License plates

[sidhartha]

My girl friend bought me an original 1931 Indiana license plate for my birthday because she thought it would be nice to have on the front of the car. Since it is a 31 Tudor. I said that I'd rather it be on the rear but with out a working time machine I'll just have to put it on the front anyway. Now after talking to the local BMV I've found that I can actually register it to the car (for a fee of course) and the 31 plate will be the actual plate I put on the rear of the car! How cool is that?

[Jim/GA]

Very cool!

The coolest part is that your girl friend is sufficiently interested in old cars that she would find you a '31 plate. Sounds like a "keeper".

[Forker]

The coolest part is that your girl friend is sufficiently interested in old cars that she would find you a '31 plate. Sounds like a "keeper".

I agree with Jim, she sounds like a keeper to me!
george

[Smurkey]

Most states allow a Year-of-Manufacture (YOM) original plate to be used in place of a "collector", "vintage", or "pioneer" modern plate. After registering the number, of course.

They really complete the look in my opinion!

Beware though. Verify with the DMV that the number of the plate you are intending to use is a valid, available number before shelling out good money on the set. They have to check it in the computer to make sure it is a number not already used and meets the format requirements. I have been able to do this but phone or dropping by with a photo...takes a few seconds for them to check.

Here's mine I just registered a month ago in Minn.

[ScottNW/Ohio]

I've got a '31 Ohio plate on the front of my '31 - registered to the truck
Not a bad deal here - doesn't expire until 2050 and was only $35 including the Ohio "antique" plate !
One of the few bargains left in this state - until they figure that out too !

[Patrick L.]

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Most stated do allow for YOM plates. Its a great way to go. Yours looks to be in great shape. I'm assuming your state allows for just a rear plate. I wish NY would do that.

[Ca. Kid]

Your lucky Indiana only requires one plate. Kalifornia requires two plates, much harder to come by.

[V4F]

yes pairs of ca. plates can be quit expensive ....... congrats on your g/f & new plate !

[Aok]

I got a set of 31 plates but mostly for decoration New Jersey does not do yom plate. I guess I have to wait for a politician that has a old car to get elected

[Tom Wesenberg]

I'll trade you a matched pair of 31 plates for your girlfriend.

[CarlG]

I have a nice set of '31 Texas commercial plates. Unfortunately, Alaska doesn't recognize that set-up. A lot of guys here use their "Home" state YOM plate on the front, which is what I will do with one of mine.

[Mitch//pa]

I recently bought a 1930 pa plate from Tagdr.com from there online store and I am also having them restore it. Pa allows yom plates

[green30coupe]

But...can she clean fish and pack wheel bearings?

[Rock Hornbuckle]

I use a United States Marine Corps plate on the '31. It has "usmc" across the top, and "official use only" across the bottom. It's a plate that was phased out when the Federal Gov. standardized all US vehicle plates. I also have a legally issued "horseless carriage" plate that I prop up in the back window when driving, and take it down for parades, using only the USMC plate. With many police officers being former military, I get many thumbs up from them. I am going to try to get the DMV to register it to my car.

[sidhartha]

She's a keeper alright. She says she can clean fish, a few clocks and pack wheel bearings if that means putting them in a suitcase. She listens to my ramblings and goes along to car shows/swap meets and always asks if I have this or need that. So I definitely have to keep her.
I wondered if other states would offer YOM too. The older Indiana plates seem to be hard to find but fortunately we only need to put one on the rear.
I told her about trading for the matched set of plates. She said no, not even if they are gold plated because as hard as it can be to find good ones that a good woman is even harder to find. Then she went on about it being to much trouble to start all over again with the training, but my hearing aid batteries died and I don't know what she was talking about after that.

[Rowdy]

Most states allow this. Still looking for an original set of 18 county 1929 Nebraska plates to restore for the delivery. Rod

[johnsor]

About 4 or 5 Model A's back, I got a nice set of 1930 Minnesota plates at a yard sale for five bucks and registered them as YOM plates. I may have sold those cars, but never let those plates go and I still have them on my 30 Roadster. In all the years of their use, I have never been challenged by the law. Now with my recently added 31 Model A, I'll have to find some Minn or Wisconsin 31 plates.

[sidhartha]

I have a couple 31 Michigan plates that came on the car (I bought the car from a guy in Mich) if someone is interested. Might have a 29 Minn and a 59 In too. I'll have to check. Being a bit of a pack rat I'd normally just keep them, but I'd rather see them on a car!

[ScottNW/Ohio]

I have 2 for mine, but one is in need of paint (must have been the front one in it's previous life)
Ohio only requires one, and you have to keep the state issued (modern) classic plate with the vehicle in case you have to produce it (both are listed on the registration) so I put the modern plate on the back under the bed, and put the original '31 on the front

[Nodakwalleyer]

I have this set registered through DMV for my Coupe here in North Dakota

[Donvito]

I have a nice rusty 1930 North Carolina plate on my coupe. I like them that way.
Mike

[whirnot]

Yeah Colorado allows them too, but requires 2 plates, and since I am moving to Oregon in 2 years.........

[jmeckel]

In WI all you need to do is carry the DMV issued plates in the car and you can put any YOM plates on the car, no paper work required! And the reg which includes plates is a one time fee of $5.00!! Tough to beat!

[29ModelA]

I have YOM on my A and my Willy's. In Michigan they are a lifetime plate. The 29 plates were hard to find, and took a guy that does it professionally a few months to find them for me. He found me a matched set which is almost unheard of.

The thing that sucks, is once they are registered they cannot be registered or transferred, so if I sell the car that guy can't use them, and I couldn't use them on another car. They are in way too nice of shape for our car even...

[Mike V. Florida]

In florida they must be sent to be verified and cannot be restored when you send them. Lucky you only need one but it has to be in good condition to start with.

[Tom Wesenberg]

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Originally Posted by 29ModelA

I have YOM on my A and my Willy's. In Michigan they are a lifetime plate. The 29 plates were hard to find, and took a guy that does it professionally a few months to find them for me. He found me a matched set which is almost unheard of.

The thing that sucks, is once they are registered they cannot be registered or transferred, so if I sell the car that guy can't use them, and I couldn't use them on another car. They are in way too nice of shape for our car even...

If you turn the driver's door handle 90* clockwise, the car will be more areodynamic.

[Paul in Colorado]

Originally Posted by whirnot

Yeah Colorado allows them too, but requires 2 plates, and since I am moving to Oregon in 2 years.........

When I registered my 1930 Town Sedan in Colorado, I was able to register it with only one YOM plate with no problems. The Horseless Carriage license plate is a single plate.

[29ModelA]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

If you turn the driver's door handle 90* clockwise, the car will be more areodynamic.

I always found it funny that it is rotated 90,* but I left it that way as that is how we found it. We are trying to leave it as much as we found it as possible, except for mechanicals and comfort items (since there was nothing left of the interior anyway)

I have thought of upholstering it with burlap, but that wouldn't help me for the windlace.

Told the wife if she wants a pretty one we will get her one later, but she has to learn to drive this one first!

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I remember that car!! Bill W.

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by Paul in Colorado

When I registered my 1930 Town Sedan in Colorado, I was able to register it with only one YOM plate with no problems. The Horseless Carriage license plate is a single plate.

Really? I haven't registered mine yet. Still waiting for title to come back. I didn't realize the horseless carriage plate was a single. All other cars require two.

Then what the heck did I buy a front license plate bracket for?????????

[Tom in SW VA]

Originally Posted by Ca. Kid

Your lucky Indiana only requires one plate. Kalifornia requires two plates, much harder to come by.

Same for Virginia. I spent two years finding a set of two.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by whirnot

Then what the heck did I buy a front license plate bracket for?????????

Horseless carrage on the back, YOM on the front.

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Horseless carrage on the back, YOM on the front.

Yeah, what he said...

[Paul in Colorado]

Use your front license plate brackets to mount one of these. The Model A Ford Club of Colorado (Denver) just placed a group order for various years.

Originally Posted by whirnot

Really? I haven't registered mine yet. Still waiting for title to come back. I didn't realize the horseless carriage plate was a single. All other cars require two.

Then what the heck did I buy a front license plate bracket for?????????

[my1930coupe]

In South Dakota you can use them also but the number must be cleared and they require new paint or restoration. I guess I understand but it is a bummer when a guy has a pretty nice set with some faded paint and they say no, not unless painted up! Also like our antique plates they say you are limited to going to organized outings or shows, for repairs and to the gas station. Not sure how hard they enforce it though..Dave

[TerryH]

California is actually pretty good about the YOM plates....they will let you bring them in to verify them while you wait, and they do allow restored plates as long as they are the correct color. Took me about 15 minutes to get mine approved and I was all set.

[JBill]

Wow. I live in Indiana and I didn't know we could do that. I have a pretty good '29 plate I could have restored.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by my1930coupe

In South Dakota you can use them also but the number must be cleared and they require new paint or restoration. I guess I understand but it is a bummer when a guy has a pretty nice set with some faded paint and they say no, not unless painted up! Also like our antique plates they say you are limited to going to organized outings or shows, for repairs and to the gas station. Not sure how hard they enforce it though..Dave

Paint up the plates uing water colors, then wash them off when you get home.

When I had antique plates on my 1949 Chevy turck and used it to haul some metal home from an auction, the S.D. highway patrol stopped me and read me the riot act.

[JBill]

I checked the Indiana DMV site and see that you can have a year of manufacture plate and it can be slightly faded or restored, either one. Just has to be clearly legible. However, though this can be the plate displayed on the car, you have to have a regular historic plate with all the appropriate stickers present in the vehicle.

[OL JENNY]

IOWA is now also like Indiana, in that you can permanently display your legible antique plates, but you must have your current plates and registration in the vehicle so you can produce them if requested. This is relatively new, I only became aware of it recently, and verified with our local county license office today.

[Paul in Colorado]

Originally Posted by OL JENNY

IOWA is now also like Indiana, in that you can permanently display your legible antique plates, but you must have your current plates and registration in the vehicle so you can produce them if requested. This is relatively new, I only became aware of it recently, and verified with our local county license office today.

This is the law in Colorado also.

Paul

[whirnot]

Just got my Horsless carriage plate today, and should have my YOM in a few days, it is RRRRRRough though!

[Paul in Colorado]

Originally Posted by whirnot

Just got my Horsless carriage plate today, and should have my YOM in a few days, it is RRRRRRough though!

The single Colorado plate I have on my town sedan is not in the best condition, but it was accepted without any questions (at the Department of Revenue in Denver).

[whirnot]

If you have never seen the set of plates thay have at Bert's, it is impressive! I was there yesterday, and they have a multiple set of Denver County plates, starting in the model A era, both plates, front and rear, the same number, and spreading over about 10 to 12 years, (I didn't count how many)