So, I am going, finally, to register my 1951 F-1 down at the CA DMV. I am thinking about paying the premium and getting some "DMV cleared" 1951 Year of Manufacture plates. However, I've run into a bit of a snag... Does an F-1 (the half-ton) need commercial plates? I know with new half ton pickups, or even if I register the F-1 with modern plates, I would not be in the commercial cl***. But the law is a bit hazy as the plates have to match the year of the vehicle and match how the vehicle was registered back in 1951 (which may have been a commercial registration at the time... I don't know). I've been trying to get through to Sacramento, but they don't seem to be picking up. I thought some of you guys on here might know, or have run into this before. Thanks.
Oh, man...not sure about the commercial deal...good question. The '51 plates were yellow plates that, I think, had the metal tag on one of the top corners that was separate from the license plate. In your case that metal tag would read either 51 or 1951, I can't remember which. The reason I noticed that there wasn't a 1951 California yellow plate, was I wanted to buy a 1950 as that was my birthyear...just to hang in the garage. So, again, I don't think that there is such an animal as a 1951 plate (except for that metal corner piece). I bought YOM Cali plates for my '34...it was a fee of $35 to exchange my new plates and then I was good to put my newly restored YOM plates on. My biggest suggestion to you is to make an appointment online. Don't just walk in. I made an appointment, went on my "day" at my "time" and I was out f the door in ten minutes.
Here are the year tags that I was talking about....maybe you could get one like this and then get yellow plates off of Ebay...I did...$58 http://images.google.com/imgres?img...ifornia+license+tab&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=off&sa=G
You don't need commercial plates. The yearly fee will still be the commercial fee, but the plates DO NOT need to be commercial. I have regular 1951 plates on my 55 1st series 5 window truck. They are black with yellow letters. They have a yellow 19 on the left side of the plate and a 51 on the left. There's a grey stamped plate & a 55 on the right side, covering the 51. Since you have a 51, you don't need any extra tab with the year of your car or truck. Here's a pic of my front plate. I don't have one of my back one.
You need a set of 1951 Calif. plates that are DMV clear. You can register it as either commercial or a non commercial vehicle. If you choose to register as a non commercial vehicle, which would be less money, don't be carrying anything in the bed or you could get a ticket. That's why commercial plates are more expensive. Another option you could go is to register it as a historical vehicle.
Theres much talk about having "clear" plates. Some cop friends of mine have told me that they all are "clear" because DMV has never made duplicate plates ..ever.
That is a False statement by your Cop Friend.... Do COP & FRIEND belong in the same sentence ? Anyways, DMV Recycles Old Plate numbers not in use to ***ign to other Vehicles. Like a 1940 CAR plate number could actually be in use on a Newer MOTORCYCLE or TRAILER. They DO reuse Old Numbers.... Don't be Fooled.
Well, I'll tell 'em that they and the folks at DMV are full of ****. My Dad was a policeman, my best friend ever.
What DeSoto said. I have a set of 1934 plates that I can't use because the number letter combination is being used on a set of modern plates.
Yup, I had a YOM plate that I wanted to use on an old bike, but the number was being used on a trailer, so no dice.
Well, we just registered the T-bucket project.. It is a 1924 "roadster pickup".. guess what the dmv sent..Commercial plates ! We are going to change it over to YOM 24 plates. For now it has the current white (UGLY) ca plates. Dave
you might have to go to a few dmvs to find one that will let you run car plates (even my '64 panel truck has comm new plates)......2 dmvs told me that it has to be able to carry p***angers (ie suburban). i would rather be commercial anyway because, 1.you can haul stuff and have no REAL reason to get pulled over 2.you don't see commercial plates that much and their cooler (COMM, BE, PC) 3.commercial plates are cheaper then car plates to buy cleared ones 4.it's not that much more a year.
Dave,I just did the same with my 29 Pontiac right before Christmas. Car still in mockup. But wanted to have the ***le and plates before I spent any more cash on it. Now last week a get a letter from the DMV that they want to cancel my registration on 3-5-10 because they have no proof of insurance. Car is not even on the road. Anyone else have this issue???
Now last week a get a letter from the DMV that they want to cancel my registration on 3-5-10 because they have no proof of insurance. Car is not even on the road. Anyone else have this issue??? That is pretty much standard no matter where you live. Can't register a car without insurance, and once insurance lapses, they cancel your registration. Same for hotrods or daily drivers.
I have the same thing on a couple of long term projects George.. Here is the catch..Dmv will not let you do a non-op until the registration is due . You have that 30 day window to either pay the reg. or non op..... What ever you do ...DO NOT miss this window ! Otherwise, BAM...penaltys apply ! DMV is broke, just like every other state agency in CA. Keep the suspension letter, watch for the renewal notice,you will be fine... BTW if you do get it road ready, all you have to do is insure it and your reg. becomes UN-suspended..You will get another letter about 2 weeks after you insure it. Dave FYI, CA HAMB'ers..DO NOT EVER tell dmv that the car is in pieces or mockup..It triggers all kinds of deep do-do @ DMV... " I just bought the car Ma'am, Thank you Ma'am, No Ma'am, Yes Ma'am, it is a very old car, No Ma'am, Thank you Ma'am...." I really do not understand why they make it almost impossible for us to just register our old iron...A reasonable process would bring in a BUNCH of $ for the state...In a time when they really need it. I know..politics and reasonable process DO NOT go together..LOL..
My buddy got the ***le and insurance on his project cars when he started them to have coverage for theft-fire etc, and a good agent should be able to get it lower rated for a hobby car not a daily driver . I have heard of guys having problems at some DMV offices with restored plates, clerk did not like new colors not matching their chart, minor dents in old plates, I have a set of Cal 32 plates on the wall for my roadster, I haven't checked to see if they are clear. If you want to use your original plates and the number is used for (well used to be $ 5) Dmv will give you the address of the new plate owner and you could try to buy his number, transfer and relese. ,,probably easier to find another set of old plates.
the '36 i paid a years registration and then went in after the year put the yom plates on and then non op'd it.....of course everything is harder then a few years ago.
Yes, that's happened to me but this is after I sold the car and it went out of state. When the vehicle was sold I took down a release of liability and had it stamp dated. Gave them the original and kept the copy. I get a letter that they are going to cancel the registration because of no insurance. I go back down to DMV with a copy of the release of liability. The clerk said fine and to just ignore the letter. 2 months later I get another letter from DMV with the same info, going to cancel registration. Make another copy and sent it back with the letter they sent me. Just another small example of the incompetence of our state agencies.
So now I am A little confused. Should I just insure it?? Or?? I payed alot to get this on the road and dont want to lose out by getting cancelled. Also how do I let the DMV know what direction I went??
I have '51 commercial (YOM) plates on my '51 F1 because they look cooler than car plates on a truck. They were much harder to find than car plates, but they never fail to generate positive comments from people who know they're the right plate for the vehicle.
I insure my non driving 61 Dodge through state farm for 18 bucks a year. minimum legal coverage. can't drive more than 300 miles a year. it is a "cl***ic car" policy. just enough coverage to keep the tags up.
here's a link with lots of YOM onfo: http://reviews.ebay.com/DMV-Clear-C...1951-1956-1963-YOM_W0QQugidZ10000000000961771
I didn't have insurance on my registered project and got a letter, i sent in the non-op money six months later when the regi. lapsed they aplied the non-op believe it or not.
do a search on CA DMV ***le 13, Division 1, Chapter 1 Article 3.3-Special Plates If i read it right all you need is DMV clear 1947 base plates and a set of metal 1951 They talk about commercial plates on model years 1963-1972 but I only went to public high school may have missed something. Good luck with the DMV they are some mad people, but then again if I have take three days off work with no pay I wiould be mad too. Thanks Arnold!
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