CA Black plates and Rep. Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles)

[crustycurmudgeon]

So, now can one put a black and yellow plate on a 2014 car?

The Legacy black plates can be registered to any car or truck, not just vintage. My feeling is they would look cool on a retro-styled vehicle, but YOM plates (original black plates) are still king for vintage cars, and should retain their value. Unless you just HAVE to have personalized plates.

 

[gtscode]

I have plates under the YOM laws. In other words original plates and a 67 sticker allowed me to register them on my car. Rather than restore the plates I had copies made which many people here followed and did the same. They are great replica plates and the originals are at home. The benefit being if one was stolen it's just a replica and the originals are safe at home and they look brand new.

I thought the YOM was fair and sufficient but can't complain as this the same just cheaper and easier for lazy people.

 

[kb3]

I have plates under the YOM laws. In other words original plates and a 67 sticker allowed me to register them on my car. Rather than restore the plates I had copies made which many people here followed and did the same. They are great replica plates and the originals are at home. The benefit being if one was stolen it's just a replica and the originals are safe at home and they look brand new.

I thought the YOM was fair and sufficient but can't complain as this the same just cheaper and easier for lazy people.

....says the guy breaking the law. :whis

I would be interested in where you had the copies made, I may need to do the same thing on one of my older vehicles...I mean a friend may need to do the same thing.

 

[JeffTepper]

Ken:

The guy no longer does California plates. Apparently someone official cooled his jets

Regards, Jeff

 

[kb3]

Ken:

The guy no longer does California plates. Apparently someone official cooled his jets

Regards, Jeff

thanks Jeff!

I guess I will see if I can get the original plates either refurbished or better yet since they have not been registered in more than 15 years I can take the lazy way out and order them through the new program. :chair

 

[Mach1Mark]

My '65 was built in San Jose and sold new in the LA area. No way of knowing what the black plate was.

Fast forward to today, In SC I can register my '65 with YOM plates that are not on the 'reserved' list and not currently in use. I looked for two years and finally found a set of plates that 'could' have been used on my car (i.e. correct weight class of vehicle). SC requires you register ANY car with a current year plate and then apply for a YOM tag, appropriate additional fee and a pic of the actual plate you will be hanging on your classic car. There are other rules you have to meet but overall its pretty easy. They do recommend you call with the plate number before you buy it (them) to see if they are allowed and unclaimed.

 

[70 StangMan]

My '65 was built in San Jose and sold new in the LA area. No way of knowing what the black plate was.

Fast forward to today, In SC I can register my '65 with SC YOM plates that are not on the 'reserved' list and not currently in use. I looked for two years and finalyy found a set of plates that 'could' have been used on my car (i.e. correct weight class of vehicle). SC requires you register ANY car with a current year plate and then apply for a YOM tag, appropriate additional fee and a pic of the actual plate you will be hanging on your classic car. There are other rules you have to meet but overall its pretty easy. They do recommend you call with the plate number before you buy it (them) to see if they are allowed and unclaimed.

Same thing down here in the swamp. Except for the picture requirement. I looked fo 2 years to find one with the county # 14 ( Marion) designation on it seeing how that's where I was born and raised and still live today.

 

[msell66]

county # 14 ( Marion) designation on it seeing how that's where I was born and raised and still live today.

OMG, are you kidding me??? You need to move and see the Country!

 

[70 StangMan]

county # 14 ( Marion) designation on it seeing how that's where I was born and raised and still live today.

OMG, are you kidding me??? You need to move and see the Country!

That's what they made 70" HD TV for.

 

[KBMWRS]

county # 14 ( Marion) designation on it seeing how that's where I was born and raised and still live today.

OMG, are you kidding me??? You need to move and see the Country!

Careful, you can be banned for telling others they need to get out more. :whis :yah

 

[guruatbol]

In Utah you just need two plates that match and are not currently used. Plates here are property of the person who bought them. In CA the plates are really not your property, they belong to the state and are issued to a car. Ours belong to you and are issued to you for use on a specific car.

I got both 67 plates and a set of 65 plates for our cars. The problem is that if you want to register your car with those plates your car must pass safety every year. A real PITA. Neither of my cars have a washer bag or washers that work therefore they will not pass safety.

If you have a plate set you like the number on you can transfer it to your next car just by taking the plates in to the Tax Assessors office which is where we register our cars, and show them they are still readable and they assign them. I have seen brand new cars with the all white plates they issued many years ago. I know there are more rules and age limits on the plates, but seems super easy here.

Mel

 

[PraireBronze]

In Utah you just need two plates that match and are not currently used. Plates here are property of the person who bought them. In CA the plates are really not your property, they belong to the state and are issued to a car. Ours belong to you and are issued to you for use on a specific car.

I got both 67 plates and a set of 65 plates for our cars. The problem is that if you want to register your car with those plates your car must pass safety every year. A real PITA. Neither of my cars have a washer bag or washers that work therefore they will not pass safety.

If you have a plate set you like the number on you can transfer it to your next car just by taking the plates in to the Tax Assessors office which is where we register our cars, and show them they are still readable and they assign them. I have seen brand new cars with the all white plates they issued many years ago. I know there are more rules and age limits on the plates, but seems super easy here.

Mel

To me, this just emphasizes the point. In CA it has NOT been easy to put just about any plate on any rig. In fact, it was impossible. As said, the plates belong to the state and issued to a rig. This made our black plate rigs very unique, not just in CA, but the whole country. It was proof our rigs had not been registered in any other state since the sixties. Some may say "so what?". That's fine. But others feel it's a good thing to know that the rig they are buying has never lived in the rust belt. Black plated cars used to give you this assurance, but no more. Our rigs that have always lived in CA can now be easily replicated.

 

[RagTop]

This all seems like much ado about nothing. I have YOM black and yellow plates on my 69 vert. When I bought the car in 1998 from an elderly lady in Woodland, CA, near Sacramento, it was sporting old CA blue and yellow plates from circa 1982. Apparently the car was sold by a Ford dealer at that time and the original black and yellows were scrapped for the blue and yellows. My car has a Los Angeles delivery code (71) and was built in San Jose on October 2, 1968. I had no qualms about putting the yellow and black plates that I bought at the swap meet in Reno during Hot August Nights on my Mustang. In my opinion it's no different than the sport mirrors, rallye wheels or luggage rack that I added that the car did not originally come with but were available options. Besides, the car is a CA car from birth. I also had a 69 Corvette when the YOM program was approved for 63-69 cars. That car had early 90's CA white reflective plates because it, too, was sold by a Chevy dealer as a used car back then. It took some fast talking to get the DMV to do it, but I got them to let me put a set of very low (407 ABF) CA blue and yellows on the Vette. The car was built in a strike year when Chevrolet ran the 69 Vette line until December 31, and my car was built on October 16, 1969, after CA began issuing the blue and yellows. DMV said no at first, only black and yellows on 69s, but I smooth talked them and they saw the light. BTW, again, the Vette was an original CA car, was NCRS Top Flight rated and was completely numbers matching. Aside from a very expensive two stage paint job, it was unrestored and in show room condition. Again, I had no problem putting the original type plates on a car that, itself, was completely original (yes, it still had the stupid air pump and air manifolds). So, in conclusion ("I thought he'd never get there") the guys with the 65s look down on the 66s who look down on the 67s and 68s, who look down on the 69s and 70s, well, you know. Everyone wants his car to be something special and different and, for some, that includes the original black and yellow plates. Hey, if yours are original, good on ya. At least you don't have to pay the gonifs in Sacramento an extra $10 every year for the privilege.

 

[crustycurmudgeon]

Hey, it's all good with me. The proceeds from my sticker sales have enabled me to pay down my debt and buy a house. Unfortunately, my sales have suffered over the past year due to the yahoos selling fake stickers and claiming they're approved by the DMV (they're not, fake stickers are illegal). Nothing I can do about it, as eBay doesn't give a rip unless the appropriate authority complains, and the DMV clerks usually don't spot the fakes.

 

[strnge]

Original Plates added to the value of the car. The question NOW IS, will this new program hurt or help the value of Original Plate cars.

It will confuse people for sure.

 

[zray]

I disagree. For us who have rigs with original black, yellow or blue plates, it was sacred. It made our rigs stand out. Now anyone can get them. For those who sell these plates on ebay, there goes the demand down the toy toy.

if you adhere to that line of thinking there wouldn't any reproduction part available, only NOS. Where would the "everymans" car be then ? It would be priced out of reach of 99% of us.

Sorry if someone bet the farm on the value of old original license plates. live and learn.


Z.

 

[KBMWRS]

Damn...I lost the farm.

 

[Midlife]

I took the sheep...just in case you were wondering.