Projects License plate restoration - opinions requested

If you are actually going to run the plate- have it registered to the car first AS IS, then find out rules for running YOM plates and painting plates in general for your state.
I would just clean it and run as is, does your state require you to have the match to apply the plate to a car? If you dont have the match and your state requires it, you have a wall hanger there.

 

Both of my cars are registered and plated as collector cars in Ohio. I carry the plates and registrations in the cars and run these plates on them. The 27 has a reproduction of a 1952 New Mexico plate that was on it in an old magazine photo and the 47 had a repainted 1947 Ohio plate. I have been told by several police officers that it would only be a problem if I were stopped for a serious violation like DUI or reckless op and in that case a ticket for improper plate would be the least of my worries.

 

In my state DMV requires that year specific plates for antique or special interest vehicles have to be the same year as your car, and have to be the original colors. They are OK with slight variations such as a white being not quite the same shade, or a slightly darker or lighter shade color. But they wont allow a 1977 plate on a 1940 car, or other mismatches.
You'd best contact your DMV before trying to use or repaint those.

 

I did this over a decade ago....never had a problem. Michigan says a restored plate has to be the original colors. This one is...kinda.

 

wasn't a that YOM plate reflector style finish? I have run alot of YOM plates on my rides.. I dont do restored plates,
originals only like on my 36...only need a single here in Washington

 

ditto nothing lame about it .. that is really cool you did that for him...

 

We have to drive the YOM plate to the State capital to have a little old lady OK them based [true story] on correct color for that year, condition of the plate and she checks if anybody else has claimed that plate. If your plate passes she sticks a "historic" tag on your plate. If you have both plates, only one gets that ugly sticker. I run my plate on the car and the one with the ugly sticker goes in a pouch behind the seat.

 

If you paint it, you will be criticized by the "patina" crowd. I powder coated mine.

 

Whaddya mean? all the new car commercials have body color plates, numbers & letters too.

 

For a custom show car? Sure that is acceptable.

 

I have a non HAMB friendly ‘65 vert but the ‘65 Illinois plate colors don’t look as good as ‘66 so I run a ‘66 plate on the back only, no front plate at all. And I don’t have antique plates either just regular plates I keep in the car. I kept expecting to get hammered on it but 2 years now nothing. Illinois cops don’t seem to care. I’d do it whatever color you like. I also have ran ‘60’s plates on the back of my ‘40 and never had a problem either if it’s a 60’s style build it should have a 60’s plate…

 

I think the cops don't bother with collector cars that much anymore. We are older law abiding people. Talked to someone at a local car show. His car had California license plates on it. He didn't even bother with registering it here; cops just drive on by.

 

Fine. Until one day....

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/new...A16FbF9?cvid=5e88fd819146432f97535b7f541455ac

 

Moriarity said: ↑
Lame? when my pal John was cloning the alexander bros Adonis , I made the plate for him by cutting and tig welding and bodywork so it would match the picture of the original car on the magazine cover View attachment 5612288

That is a whole different ballgame when the original doesn't exist anywhere or in any changed form (as far as I know). No doubt he carries or shows photos of the original with the original version of that plate in clear view. I'm thinking that what Petejoe was referring to was guys cutting up plates to do custom lettering that doesn't match the format that the state had in that year and no personalized plates were produced in that year. The plate that Ghosteh has was/is a legit plate that if push came to shove somone could be sent back into the back corner of the archives to dig out the book that listed personalized plates that year.