Black and silver plates

[Yoss]

London Transport always were a law unto themselves on so many things. I always wondered that too. They weren't even proper number plates, just white transfers on a flat bit of aluminium. And then on Metrobuses they put them behind a bit of glass making them unreadable.

 

Pressed aluminium plates on Routemasters. That really annoys me.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

To me, anything up to and including 'E' looks right with a black 'plate, 'F', 'G' and 'H' look right with either, 'J' is a bit borderline, 'K' is really pushing it and 'L' and beyond just looks jarringly anachronistic.

 

I suspect a lot of this irritation is down to remembering the cars before they were classics. People in their twenties may find inappropriately fitted black 'plates coolly different/stand-out old, rather than just wrong.

I kept the weapons-grade quality black and silver rear alloy plate from my 69 Moggie thou when I scrapped it in 2005. It makes modern metal plates look like they're made out of tin foil.

I still remember when I was driving my Moggie in the early 90's; there was a local lass who had an absolutely mint j plate late Moggie, which was totally original and made mine look like a right snotter. Hers had reflective yellow and black alloy plates.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

The first thing my Dad did in 1971, upon purchasing a J reg 1275GT, was to replace the black and silver pressed plates with reflective jobs. When I restored a 1965 Cooper S (Almond green/white roof) I spent a fortune on a pair of black and silver pressed plates. Then got bored and replaced them with some reflective - silver edged alloy, raised plastic digits with the little circular clips on the back. Suddenly it stood out from the others and with the Cosmic alloy wheels it looked more like a nice Cooper that someone had in 1972 rather than the usual slavish 'just off the production line' look.

 

Anyone using black/silver plates on a car registered after July 31st 1973 should be prosecuted.

 

 

This is what I'm talkin' 'bout

 

 

[quicksilver]

Oh good, next year I'll be able to replace those pressed metal reflective plates on the Maxi with some black plastic ones in Charles Wright font. Just think how good* that would look. I made my feelings clear on my blog a while ago but 2 pages on the subject proves I'm not alone in my numberplate OCD. Here's a couple of good examples from yesterday's show.

 

Right.

1969 Triumph 2000 by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

 

So very wrong. Illegal too.

1987 Mercedes-Benz 300SL by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

[mercrocker]

Oh good, next year I'll be able to replace those pressed metal reflective plates on the Maxi with some black plastic ones in Charles Wright font. Just think how good* that would look. I made my feelings clear on my blog a while ago but 2 pages on the subject proves I'm not alone in my numberplate OCD. Here's a couple of good examples from yesterday's show.

 

Right.

1969 Triumph 2000 by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

 

So very wrong. Illegal too.

1987 Mercedes-Benz 300SL by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

 

Actually, your show pics put me straight in mind of this thread....

 

How good does that Cresta look on its battered period reflectives? 

 

About as far the other way is the Caddy - original UK registered car and then it gets fake US tags screwed to it.   Look how nice that Barracuda is on its short UK reg on British plates... 

 

Full marks to the Mk1 Cav owner too for leaving his plates alone....

 

And so on!

[PiperCub]

I'm not over bothered either way personally but agree with the ongoing sentiment that they suit some but not others in the 60's to 70's era, it's more car specific than age specific.

 

I remember having a discussion with my dad on the subject years ago and his comment was that when new, most cars from the late 60's onwards had reflective yellow/white plates as it was deemed modern and trendy. The original black/silver & black/white plates were perceived as very old-hat, if fact many people replaced the old style with nice new reflectives if their car didn't have it in order to make it seem more modern. 

[MorrisItalSLX]

Yay! Its not just me that gets bothered when cars have period incorrect number plates!

 

Its something that always catches my eye when perving on old cars.

 

Here in Australia, Specifically, in New South Wales where I live there is a similar problem. Cars registered before 1980 had this style of plate:

 

 

But thanks to the fantastic* registration system here, when your car goes out of registration the government takes your number plates away, and when you get your car re-registered they issue with new number plates (with new numbers) that look like this:

 

 

Terrible, these new ones are reflective, not painted, and just look plain wrong. The worst part is that you can not get the old style plates again! Meaning the old style are a dying breed, it makes me quite sad seeing them slowly disappear from the road.

 

Edit - Registration = MOT/Tax, there is no equivalent to SORN in Oz

[Junkman]

I'm tempted to put some incorrectly spaced plastic black and silver plates on the Beastestate just to piss you miserable lot off.

[mercrocker]

But then you will never be able to drive it again.   MOT fail innit......

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I am a proponent of numberplate minimalism. No borders, no country flags, no slogans. As such I'm quite happy to now have the option of black/white plates on my '75 car if I decide the yellow one clashes with the colour. 

 

Often parked on the street near me is a new BMW 5 series in black. Its short personal plate is on those engraved black and white plates. It looks great. They should legalise a range of different colours, and scrap this yellow on the back nonsense. 

[Junkman]

The fundamental question remains - why do I have to have a numberplate on my car at all?

[danthecapriman]

Tbh, I think UK plates are a bit plain and boring. I still make the effort with my cars to use the right types of course.

74 Capri has pressed aluminium with raised plastic digits.

84 Transit has pressed aluminium, the rear one is its original serck plate.

88 Volvo has old style plastic plates.

The 73 Mercury has black and silvers. I think it looks better on yanks of that sort of age personally but since it wouldn't of ever had UK plates it can't be wrong.

This is it's original plate from the states,

US plates look way better than ours!

[eddyramrod]

 new BMW 5 series in black. .... It looks great. 

Does Not Compute

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

US plates look way better than ours!

 

 

I'd go nuts with their plates! Imagine spending a huge amount of money and time getting your car to look exactly how you like it, only for the government to write "FAMOUS POTATOES" on it. 

[danthecapriman]

I'd go nuts with their plates! Imagine spending a huge amount of money and time getting your car to look exactly how you like it, only for the government to write "FAMOUS POTATOES" on it.

 

I just like the colours and little pictures!

Some of the slogans are alright though.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

There are also the Americans with Euro plate fetishes. Multiple levels of 'huh' in this one:

 

[dollywobbler]

Australia has gone the same shameful way as France then. The wonderful old silver-on-black plates have been replaced by white horrors, with entirely different characters, and the region just a practically invisible part of the border. I didn't mind France moving to white/yellow plates, but those are being phased out too. Rural France has been RUINED.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Oh, but some Australian states (maybe all states?) have wonderful plate options. There's dozens of different designs, colour options it's great! They'll even sell you Euro plates if you want them. 

 

They've got the right idea. 

[PiperCub]

The fundamental question remains - why do I have to have a numberplate on my car at all?

 

So the government can tax you?

[richardthestag]

Australia has gone the same shameful way as France then. The wonderful old silver-on-black plates have been replaced by white horrors, with entirely different characters, and the region just a practically invisible part of the border. I didn't mind France moving to white/yellow plates, but those are being phased out too. Rural France has been RUINED.

 

I remember back in the early 1980s being amused at chalk on black paint number plates in France, probably while the owner was waiting on some state run department to come off strike and make up a set of plates

[Pillock]

The fundamental question remains - why do I have to have a numberplate on my car at all?

 

I'm sure if you have a better way of making a car unique so the owner can be traced for all manner of relevant reasons, the government will be all ears. 

[Pillock]

So we can look forward to more N reg. Mk3 Cortinas and Triumph Stags sporting woefully incorrect plates and fonts.   

 

But the good news is, they're no longer incorrect as the rules have changed to make them correct. Rest easy!

[Junkman]

I just like the colours and little pictures!

Some of the slogans are alright though.

 

Alabama - We Have Shkools Now

Alaska - Yeah, But It's a Dry Cold

Arizona - Have You Been Rude to a Californian Today?

Arkansas - The Pirates' Kansas

California - As Seen on TV

Colorado - New, Improved. Now 100% John Denver Free

Connecticut - We Only Pronounce 2/3 of the 'C's.

Delaware - The First Forgotten State

Florida - Our Grandchildren Don't Live Here

Georgia - Imagine You're Black

Hawaii - We Ruined Pizza

Idaho - Yes, you da Ho

Illinois - A Great Place to Lose Your Hubcaps

Indiana - No Need to be Densely Populated for Having Traffic Congestions

Iowa - Getting Drunk Will Help

Kansas - Rectangular And Flat

Kentucky - Welcome. Now Get Lost

Louisiana - We Do Have Electricity

Maine - If Anyone Asks, We're Part of Canada

Maryland - If You Can Think it, We Can Tax it

Massachusetts - We Prepare Tea By Throwing It Into a Harbour Basin

Michigan - No Jobs for 30 Years

Minnesota - Not Iowa, Not Ontario

Mississippi - Feeling Better About Your Home Country Now?

Missouri - Floods or Tornadoes, The Choice is Yours

Montana - Big Sky And Little Right Wing Crazies

Nebraska - We Had a State Motto Contest

Nevada - Come Happy, Leave Married and Broke

New Hampshire - Like Old Hampshire, but Newer

New Jersey - You Want a Fuckin' Motto? I'll Give You a Fuckin' Motto!

New Mexico - Not as Cheap as Mexico. Not as Fun Either.

New York - You Can Have More Fun in a Cemetery

North Carolina - Good Whiskey and Fast Cars

North Dakota - Not South Dakota, But Close

Ohio - Don't Judge Us by Cleveland

Oklahoma - What's a Travel Guide?

Oregon - Relax, You're Not in California

Pennsylvania - Still Cooking with Coal

Rhode Island - It's NOT an Island!

South Carolina - We Didn't Really Surrender in 1865

South Dakota - Not North Dakota, But Close

Tennessee - Save Us! Teach a Yankee How To Drive!

Texas - If We Had Income Tax, It Would Be Higher Than Yours

Utah - Get Out Of This State With Your Evolution Theory

Vermont - Bet Ya Can't Name our Capital City. Or Any Other One

Virginia - Please Don't Confuse Us With West Virginia

Washington - Don't Blame Us, We Only Share the Name

West Virginia - No Virgins Here

Wisconsin - Home Of Hardly Dangerous Motorcycles

Wyoming - Please Bring Something To Do

 

[stormee]

Dortmund: Ich bremse auch für MK.

[Junkman]

WAF (Warendorf): Westfälischer Amok Fahrer

[richardthestag]

Stag had these bad boys on in 1994 when I bought it

 

 

Alas I damaged the front one on a grassy bank, arse

 

Never mind mr MoT says "i'll get you one just like it....... Meh

 

The pair got replaced by these shortly after which did the melting thing

 

Now I have these which I am happy with

 

Overall I dont give a shit about rong type of number plates on cars, I might think tosser sometimes when I see something so many miles from what is "should" be

 

but nowt boils my piss like comedy rimz and tyres, mainly on the Ford scene in this country. I have no issues with saying so direct to the owner, "nice motor mate, but shit rimz and why is it so slammed?"

 

Mrs thinks I am turning into Victor Meldrew

[Hendry]

Im not really a fan of the black and silver metal plates on anything, but I do like the plastic/Perspex reflective plates in black with white letters, think Guernsey registered cars have them.

 

Ive never understood why pretty much every other European country has a white rear plate and they all have a similar style of plates even if the layout of the area and year identifiers are different, whilst we have the plates we do, theirs look very official and look like they are supplied by the authorities while we have cheap looking plates with motor factor names, dealer names and so on at the bottom of them, whereas the Euros aren't allowed them.

 

I really wish like the Americans in some states that we didn't need front plates for that smooth clean look without a plate recess ruining the lines, and also so Alfas didn't have offset number plates on the front.

[AMC Rebel]

Not sure why this bothers so many people, doesn't really hurt anyone does it?

 

You're absolutely right of course - but I have this crippling aversion to people doing such blatantly illegal stuff unchallenged (even though it's really not harming anyone).

[AMC Rebel]

Im not really a fan of the black and silver metal plates on anything, but I do like the plastic/Perspex reflective plates in black with white letters, think Guernsey registered cars have them.

 

Ive never understood why pretty much every other European country has a white rear plate and they all have a similar style of plates even if the layout of the area and year identifiers are different, whilst we have the plates we do, theirs look very official and look like they are supplied by the authorities while we have cheap looking plates with motor factor names, dealer names and so on at the bottom of them, whereas the Euros aren't allowed them.

 

I really wish like the Americans in some states that we didn't need front plates for that smooth clean look without a plate recess ruining the lines, and also so Alfas didn't have offset number plates on the front.

 

I think in France the authorities do issue them (US too?) In France IIRC there is an approved (and compulsory) type of anti-tamper fixing too.

[MorrisItalSLX]

Oh, but some Australian states (maybe all states?) have wonderful plate options. There's dozens of different designs, colour options it's great! They'll even sell you Euro plates if you want them. 

 

They've got the right idea. 

 

Almost all states have these options, NSW has the best range I think, that's why my Jag rocks standard yellow!

 

https://www.myplates.com.au/#/home

 

To check out the different styles, select "Custom", then "Car" (or one of the others) and enter some gibberish plate