Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ray White]

On a classic car show that I saw last night - hosted by Drew Pritchard - they restored an NSU 80. Nothing exceptional in that you might think ...but something which Drew did had me wondering if it was legal. He replaced the original number plates with new. The difference was that where the original plates had a white reflective background to the front and yellow to the rear, his new ones were non reflective black background with raised aluminium letters/numbers all round.

I thought these traditional style plates were made obsolete on post 1973 vehicles...but I was wrong. From 1st Jan 2021, any vehicle constructed after 1st Jan 1980 can legally wear the older style plates.

How did I miss this?

[peter scott]

I still have a set of white on black plates from the Sunbeam Alpine I owned in the early 1970s because I swapped them for modern reflective ones. That said, I had several cars after that with white on black plates that I didn't change.

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Ray White]

[alastairq]

I have found the biggest problem when replacing B&W [or rather, in my case, aluminium and balck]...is finding a supplier who has the right font for the year of plate being replaced.
Fonts changed a lot [since 1951 in my case]....Especially when replicating pre-WW2 plates [ I had a Morgan with an original plate,it was painted , W&B]...

The font is as important as anything else kept original on a car..
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Dellow Mk2, 1951 built, reg 1952.
Fiat 126 BIS
Cannon special [1996 registered. Built in 1950's]
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Ford Pop chassis, Ashley 1172 bodyshell, in pieces.

[mikeC]

[Crashbox]

When the rolling-40 was introduced for Tax/MOT exemption a legal loophole appeared that allowed the use of the older design of number plate. The Dept. for Transport closed that loophole a few years ago, so vehicles that had already reached 40-years-old were allowed to retain the older design if an owner had swapped over, but going forward (I think it's 1981 onwards) the older design of number plate (black/white, black/silver) is illegal. I agree that anything from about 1970 onwards just looks wrong on older plates. Most vehicles from the late-1960s had the black on white/yellow plates from new as buyers wanted to be seen to have the new style plate on their brand new car.
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1989 2CV

1932 Morris Minor S.V. Two-Seater

[Ray White]

In the programme, Drew Pritchard went to traditional a number plate manufacturer and had a new set stamped out from aluminium with a black background. I am surprised he was not advised as to the correct style of plate for the year....but then, the customer is always right.

[ukdave2002]

Incorrect plates , for me , stand out like a sore thumb! Countless classics have new replacement plates, normally b/w pressed aluminium in the wrong font for the period, most cars originally had raised digits rather than pressed. Pressed plates were more commonly found on commercial vehicles.

Black and white plates on pre 70s cars dont ,imho look correct, whilst not legally required until 72, most new cars from the late 60s were supplied new with reflective plates.

My own number plate restoration:

https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22313&highlight=

[mikeC]

[Ray White]

[Penman]

Ray; those are like the ones on our '34 Austin Ten Four in '59 I doubt they had been changed from new..
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[Ray White]

I think the square plate was originally mounted on the back with a single lamp over but when I found it fitted perfectly between the front valance projections, that allowed me to fit the long plate on the spare wheel carrier with two D lamps (tail & stop).



The only disadvantage is that should I need to remove the spare wheel, the number plate and rear lights have to come off to get to it.

I suppose there are always compromises to be made.

[bjacko]

The older number plates used to be a variety of types produced by different manufacturers. Most were like the Swallow bodied car belonging to Ray pictured above, but some "upmarket" cars had the raised numbers and letters fitted individually. Never liked them as they were harder to clean and often came loose. I think some of them were plastic letters and numbers.
I think Bluemels used to supply both. Most were ordered and fitted by the new car dealers.
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1938 Morris 8 Ser II Coupe Utility (Pickup)
1985 Rover SD1 VDP

[Rootes75]

Well, for my two pennies worth, I'm in agreement that Black and silver plates simply don't look right on cars from the 70's onwards.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Rick]