1970s imports on wrong plates

[sierraman]

Prompted by another thread again, let's have your pics of stuff from when imported cars went on the then current plates I.e 1930's Cord with a 1977 R plate. Fascinates me this does!

[toejam]

Photo taken 1984

 

72 Targa LHD

 

Registered Nov 1980

 

Seems to have disappeared from dvla website now...was on there 18 months ago

 

[HMC]

Quite a few bits of exotica ended up on odd number plates, 1950s ferraris on 67 F plates Etc, often on new fangled reflective plates for the top drawer kit car vibe.

[Spottedlaurel]

Probably not an import, the N-reg Mk1 Landcrab visible in the background here was likely to have been ex-MoD:

 

1973 Audi 100 GL OJB463L c.1980 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

[sheffcortinacentre]

There used to be a T reg moggy traveller local to me in the 80s, my mk3 cortina bakkie was T reg as it came over here in 78 had it allocated a P reg as its a 75.

Back in 89 I had a 76 firebird on an X plate.

[mercrocker]

At school the Geography teacher had a LHD Mk1 Cortina (bench and column)  on a G plate and a Maths bloke had a Jersey registered pre-series Husky which gained nice shiny reflective J plates in the summer of 1971.    There was a 1961 Fury in the next village on an R plate - this one ended up in the Attwell Museum.     

 

I imported my 3 Series BMW in 1984 but alas too late for late-plate madness and it got a Q instead....

[Ghosty]

MoD Travellers came in lots of colours, I've seen maroon and green ones. 

Some have have tyre pressure figures on each wheelarch which makes them a little more obvious.

[sierraman]

Pictures of Q plated stuff?

[AMC Rebel]

Not my pics, borrowed off the interwebs

 

 

 

 

 

[Six-cylinder]

In the 70s - 80s they used to give imported cars a fresh age related plate appropriate to the first date of registration in the UK.

 

I used to have a 1979 Opel kadett on an X reg, this was because my fiends brother was in the army and had taken delivery in Germany and used it there until he returned to the UK. He had ordered it RHD knowing he would return to the UK with it.

[PiperCub]

No pics but remember in the late 70's a Mk3 Cortina on an S-plate that belonged to a workmate of my dad's. Was told it was a re-shell job back then but wouldn't that have meant it should've been a Q-plate? 

[ShiteRider]

Never really see Q plate stuff anymore. There's a Q plate smiley beavertail knocking around Blackburn, normally seen on it's way to emr with dead chod on the back.

[barrett]

I'm not sure when Q plates became used for their current purpose, ie for cars of indeterminate age or origin. In the 1960s at least, and probably later, Q plates were simply temporary registration numbers for cars imported short-term if the car hailed from a country that used non-roman characters. Hence why you see photos of Japanese cars on Q plates back in the 60s. Actually I think this is still the case.

 

I've never figured out when the purpose changed to encompass permanent registration too, presumably because the subject is so dull nobody has ever written about it.

 

Back on topic, if you look through old VSCC Bulletins you occasionally see prewar cars (not imports necessarily) on suffix plates. I'm pretty sure Steady Barker had a couple like that back in the day.

[Six-cylinder]

I'm not sure when Q plates became used for their current purpose, ie for cars of indeterminate age or origin. In the 1960s at least, and probably later, Q plates were simply temporary registration numbers for cars imported short-term if the car hailed from a country that used non-roman characters. Hence why you see photos of Japanese cars on Q plates back in the 60s. Actually I think this is still the case.

 

I've never figured out when the purpose changed to encompass permanent registration too, presumably because the subject is so dull nobody has ever written about it.

 

Back on topic, if you look through old VSCC Bulletins you occasionally see prewar cars (not imports necessarily) on suffix plates. I'm pretty sure Steady Barker had a couple like that back in the day.

I have got our my 1988 Glass’s Guide Index of Registration Marks, I quote from it

 

“From 1st August 1983 a new series of Q prefix registration marks was introduced for vehicles which had been used prior to first registration, and for which the actual date of first use and/or registration (here or abroad) is uncertain. Where the first use and/or registration can be properly determinded, such vehicles continue to be allocated a registration mark appropriate to their date of first use or original registrationâ€

 

I am afraid I do have an earlier guide as I did not start selling cars until 1985, only parts before that.

[AMC Rebel]

I have got our my 1988 Glass’s Guide Index of Registration Marks, I quote from it

 

“From 1st August 1983 a new series of Q prefix registration marks was introduced for vehicles which had been used prior to first registration, and for which the actual date of first use and/or registration (here or abroad) is uncertain. Where the first use and/or registration can be properly determinded, such vehicles continue to be allocated a registration mark appropriate to their date of first use or original registrationâ€

 

I am afraid I do have an earlier guide as I did not start selling cars until 1985, only parts before that.

 

 

This coincided with the start of prefix (rather than suffix) reg letters - hence Q is always a prefix, there were no Q suffixes. It appears there were - me talking bollocks again.

[AMC Rebel]

[quicksilver]

It still seems to be happening now and again. Not sure what the story is but this is a 1990 van on an N-prefix.

1990 Dodge Ram by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

[Six-cylinder]

This coincided with the start of prefix (rather than suffix) reg letters - hence Q is always a prefix, there were no Q suffixes. It appears there were - me talking bollocks again.

I found this on the web.

[Six-cylinder]

The question in my mind is what was the date that imported cars were given age related plate letter (when age proven) rather than a date of UK registration letter?

[sheffcortinacentre]

In 83 same time the Q reg started & sometime in the 90s that you could have a free (non transferable ) correct year reg for your import if year of manufactur could be proved.

 

Think the traveller was light blue (ex navy?).

[Junkman]

Ex Junkman Cougar:

 

 

Ceterum censeo that that this having a Barclays over bloody numberplates is getting way too esotheric on these shores.

The car is now in Germany, where people thankfully have other life priorities than godforsaken car regs.

[wuvvum]

Here's my 1972 Renault 6.

 

 

And, especially for Angrydicky, here it is on black and silver plates.

 

 

 

 

It still seems to be happening now and again. Not sure what the story is but this is a 1990 van on an N-prefix.

 

There's a 2CV on an R prefix doing the rounds somewhere too.

[surprisingskoda]

My 1978 caddy was imported in 1991 and has a q plate, something which irritates me inexorably. I have a dating Cert in the papers, hope I can get it changed sometime.

[STUNO]

Phew.. fortunately I live somewhere where plates are plates. The only exceptions are Govt limousines, all BMW 730Ds and all grey. They get a plate starting with CR (crown) and diplomatic cars which get DC (diplomatic corps). You can order a private plate if you need one and have the spare cash.

 

 

 

And of course the Queen does not need one.

but she still gets a BMW. The flag is a bit weird, maybe they rent it out when she isn't here.

 

 

EDIT.. I checked out the blue flag.... Governor general of New Zealand.

[Ghosty]

I love how in anywhere the Queen reigns, that the crown is the numberplate for the royal vehicle. It's absurd in a way.

Enter that into Cartell...

[lovejoy]

The Guv'nor General in ANTIGUA has a GOLD crown on his plate,

and his wife a silver crown   (he used to be a dentist}   

[sheffcortinacentre]

Seen a Q reg bitsamissing animal these evening.

[Pillock]

I love how in anywhere the Queen reigns, that the crown is the numberplate for the royal vehicle. It's absurd in a way.

Enter that into Cartell...

👑

[sierraman]

Q plate Escort van from circa 1993/4 in Rotherham. Looks like it'd been a victim of ringing years ago and unable to ascertain what plate it should have. Still it looked really tidy, almost no grot whatsoever!

[AMC Rebel]