir (sp?).

 

[GregW]

Normal plates have to renewed annually on your birthday (takes some of the joy out of that, let alone NOT being able to ignore another year gone by)...

...That will be six (6) years ago next week.

Is that a subtle way of saying you have a birthday coming up? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

 

[Ed_K]

..... ive never asked this before but does anyone know if a set of old European plates can be used as well?......

Every state is different but here in NC the law says that "
a plate of the year of manufacture " can be used if the car is older than 35 years. The law doesn't specify what state or country. I have the original 1965 UK plate on the front and a
exact copy of it on the back. I have to keep the " real, NC " plate in the car and show it to any officer that asks to see it. I also keep a print out of the law taped to the back of the license plate in case an officer is not familiar with the law. Since our state doesn't require any registration of the " year of manufacture " plate, we can just order one from one of those places on the web that will make you any kind of license plate that you want. So I just drive around with my black 1965 UK plates and have never once been stopped or questioned about it, even after driving in front of several different police cars in the last months. That tells me I have probably " interpreted " our state law correctly.
... Next year at plate renewal time, I am going to apply for
an antique auto plate to keep in my car which will limit the amount of property tax I have to pay on the Healey to a value of $ 500.00 ....

 

[Randy Forbes]

Normal plates have to renewed annually on your birthday (takes some of the joy out of that, let alone NOT being able to ignore another year gone by)...

...That will be six (6) years ago next week.

Is that a subtle way of saying you have a birthday coming up? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

Nope, still months away. I've had so many, they're not too big a deal anymore, though I'd hate the alternative /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Edit: actually, it's the gray car that was built six (6) years ago.

 

[anthony7777]

gents, thanks for the info i did know that individual states have their own laws concerning how one may or maynot use plates its nice to hear others are finding it easier to get their cars registered with alot less hastle next chance i get ill go down to norwalk ct. d.m.v. and go through the options available for "the beast" 63 healey ,first time i registered it the woman at the counter asked for my paperwork and began turning around to do something when she did a quick turn back with a giant smile on her face and spent 15 minutes telling me how the healey was her husbands favorite car he had one, has models of them on a shelf etc. etc. as i turned to leave the growd behind me was wheelding pitchforks, axes, and clubs one even had a torch in full flame i suppose some of em was in a hurry. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

In Texas we can use the original plates for that particular year but they must be in very good condition and are inspected at the tax office. We even have people who'll restore the plate to its original new condition(and no, they don't wear stripped uniforms). The next best thing is that we can also buy brand new plates for our particular years.
Last check they were about $99.00 for both plates.

 

[tahoe healey]

This has been a battle for me here in California. I have written letters and all over the place to get to use a set of "back" period plates for my '64. The law will only allow '62 and earlier to use period plates. They want them reflective. We changed from black ones to blue ones in 1969 unless they were continually registered with the black ones. I've offered to pay the custom (vanity)fees and all but no go. I even explained to the politicians that it was a win/win to the state. I supply the plates and pay more than for the registration. They wrote back that it was a good idea but the head of the DMV wants all cars to have reflective plates. I even tried to register the numbers of the black plates to get the white ones and planned to display the blacks but the computer through it out. I even tried to contact Jay Leno at "Leno's garage" but never got an answer. Oh well. Any one have any ideas?
TH

 

[roscoe]

TH,
I just bought a set of '56 plates for my BN-2 from a guy in Vacaville. I ran them through DMV with none of the expected problems with a car that I have restored and was not registered after 1973. If you want the skinny on what can and cannot be done in CA I suggest you talk to him. His web site is https://www.davesclp.com . You are,of course, correct about the post 1962 year of manufacture plates not being useable in CA. I do not know if there is any way around this. It seems there should be for classic cars. I'm not a fanatic for original details, but I do think it adds a really nice touch to have year of manufacture plates on a vehicle. I have one other contact who has a hangar full of 50's and 60's vehicles. I'll ask him when I see him. Good luck.

Jon

 

[anthony7777]

th, i just found out that a ct. program to allow YOM. plates has existed since the year 2000, in a nut shell the car must be a rare/antique/special interest auto, you first must register the vehicle with the "early american" plates,(ive done that) and carry those in the vehicle, you must already have a set of YOM. plates to present to them, you must fill out and keep with you a form that was filled out along with your registration, no addition fees required. now all i need is a set of 1963 plates, humm. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif ya, just found it, licenseplates.tv makes up a set for about $65.00

 

[Keoke]

I do not know what your problem really is TH . But there are many Classic cars including Healeys here in Southern Cal with black plates on them.--Keoke?

 

[tahoe healey]

Keoke,those you see have been on the cars since originally registered.
TH

 

[Keoke]

Keoke,those you see have been on the
cars since originally registered.
TH

--------------------------/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/nonod.gif------------------------------------Keoke

 

[Randy Forbes]

I'm liking the plate, but I'm not liking those those tailpipes... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

 

[anthony7777]

randy, just put unna dem chrome gallon size thingies you see the kids with nowa days. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

 

[HEALEYJAG]

As a fellow Ohio Healeyist, historical plates are legally supposed to be on cars used in parades etc. and not for "fun rides". I know this is a gray issue but I have been pulled over several times for license violations when driving my Healey or other classics. It is for this reason I have stopped purchasing historical plates.

Be carefull or ask your local police dept. if they will enforce this law.

 

[Keoke]

Yeah Randy, I see what you mean . How did they get so crooked?---Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

[John Loftus]

I do not know what your problem really is TH . But there are many Classic cars including Healeys here in Southern Cal with black plates on them.--Keoke?

Legally? I think some people put them on just for shows unless original or pre-62.