Legislation Black Plate Boogaloo The California black (license) plate is one of those indefinable symbols of autodom that can't be replicated. Currently authorized by the state for pre-1963 vehicles, its hugely evocative of an era of American motoring that goes right to the heart of the hobby. Which is why California A.B. No. 462, An act to amend Section 5004.1 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles, is such an emotional issue. A.B. 462 allows the owner of a vehicle from the 1969 model year and earlier, or the owner of a commercial vehicle or a pickup truck that is a 1972 or older model, to display vintage license plates corresponding to the vehicle's year of manufacture. According to the bill's sponsor, House Minority leader Michael Villines (R, Fresno): Vehicles sold between 1962 and 1969 were originally issued black-and-gold plates but do not qualify for the display of year-of-manufacture plates. Without the ability to display vintage license plates on these automobiles, many of which are now collector items, their owners are effectively precluded from fully restoring these vehicles to their original condition. Supporters also contend that it would keep American cl***ic cars truly historical and near original condition, and would help to preserve antique automobiles by ensuring they represent the true year of their manufacture. On April 9, the Committee on Transportation heard ***emblyman Villines read the bill, and referred it to the Committee on Appropriations with a 12-0 Do P*** recommendation. However, then-Governor Gray Davis vetoed a similar bill, A.B. 2058, in 2000, saying: The purpose of the vehicle license plate is for identification and registration purposes only. The issuance of vehicle license plates is not to enhance the beauty or value of a vehicle. Several other similar bills have also died for one reason or another (including veto), so there's no telling where A.B. 462 will end up. State government should not stand in the way of car owners who want to utilize the authentic license plates that reflect the year when their cl***ic cars first hit the streets, Villines said. Permitting owners of cl***ic cars from the 1960s and early 1970s to display vintage plates will finally allow them the satisfaction of having a fully-restored piece of California history. Contact Rep. Villines at 916-319-2029 to have your say.
Also of interest in the way that they do things is that if a car is out of the computer, and has no supporting do***ents, then you are not allowed to keep the black plates even if the car still has them. I've had to replace my black plates on several of my cars so far with white ones because they were out of the computer. Luckily my Ford truck still has the black plates....even though they are badly beaten.
If you still have the black plates and they still want/make you run new ones just plop down the extra dough and order personalized plates that match your black ones and then run the black ones anyway.
The Jalopy Journal
