Don Coatney Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Black Plate Special: California Revives Vintage License Plates The original California Yellow and Black plate issued 1956-1963 The Lloyd Bakan '32 Ford coupe, currently owned by Don Orosco, Montery, California, TRJ #41 Last September, California passed a bill that established the state’s Legacy License Plate program. Officially launched January 1, 2013 the program revives the famous “California Black Plates,” originally issued in the ’60s, as well as the yellow plates from the ’50s, and blue plates from the ’70s. It was initiated by California Assemblyman Mike Gatto, a vintage car enthusiast who oversees the district just north of Los Angeles that includes Burbank and Glendale. Aaron Moreno, Legislative Director from the Office of Assemblyman Gatto, reports that DMV pre-orders for the specialty plates are doing well. However, a minimum of 7,500 of each plate style must be ordered and pre-approved by the state before production of any one style will begin. The original Black and Gold plate first issued in 19631932 Ford Roadster, Pat Ganahl, Glendale, California, TRJ #56 From our perspective, this is a worthwhile program that adds one more element of authenticity to our period-styled hot rods and customs. We hope that spreading the word will help make this effort a success, and that other states will consider following suit. California originally issued black license plates with gold lettering in 1963. While most states require that license plates stay with the registered owner, California allows them to be transferred with the car from one owner to the next. There are still quite a few cars that retain these desirable black plates from the ’60s. Equally coveted are yellow plates with black lettering, issued from ’56 to ’63, and blue plates with yellow lettering issued from ’69 until the early-’80s. The original Blue and Yellow plate issued 1969-1983 The Jim "Jake" Jacobs '34 Ford coupe, currently owned by Jerry Slover of Pete & Jake's, Peculiar, Missouri, TRJ #46 The replica plates offered through the program are available in standard sequential alpha-numeric format or as vanity plates. The main difference from the original plates is that the replicas are “reflectorized” (chemically coated to reflect light) to comply with state law. Within the first month, 3,500 pre-orders were placed among all three license plate styles. The minimum of 7,500 pre-approved orders per plate must be received by January 1, 2015 for the program to move forward. The pre-order cost is $50, and you can download your order form here. For a list of Frequently Asked Questions and payment information, visit www.dmv.ca.gov/legacyplates/index.htm. Most states sponsor “Year of Manufacture” programs, but it would be great to see vintage-style plates available across the country for all of our hot rods and customs. We plan to bring you more information about the Legacy License Plate program in a future issue of The Rodder’s Journal. If you’re not yet a subscriber, be sure to visit www.roddersjournal.com or call us at (800) 750-9550 or (877) 479-2627 in Canada to subscribe or renew today. Online StoreDan Post Boxed Set ofReprints Available for Pre-order TRJ 2013 Calendar Scrapbook Deuce: 75 of the finest 1932 Ford Hot Rods of all time The Hot Rod StoryRex Burnett Print Set Hardbound Limited Edition Book Issues 9-12 Hardbound Limited Edition Book Issues 5-850 Years of Rod & CustomAll Back Issues Copyright © 2008 The Rodder's Journal All rights reserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 what will this do to the tag dealers out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 To reserve a tag costs $50 and there is no refund. CA will not make any until 7,500 are preordered and paid for. No way would I trust that to happen. A local friend said that if one has a tag with the same year as the vehicle and the numbers are not being used, then that tag can be used. Will have to verifiy that. I have a '56 tag, but my truck is a 52 and my car is a 53. I would like to put one on the gate, the PO had the tag there, so the holes exist, but I doubt that is legal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TodFitch Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 (edited) To reserve a tag costs $50 and there is no refund. CA will not make any until 7,500 are preordered and paid for. No way would I trust that to happen. A local friend said that if one has a tag with the same year as the vehicle and the numbers are not being used, then that tag can be used. Will have to verifiy that. I have a '56 tag, but my truck is a 52 and my car is a 53. I would like to put one on the gate, the PO had the tag there, so the holes exist, but I doubt that is legal. Current California "Year of Manufacture" law is unaffected by these new "legacy plates". Last I checked the YOM covered pre-1963 vehicles only as the 1963 and up tags are still "current issue" (1963 was the last year they swapped out all the plates). To register your car with the old tags, the tags must be for the year of manufacture (a 1953 model year car built in 1952 would get 1953 tags). The tags must be servicable as determined by the DMV clerk. (Unclear if California allows restored plates. The law does not mention that one way of the other that I can find.) And the numbers on the tags cannot be registered to another vehicle. (Since they reissued every year and since some of the old numbering sequences are currently being used for motorcycles it is possible that the numbers are currently in use.) And you must have a pair of matching plates. Finally, for the 40s and 50s, they used a metal tab for the year. In those years you need a set of plates for the previous full cycle and the tab for your year. Plate dealers know all this and will charge a premium for servicable California tags that are "cleared" (i.e. not currently in use) by the DMV. If you aren't lucky and can get good tags from an estate sale you'll pay big bucks to a plate vendor. Oh, also the California YOM plates are basically the same as current "vanity" plates: You pay full registration (no collector car discount) and a yearly "specialty plate" fee. End result is the state doesn't care if you drive the car every day and to and from work. As far as they are concerned you are paying "full fare" and have full access to the highway system. But your insurance company might care if you have collector car insurance. Edited March 1, 2013 by TodFitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pflaming Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 A PAIR? OUCH. Now that makes one pause for sure. I think I'll get a privacy plate and put "Plymouthy" on it. That ought to get someone's curiosity! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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