I did a couple of 1920's plates with my son a few years back as a kinder school vacation project to keep him busy and got him interested in something other that TV and phones... He was surprised how well they turned out. First trick is to knock all the dents an bumps out. It does not take much effort to do it, we used various shaped pieces of scrsp off cut wood and a couple of pieces of different sizes flat bar and square bar. The material is not thick and is easily worked gently. We then gave them a quick sand blast and a primer coat. Sprayed the background with spray cans and did all the raised stuff with paint pens. Slow and easy is the process for the best results... We taped the plates down to the bench when paint penning and also used light wood lengths as guides to run our paint pens along to keep edges straight and steady. Then we moved on to doing our old gas pumps...
I bought my '55 F100 in '72 from orig. owner, $60. Went to DMV, clerk at counter gave me shat 'cuz it was so cheap? Finally got a supervisor, he issued me commercial plates. They were BLUE! ... But not for long. I used black semi-gloss rattle can and 1 shot Sunrise yellow. In 45+ years, one policeman glanced at the plate, and said "Yellow looks a little 'sour'... Nice truck." I did sweat it for years...Kinda low in front, too. My observation, not his. Plates could use a fresh coat... Is 1 shot Sunrise still 'sour'?
Some old plates in decent condition can just be touched up without too much trouble which kinder helps keep them looking a little old and not too fresh so to speak...
I have done a few plates . Solid color any way you decide . Letters and numbers , spray a wet coat on a poster board . Flip your plate over and press it into the wet paint . Carefully raise it and surprise .
Cool idea..i must try it. I am not sure if i should restore my plates. They look cool with 90 years old patina.. Maybe i will make copy of them with new paint.
I did mine. I stripped the old paint, straightened it and sprayed the base color. I then had a pinstriper do the raised part.
I’ve done a few also. I use good primer, then letter/number color on front side (a couple of coats), then thin coat of background color (on front and back). After it’s cured, carefully color sand the digits through to the proper color appears (make sure not to go too far and the edges look crisp) and then clear coat the whole plate. I use good quality automotive paint.
Did this one with some leftover from a customers car. Stock Honda color and some black 1shot. It’s been scuffed from sitting over my welding bench but whatever.
I think Vintage Plates can be restored including paint here in Ontario, CAN. but must be sent in to run the numbers and verify it to run...Historic colors may be required but the Licensing sites may answer these and all questions regarding WAIT...YOM plates...oh and then it's $250.00 Plate sellers here advertise restored and verified plates I believe... State by State, Province by Province things vary...
Not exactly what you asked about, but I found a place that would repop any plate you wanted with the perfect colors and stamping. I had this one made to match a plate that was on my car in 1952. It's not a legal plate but the car is registered as a vintage car in Ohio and I have that plate to run on. The outfit that made this was called Licenseplates.tv.
I'VE DONE MANY PLATES. YOU CAN TELL WHEN SOMEONE WHO CAN'T PAINT, DOES A SET, HAHAHA. OLDPL8S, HERE ON THE HAMB, IS THE BEST PLATE GUY I KNOW. LOOK HIM UP. HE'S PRETTY CHEAP FOR A REPAINT, THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE STRAIGHTENED.
I matched the 56-62 yellow with what’s called school bus yellow and then had a local pin stripper do the letters in One Shot black. I’m sure they are better than original.
The Jalopy Journal
