Author Topic: California Legacy Plates! (Read 9879 times)

sfanale · « **on:** April 07, 2014, 23:10:08 »

After speaking with JohnnyB and Barry Dorr I realized there are probably many of our California members that were completely unaware this might even happen... The CA DMV will be releasing legacy style plates in the appropriate colors for the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's if they get 7500 pre-orders of any one of the styles. Find more details and the pre-order form here:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/legacyplates/index.htm

Looks like the Black and Yellow 1960's plates are only ~700 pre-orders short of breaking the threshold and getting the plates pressed. You can get assigned sequential plates, new personalized plates, or transfer current personalized plates over to the legacy style which would be an awesome opportunity for someone like myself, who wasn't around in the 60's, to share in the style that was originally intended for the cars of that era!

Share this with everyone you know, pagoda or otherwise! Hope we make it!

Sal

scoot · « **Reply #1 on:** April 08, 2014, 12:53:43 »

One problem with this is that DMV has yet to clarify if they will be the same paint colors or slightly modernized to be reflectorized, etc. I have several cars that I would order these for (3) but only if I believed them to be plain black with plain yellow letters. If it were a reflectorized version I would not be happy with the result. Of course I could always have them repainted...

sfanale · « **Reply #2 on:** April 08, 2014, 21:01:53 »

That is a good point! I didn't even think of that I just assumed they would be the original style paints.

49er · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2014, 21:18:43 »

From what I have heard, state law requires a reflectorized finish on all plates. Also "California" would be printed, not stamped, and probably have 7 alpha numeric characters using the current font. I still have the original black plates on my SL.

John

scoot · « **Reply #4 on:** April 09, 2014, 14:54:50 »

Quote from: 49er on April 08, 2014, 21:18:43

From what I have heard, state law requires a reflectorized finish on all plates. Also "California" would be printed, not stamped, and probably have 7 alpha numeric characters using the current font. I still have the original black plates on my SL.

That would be a deal-breaker for me, except I could have them re-painted to not be reflectorized... It would be nice if CA DMV would tell us the answer, but I doubt anyone that answers the phone will know the real answer.

bogeyman · « **Reply #5 on:** April 09, 2014, 16:34:08 »

Doesn't this kind of tarnish the "Original Black Plate California Car" selling point that has been used for years?

49er · « **Reply #6 on:** April 09, 2014, 16:51:51 »

Quote from: bogeyman on April 09, 2014, 16:34:08

Doesn't this kind of tarnish the "Original Black Plate California Car" selling point that has been used for years?

When I see a PT Cruiser driving around with one of these "Legacy Black Plates" the word Tarnish will definitely come to mind

John

scoot · « **Reply #7 on:** April 09, 2014, 17:00:24 »

Quote from: 49er on April 09, 2014, 16:51:51

When I see a PT Cruiser driving around with one of these "Legacy Black Plates" the word Tarnish will definitely come to mind

Of course this is a possibility... a bad one. It kind of messes up the YOM (year of manufacture) program that CA DMV already has - you can put year-correct plates on your car if you have a good pair that are out of the system. Can't do that on a PT Cruiser...

But as the previous post said, "original black plates" is kind of a scam anyway because for years you have been able to put YOM plates on your car if you bought a set. I have black plates on my 250SL that have the correct letters for the year, etc. but I bought them on ebay and no one is the wiser unless they look at my vehicle registration bill and see that I have a $10 charge per year for the special plates.

There is another program that is more interesting -- if you have the old plates for your car even if they are not currently the plates on the car, if you can prove through records that they at one point were the plates for the car you can put them on with some paperwork...

sfanale · « **Reply #8 on:** April 09, 2014, 17:22:48 »

And here I was just thinking it would be nice to get the right colors for my decade...I realize there are purists out there who only want a plate that was stamped from the factory on the day their car was sold and registered, but I think this program is about just pumping out replicas.

If you're like me and you are interested in getting personalized plates that "appear original", then this might be a good option. Obviously if you want sequential numbers on an original plate stamped in of 1969...get on eBay and do the YOM paperwork. However, don't think a program like this one tarnishs anything. It's not hard to tell the difference in plates and I doubt anyone looking to buy a car that is super original would be confused even if the plates weren't reflective.

scoot · « **Reply #9 on:** April 09, 2014, 17:36:18 »

Quote from: Salvatore Fanale on April 09, 2014, 17:22:48

And here I was just thinking it would be nice to get the right colors for my decade...I realize there are purists out there who only want a plate that was stamped from the factory on the day their car was sold and registered, but I think this program is about just pumping out replicas.

If you're like me and you are interested in getting personalized plates that "appear original", then this might be a good option. Obviously if you want sequential numbers on an original plate stamped in of 1969...get on eBay and do the YOM paperwork. However, don't think a program like this one tarnishs anything. It's not hard to tell the difference in plates and I doubt anyone looking to buy a car that is super original would be confused even if the plates weren't reflective.

You can specify the letters/numbers of the plates you want from DMV, and provide alternatives. So basically you find a correct plate number and call and see if it is in the system. If it isn't, use it and provide alternates that are incremented slightly. Easy. They you can have it re-painted non-reflective I suppose.

The program will _not_ pump out replicas. It has to be a plate number that is out of the system (or new).

66andBlue · « **Reply #10 on:** April 09, 2014, 18:10:13 »

Quote from: scoot on April 09, 2014, 17:00:24

.. I have black plates on my 250SL that have the correct letters for the year, etc. ...

Scott,
how did you determine that the letter sequence matched the year your 250SL was made?

49er · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2014, 18:18:31 »

My "Departed" '67 250SL (Delivery at Hollywood Mercedes May 67) license was VAY408. The sequence varied by counties and local DMV offices in CA and not necessarily in order of delivery.

John

sfanale · « **Reply #12 on:** April 09, 2014, 20:40:11 »

Quote from: scoot on April 09, 2014, 17:36:18

The program will _not_ pump out replicas. It has to be a plate number that is out of the system (or new).

Right, sorry when I said "replica" I meant just of the style color wise.

scoot · « **Reply #13 on:** April 09, 2014, 20:55:18 »

Quote from: 66andBlue on April 09, 2014, 18:10:13

Scott,
how did you determine that the letter sequence matched the year your 250SL was made?

I googled it. A 1967 car would typically have a license plate that begins with "V" +/-
I looked around on the internet just now and didn't find the places I found before. It is also somewhat regional.

66andBlue · « **Reply #14 on:** April 10, 2014, 03:43:59 »

Looks like you found a list that may have looked like this one:
63: A thru M
64: M, N, O, P, Q, a few R
65: N, O, P, Q, R
66: R, S, T
67: T, U, V
68: V, W, X
69: X, Y, Z
70 Z

but as John wrote different DMV offices got different plate batches and used them up faster or much slower than others. There are many discussions on the web where first owners reported significant differences, for example, a 1965 car having a "D.." sequence.

The best info on this YOM program is probably this one on the eBay site:
http://www.ebay.com/gds/DMV-Clear-California-License-Plates-1951-1956-1963-YOM-/10000000000961771/g.html

scoot · « **Reply #15 on:** April 10, 2014, 04:07:03 »

Nice link. Where did you find the black plate year table?

49er · « **Reply #16 on:** April 10, 2014, 04:29:55 »

Got the plate for my '69 in late October 1968 and first letter is an X. My '65 VW was registered in CA in September ’65 and the first letter was R. Looks like the list is right on the money.

John

66andBlue · « **Reply #17 on:** April 10, 2014, 04:41:52 »

Quote from: scoot on April 10, 2014, 04:07:03

... Where did you find the black plate year table?

Like you, through Google. I copied it but unfortunately did not store the location.

Tom Colitt · « **Reply #18 on:** April 26, 2014, 03:41:24 »

Maybe this was already answered by someone, but the Legacy Plates will definitely not be very similar to the original plates and they will not have number sequences similar to the originals either. Basically they are retro looking plates designed to add a touch of nostalgia to 2014 Cameros and such. I'm holding out for the YOM program to be extended to Blue and Yellow plates. I wonder how one gets that kind of thing rolling with DMV. Talk to Jay Leno? He drove down my street the other day in a Corvette Stingray rag top, in his jeans shirt with his sleeves rolled up...

News:

Author Topic: California Legacy Plates! (Read 9879 times)

sfanale

sfanale

sfanale

sfanale

Tom Colitt