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RIP- DMB graphics period 80s/90s plates


HMC

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Platesforcars are a little bit more expensive than fancyplates but what is good about them is that you can change the dealer script font to a funky '80s one which looks a lot more convincing. Just been messing around on there and came up with this design.

Yes, it's a long way from the original, which had a proper logo for the supplying dealer and the Vauxhall/GM/Opel logos. But it might have to do for the front. The rear one only has one small crack in it so that will go on a bit longer.

 

post-3865-0-52157300-1547371111_thumb.jpg

 

Edit: Just realised the original plates are larger than standard, perhaps this one:

 

post-3865-0-64317800-1547376566_thumb.jpg

 

Or one of these (no border)

 

post-3865-0-58933000-1547379185_thumb.jpg

 

post-3865-0-12892600-1547380701_thumb.jpg

 

I've used 'Prompt' font but have tried all of them and 'Trajan' reminds me a lot of the 1990s era Rover dealer scripts.

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I've been thinking of getting a platesforcars plate for my Mazda, they do a 457mm plate as opposed to the standard 520mm (so 6cm shorter), which would make it look a bit less odd, as the car is designed for Japanese size plates. However - £26 for the privilege!

 

I choose 'UK old legal' font, which I assume is correct. Yup, aware I need to add a space between numbers and letters!

 

attachicon.giffimpNabU8H.jpg

 

they also do a 406mm version, but looks too cramped. £24

 

attachicon.giffimpoDHkZ2.jpg

 

Then there is this style (178 x 127) like Joey Spud got on his YRV, but I think it doesn't look quite right (I guess they'd print it more centered than that) - only* £16 this one. Not sure how to mount this one effectively either.

 

attachicon.giffimp2jWmWU.jpg

 

Any thoughts?

 

As it is now...

 

attachicon.gifDSCF9178.JPG

I'd try and pick the font that is closest to the original rear one, and go from there. Sorry, I don't like seeing Jap style plates on UK market cars :)

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Fancy plates also has the option for a honeycombed background that I selected for the ex HMC/bucketeer 205, with a “Warwick Wright Peugeot” script underneath. Looks great but as with all these it lacked the BS145 markings bottom right. I understand technically an MOT fail but I recon if they look period and correctly spaced nobody will flag it up/ even notice.

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Oddly I think the bs thing is a bit BS as you can spec it to be visually in accordance with the standard appropriate when the car was new but the lack of marking indicates it wasn’t supplied in accordance ( docs submitted and in the correct post 2001 for a “new” plate font)

 

I call BS on the whole thing.

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Yes, the 'UK old font' in question was BSAU 145a. 145d is the current font but on the Platesforcars website you can choose to have 'BSAU 145d' on the bottom corner or have nothing there at all! I'm torn on it, I think it looks better having a BS number than not even if the last character is technically wrong. Having said that, the MoT regulations are that on pre 2001 cars it is acceptable to not have a BS number at all but I'm not sure if having the wrong BS number for the font is allowed! However, I can't believe many testers would fail an old car on such a minor detail.

 

I had BSAU 145a put into the bottom corner of both sets of DMB plates I had done and they look the absolute biz.

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I used Plates for Cars, and they seem ok. I've not fitted them to the Skoda yet, but will get some pics up when I do.

 

I've decided to try the sticky pads that could be ordered with the plates, as drilling through them always seems to cause damage to them. Will i regret that decision? Place bets now!

I used the sticky pads on the front of my Saab as the holes a p.o. Has drilled in the bumper weren’t up to it. No problems so far!

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Fancy plates also has the option for a honeycombed background that I selected for the ex HMC/bucketeer 205, with a “Warwick Wright Peugeot” script underneath. Looks great but as with all these it lacked the BS145 markings bottom right. I understand technically an MOT fail but I recon if they look period and correctly spaced nobody will flag it up/ even notice.

If you go for the ‘Pre-2001 (B)’ option, it is the exact same as the Peugeot dealer font (the numbers are more squarer-looking).

 

A picture of a 205 GTi as an example, with an original Peugeot dealer plate.

 

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And Fancyplates’ effort...

 

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I got pressed old font plates for the Civic as its plates were fucked from giffer parking and in dire need of replacement. The dealer sticker is still there and healthy so repro plates would have been nice, but in absence of good repros I went for pressed - besides I thought they'd suit the car a bit better. They aren't the cheapest, these were £40 posted, but I think they were worth it. Also the seller, Chestnut Registrations or something, accepted emailed photos of the V5 etc instead of having to post it to them. ed8723a9bfea5719c354140e770af930.jpg

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I don't wish to piss on anyone's bonfire, but, I had a set of plates from these plates for cars folk in Ireland and they were shite, still are shite.

 

The extra large rear number plate delaminated and like a twat, by the time I got around to contacting them it was about three weeks after the twelve month 'warranty period' and they point blank told me to feck right off.

 

Not only did they give me feck right off, they had me sending pictures of the delamination and the whole nine yards before I got the full feck off. I wrote to their MD and got no response. I've still got their shite plates on the car and several people have commented on how shite they look.

 

Just looking at their warranty period, looks like they have increased it to three years. Maybe I'll have another crack at them. Their website paints a much better picture of their service than which I received. I've not used them since they gave me the feck off in June 2017.

 

We can both play the feck off game, and i''ve fecked off with my money elsewhere and got more recent sets made locally.

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It's commonly known as "Old Charles Wright" or "Charles Wright Pre 2001".

 

My experience of previous purchases was the font was fine but the quality of the plate was shit.  This was certainly the case with the Sierra, but come to think of it the Volvo 240 ones I got were fine.  

 

(Edit - the good ones came from DMB.  FFS!)

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@Angrydicky. Ok, that's clarified. Still really isn't a font, just what they are calling their wide version. The were a range of compliant fonts, i.e. some are more rounded than others.

 

The original British Standard was BS AU 145 "Specification for reflex-reflecting number plates" published 31st October 1967. BS AU 145a was published 11th September 1972. Later revisions are "145b" (31/05/1989), "145c" (15/11/1995) and the current "145d" (15/01/1998)

 

Shame there's all this legal bullshit to contend with because I'd be willing to chip in to buy DMB graphics' typefaces etc and we could get a consortium together who could operate on a not for profit basis, just doing them for forum members with all profits going to forum funding.

So when is the consortium buying me the printer and associated equipment? :)

 

I have the luxury where I live of going into the local motor factors, handing over 10 yoyos are getting my crappy plastic plate made and walking out. They aren't geared up to make what is wanted, but I'll have to ask when they aren't busy what the score is with their gear/software.

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Must be plenty of old kit lying round disused I'd have hoped, maybe even some Serck type plate pressing setup with larger hauliers and bus companies?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Number-Plate-Printer-Maker-Machine-System-Professional-Level/323063397143?epid=651045407&hash=item4b38143b17:g:~VsAAOSwI8laR7d2:rk:1:pf:1&frcectupt=true

 

s-l1600.jpg

 

Umm. Interesting. Probably worth some proper research into the cheapest way of getting set up. I believe it costs £40 to register with the DVLA as a number plate supplier.

 

There's real scope here for us to DIY with a small consortium of investors*.

 

Set up a table at shitefest, bring your docs - get your plates printed!

 

Although, we'd need an Irish or French based shiter say to do the pre-2001 font stuff?

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It's this overly bureaucratic world we live in that seeks to squeeze every inch of joy out of everything.

 

Trouble is, I'm an auditor, and have spent a lot of my working life enforcing* this kind of petty minutiae. Luckily, not in the motor trade.

It is a funny old world at times.

 

Whilst I am all for it, as our 40 year old car now doesn't need an MOT every year despite being well maintained tin hat on) one can drive any old 40 year old real heap of shite motor down the road but one can't order some identical font replacement number plates for the 40 year old plates that have deteriorated some much you can't tell the O from the D or half the other letters from each other.

 

But you can carry on using the shite faded and delaminated plates for as long as you want.

 

You can also use black and silver plates on pre75 despite it originally being 73. You think they would just keep it as it all was, pre 73 Black and silver or any later plate style 73 to 2001 original fat face font or any later Plate style. 2001 on, just the latest APNR easy readers. I mean, is it really that feckin hard ?

 

Anyone tried myshowplates, they say own badge or background options, plates for road and show

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There was a bloke who came into the CAB for advise who had set up an internet service making show plates and had been taken to court and advised by his solicitor to plead guilty. So he now had a criminal record and then they pursued him for proceeds of crime, so he was properly into debt and struggling to get a job and he was being evicted for not paying his rent and it was all pretty fucked up for him.

Moral of the story is do your research, take legal advice and don't imagine you can beat the system.

Personally I'd imprison anyone with a post 73 car and a black on silver plate.

Incorrect spacing? MEH. But letters with dodgy fonts ? Death by ridicule

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must be loads of garages closing , the gear isnt that trick anyway

 

thinking from what i remember back in the day didnt they just stick the black letters inside the perspex then roller on a yellow /white reflector?...so if someone could laser cut the reverse font sereck or whatever 

 

could sell them as number plate novelty kit , self assembly ?

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