Projects Front License Plate No Longer Required

Smokey Yunick had a bent license plate on the front of a '55 Chevy he was running in NASCAR; it took awhile before somebody caught on that it was being used as an air deflector to aid cooling.

 

Were front plates required on cars in 1932?....in Cali???? Asking for a friend......

 

I never run a front plate on mine in Illinois, I have never been stopped for it. I think the cops understand how bad a front plate looks. I also don’t like running the year of manufacture plate which we can do here. I sometimes run a plate from the era my cars are built to. A 1940 plate just isn’t correct on my 60’s era car but a ‘62 or ‘64 plate makes sense. By the way I’ve got a brand new set of ‘51 Illinois plates I’ve been saving they are the coolest Illinois plates I think. They are bare metal (Aluminum) background with burgundy on the numbers/lettering.

 

Yes, there were two license plates required in California in 1932. Off and on there were years that only a rear one was required. 1941, 1945-1947, and 1956 were those years, I think.

 

A local sign shop made this for me. It's vinyl coated alum with vinyl letters. Less than $30

 

I knew Larry Watson would know what I was talking about!

 

in Calif front plate required to watch for stolen cars, red light runners, going through toll booth that just takes picture of front plate and bills you for toll fee instead of having people in those little booths - in High School got a ticket fro no front plate - wired on to grill and went to PD for inspection - not accepted because not securely attached - had to install with bolts to get cleared for ticket

 

......Smokey was a genius.

 

On my '46 Woodie I lucked out because in 1946, New York was a one plate year. That was because of a shortage of steel after WWII.

 

In Pennsylvania, prisoners make them! Saw their truck the other day, Big House Products!

 

I've been pulled over twice for "no front tag". It's a favorite way to get a chance to shine a flashlight into your car. Like the ever popular "tag light out". My old cars all have a place to put one. It's my OT modern car that doesn't. Go figure, Mike

 

NJ requires a front tag on standard plates, but does not require them on antique QQ plates.

After getting pulled over twice for no front plate on my late-model DD (it was a PA car that didn't have holes for a plate and it would block the intercooler), I reluctantly zip tied one on. I don't run a front plate of any variety on my old cars, and use chrome bullets to fill the holes in the bumper where it would go.

 

Mandatory down here, front and rear, unless original rear single {Historic} issue prior to both plates being rolled out. In the bigger scheme of things, all part of the road safety initiative (Speed cameras, number plate recognition et al).

 

Arizona only issue one plate.

 

The one time I didn't have a front plate on the 48 I got pulled over for no front plate. I had it laying on the seat with a half finished bracket and showed the patrolman that I had to rework the bracket and that got me a pass that time but being hassled here is somewhat selective. I've driven my OT daily for two years with no front plate because the bumper cover has no provisions for one.
Truthfully I'd pay a few bucks extra for a small no front plate sticker that went on a select spot on the windshield where it could easily be spotted by law enforcement.

 

I have seen that plate before, it looks like a roadrunner running from a pair of forks. Awesome!

 

In Idaho We Don't Run Front License Plates Since The Other 5 Folks Know Who You Are...

 

Mark
we got booked in Toowoomba after a show cos the front plate was not vertical ,it was slightly bent back
Cop told us all the camera rubbish and best of all "we teach children stranger danger,so they can read your number
plate" Asked him if he saying I was child molester,"NO NO" but we have to read plate
Cost me $260

 

Maybe if you didn't mention "molester" the cop wouldn't have given you the $260 ticket.

 

no,he was out to get people that day who had faulty plates
as he wrote the ticket he showed me a photocopy of the plate rule,so that was his
job that day,we were in a country town and a cattle truck went past which has sh.t covering
their plate.I said to Cop "why don't you book him " he said "I am busy with you"
Told him" we were from out of town and the truck was a local" He said "you rodders
often hide your plates behind your grille and we cannot see them"
We were in the town for a show to raise money for a boy who had cancer,
weekend cost me $500 including motel price. would have been cheaper to post cheque
as donation

 

You should ask for your $30 back, they spelt Willys wrong !! JW

 

I had a European front plate (long narrow rectangle) made to match my Maine plate number for the front bumper of my avatar. Been running that for years with no issues.

 

I'm not required to have a front plate in California. 1945 and 1946 only shipped 1 plate due to the steel shortage. 1946 actually used a 1945 plate with a 1946 cover tag (yellow with 46 on it), and neither year had a front plate. My plate came from the California State Board of Equalization and was originally issued for a Pneumatic Carrier.

 

No one asked me to be in charge!I was just bringing some levity to the thread. I guess some people do not have a sense of humor. If you weren't a retired policeman I would have been upset. Thanks for your service!

 

You might try finding another front bumper,trim the section beside the offending licence plate bump and splice that into your first bumper and make a visit to the chrome shop.

 

What the heck is a "Pneumatic Carrier"?

 

Commercial vehicle with pneumatic tires.

 

We haven't had to have a front plate since the 50's. Now, if you run a YOM plate, you only have to have the rear one. Front is optional to you.

 

That works for my pickup. I've been told by the DMV it could have been issued for a number of different vehicles. In theory anything with pneumatic tires could be considered a carrier, but they gave them out to larger trucks, trailers, and not sure if they gave them to pickups to be honest, but today we're only required to have an original commercial plate for the year, on the rear for '46. This is to say, you can't register any type of truck and be able to carry anything in the bed without a commercial license. In my case to register it as commercial so I can use it like a truck, I need to have an original commercial plate.

I know other states are like that also. The DMV dolts are so clueless at my local DMVs, they had to send a photo copy of the plate to some grand pooh-bah up in Sacramento that managers old vehicles. He also confirmed to them, that as stated on the form, 1945 and 1946 only required a rear plate. They wouldn't even believe me when I referenced it on the form.

I had the option of buying a refurbished one for about the same price, but I just like the number and the fact it came from the Board of Equalization. It fits my pickup perfectly!

 

I wish B.C. would get rid of front plates. Our Albertan neighbors can come with out a front plate but we get ticketed.