Vintage License Plates

[Mike]

Does anyone know where I can obtain a set of vintage Oregon license plates? I'm looking to get two of them for the correct year my car was built (1971).

[Mike B]

I got my vintage Washington state plates on eBay about 2 years ago. In WA we can register classic cars using a vintage plate (only a rear plate is required). My 1972 was built in May and originally sold in Alaska in Jan 73 and I was able to find a brand new period plate with the paper tab in new condition on eBay. A few weeks after I bought it the seller contacted me and said he found the second matching plate and wanted to know if I wanted it. Initially I was going to pass, but decided to buy it because I wanted to have a spare and I didn't want someone else to have the same plate on their car (if that is even allowed given that mine was registered first. I think I paid about $20 each for them.

-Mike

[Arne]

They can be spendy, but these people should have what you want. Just don't buy them all, please. I'm going to want a set for my '71 as well!

http://oregonplates.com/

Additionally, call around to local muscle car and hot rod supply houses. They frequently know where a few might be as well.

[Zulaytr]

There are several sources for replica vintage plates on the internet. Here are just a couple

http://www.cr8apl8.com/

http://www.licenseplates.tv/index.php

A lot of the hot rodders, restorers in CA use vintage plates for their cars. They generally use a separate small metal tag to afix the sticker on rather than illegally put it on the replica one.

Good luck.

[Mat M]

You guys not in CA are lucky. I found some 1963 plates (two sets actually) in an abandoned barn. I asked the lady behind the counter at the local DMV about replacing the newer plates (ie, within 5 years) with these on my wife's 64 Nova. She told me that there was no way to do it.

[Arne]

In Oregon, we can use vintage plates in one of two ways. Either as "Special Interest/Antique" registration, or as "Custom" (vanity) plates. In either case, the number can't be in use (obviously), and the plates must be inspected and approved as real (not repro) Oregon plates in good enough condition to be legible by the law enforcement people.

The repros at the two sites linked above by Zulatr wouldn't pass the inspection here in Oregon.

[ZSaint]

Mike: I would look around to see what '71 cars are available. Some of the beaters have the original plates still on them. I bought a 72 Plymouth Duster Sports Coupe in Newburg with original plates. I did a complete restoration and sold it to a guy in NY. I kept the plates. I now have them on my '72 Datsun 510. Kinda strange way of doing it but they are original Oregon plates! Car auctions are a good place to look. Cheeeep!

[Arne]

I thought of that too, Loren. But I was hoping not to have to buy a whole car just for the plates!

[TomoHawk]

eBay is loaded with people selling vintage plates. Also, I see them at classic car car shows & cruise-ins.

I was thinking about getting one for my car, but on Ohio, you first need to register your car as an antique, which means you can only drive to car shows & cruise-ins, andthen you can put on your antique plates. So that means you can have antique plates on a daily driver, orthe like.

Check your local regulations before buying antique plates.

[ZSaint]

From what I have seen at the swap meets, it may be cheaper to buy a beater than to buy vintage plates. You can donate the car to a charity (they will p-up) after removing the plates. You can also get the plates restored to look like new. Just getting the correct plate(s) is the key.

[TomoHawk]

You can also get the plates restored to look like new.

I would not recommend you do that.

FIRST, check the local laws to see if you can do to them. You probably have a very limited number of things you can do, like washing, and maybe just touch up the numbers. Most people I talked to thought they would strip it to bare metal, and repaint with modern paint, which you can't do, because then they wouldn't be authentic antique license plates.

That's why the best condition antique plates coats a lot.

[ZIII]

The rules in Texas are pretty much the same, I think, as in Washington. We can run vintage plates as ordinary plates and they have no limitations as far as driving distances or frequencies of use. The plates just have to be approved at any local DMV and they cannot be altered or touched-up. So, I just waited till they were approved then I carefully touched them up just to make them perfect.

Ebay, for me, was the best bet... I checked several specialty places and most sets were upwards of $70.00.... I got these on Ebay for $20 delivered.... Took me two or three weeks to find what I wanted but it was well worth it.