I'm trying to restore some old cali 1963 plates. does anyone have any helpful tips, and what paints should i buy and where? thanks!
Several years ago I wrote a tech article for "Skinned Knuckles" magazine on how to do this, along with the tools and paint selection (One Shot). It was also published in the EFV8 RG 5 and RG 96 monthly issues. It was posted on the "old" FORDBARN tech section, but is now gone, along with all other tech articles. Maybe Ryan can find it for you in his archives. I can email you a copy if you want one, but technology has advanced quite a bit since then.
Good question! I have an original 1936 AL plate for my truck that I need to restore myself. Will be watching this thread for ideas!
One thing I would recommend is to use a paint/sealer that won't be affected by UV rays. I have a plate that I bought from a "professional" that is turning brown after one year. Not happy!! Norm
I usually paint the plate whatever color the letters are first, then I lay down a coat of whatever the background color is, then take rubbing compound to the letters letting the color of the letters come through.
One big problem I invariably find with restored plates is that the restorer uses shiny paint whereas the original was a satin finish. To me it makes them look like bling bling **** - the sort of stuff you expect to see on the kind of 'traditional moderne' builds that are meant to p*** as traditional but miss the mark by a million miles. Use a flattening agent in the paint to get a true satin finish as per original. As for me, I only buy good unrestored plates that do not need restoration. The genuine patina is almost impossible to fake....
ive done them before with a semi-gloss black rattle can paint, and testers gloss yellow, I masked the letters off with tape. but yeah ditto on the UV fading comments. I saw some lady at the swap meet using a roller to paint the letters on and it was coming out really good.
Remember if you are going for a YOM registration you should register the plate first or they may not acccept it. If you are trying to sell the plate to a restorer (of old plates that is) they want them unrestored. Charlie Stephens
If you search there are a couple of posts on this subject. I tried the roller method without a lot of success. Then did the "paint number color first, then the background color, and rub the background color off the numbers" - worked great ! Some people recommend separating the colors with a couple coats of clear, but I didn't. Used Krylon rattle cans......... Yeah, I know the colors are wrong - green and white looks ****py on a blue car !! I figure I'm OK unless I run across an old cop with a good memory.......
I did a paint touchup on my plates before I submitted the ap' to make them look a little better but not perfect. I had also heard the same thing that they may get turned down if obviously restored. Once they were approved I stripped them and refinished them better. I tried the roller method but that didn't work too well. Some use the method of spraying the whole plate in yellow, then once dry overspaying with the black, then sanding the black off the letters to reveal the yellow. I didn't try this method. Ended up spraying the whole plate with the black, then manually hand painting all the letters in yellow. It's tedious work and takes a steady hand but came out looking ok. I used Duplicolor DA 1603 Semi-gloss black for the balck area. Tried two different yellows. I found 1 Shot Sign Makers #134L Chrome Yellow to give the best looking yellow, in my opinion. It hasn't been confirmed but I believe the method used by the inmates who make the plates is they use a silkscreen frame and use the same technique as for silkscreening T-shirts. Never tried this method but makes sense. R
I did a search on here for CA blk/yel plates and came up with lots a info. Ended up welding up all the cracks, rips ,tears apparently the front plate was the buffer between bumpers for pushing cars, the rear wasn't nearly as bad. Sand blasted em, used rattle can Rustoleum primer then semi gloss black and One Shot Lemon Yellow with a decent art store brush. Mine were too beat up to use a roller.
That is how I have done it. Great results. put several coats of letter color first the one coat of plate color and give your fingers a workout
That's the way I've been doing them for years. The ones on my '37 Chevy coupe have been on the car for close to 20 years and the car has had nearly 70k miles in all kinds of weather and the plates still look pretty good.
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