Got my plates

[KevsClassics]

After months of pondering. (19 to be exact) I decided to go with black/yellow as opposed to blue/yellow

[63 & 64 Bowties]

How 'bout explainin' to a Non-Calif guy what the plate thing is in CA. I see CA trucks on ebay and they mention what kind of plate is has. What's that all about?

[vectorit]

Very nice! I plan to get mine back to black n' yellow pretty soon as well.

Who did the work? Did you just find a paint guy that would do it, or did you work with someone that specializes in this?

[OldSkool71]

So tell us how you did it...Let me take a stab at it...Did you order personal plates with 7D2 BLZ...and then license plate tv make you the plates in the old Black/Yellow style? ...Looks Cool...

[FRENCHBLUE72]

They look killer and im wonderin how you had those plates done?

[KevsClassics]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

How 'bout explainin' to a Non-Calif guy what the plate thing is in CA. I see CA trucks on ebay and they mention what kind of plate is has. What's that all about?

We like to have vintage plates from the era of our vehicles as opposed to todays ugly plates.

Originally Posted by vectorit

Very nice! I plan to get mine back to black n' yellow pretty soon as well.

Who did the work? Did you just find a paint guy that would do it, or did you work with someone that specializes in this?

If you have plates with California stamped in contact C/10 King his wife does an excellent job repainting them.

Originally Posted by OldSkool71

So tell us how you did it...Let me take a stab at it...Did you order personal plates with 7D2 BLZ...and then license plate tv make you the plates in the old Black/Yellow style? ...Looks Cool...

Oldschool71 you stabbed it right on the nose

[chevybuldr]

I love it Kevin!!! Looks right on and I think you were right to much blue with the others. How much were they? Did you hear that Cali started to ok the use of the black plate again if the year of the plate matched the car. You got me thinking maybe I will get some blacks for the 'burb.

[C/10 King]

Looking good Kevin,let me buy you a beer.

[vectorit]

My plates are the ugly whites, and the California is not raised letters. Am I still gonna be able to have em set up as black n' yellow's?

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by vectorit

My plates are the ugly whites, and the California is not raised letters. Am I still gonna be able to have em set up as black n' yellow's?

You will not be able to repaint your existing ones in black/yellow. Since you have a 68, black/yellow is correct for your burb, and you can find a cleared set of black/yellow plates and use them. They turn up at Pomona and on feebay.

Kevin's look great, and better than the blue/yellow in my opinion but are not correct for 72. I seriously doubt that he will get hassled though, as I have seen a lot of other cars with non-correct plates driving around. I am contemplating changing my blue/yellow plates to black/yellow just because I think they look better.

[petey-pablo]

Kevin did you really get your plates at licenseplates.tv? How are they do they really look like the origianls did back then in person as they do in your pictures? My Orig Plates are thrashed,I have been wanting to order some through licenseplates.tv but haven't heard of anyone who accually bought some through them, and did't want to spent money on something if it were crap. How do you like them are they stamped out like the originals they look great.....Thanks Pablo

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by petey-pablo

leddzepp did you really get your plates at licenseplates.tv? How are they do they really look like the origianls did back then in person as they do in your pictures? My Orig Plates are thrashed,I have been wanting to order some through licenseplates.tv but haven't heard of anyone who accually bought some through them, and did't want to spent money on something if it were crap. How do you like them are they stamped out like the originals they look great.....Thanks Pablo

I did not get my plates at licenseplates.tv. The pictures above are of Kevin's Blazer. If you are referring to another thread with my plates, they are the original plates that I restored myself. I believe Kevin got his at licenseplates.tv, and they look fantastic!

[slosteve]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

How 'bout explainin' to a Non-Calif guy what the plate thing is in CA. I see CA trucks on ebay and they mention what kind of plate is has. What's that all about?

Way back when Calif. didn't have so many vehicles they would use just one color of plate for a few years, such as a yellow background with black letters. Then they would change to a different combination such as black background - yellow letters. Not sure but I think that's the only colors they used for many years. In the mid '70's they went to blue background - yellow letters. Then they had to start adding more #'s, etc. I think that it was the late '70's when they started with more color combo's offered in the same year.
So if you have a '56 Pickup, or a 32 coupe, it's more prestigious to have the period correct plate.

[petey-pablo]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

I did not get my plates at licenseplates.tv. The pictures above are of Kevin's Blazer. If you are referring to another thread with my plates, they are the original plates that I restored myself. I believe Kevin got his at licenseplates.tv, and they look fantastic!

Oh My bad I did mean Kevins Blazer Sorry, It's ganna be a long night....

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

How 'bout explainin' to a Non-Calif guy what the plate thing is in CA. I see CA trucks on ebay and they mention what kind of plate is has. What's that all about?

California is a state where the tag stays with the vehicle as long as it is continually registered,which at some point required continuous insurance also.Aside from being neat to have the vintage tag that has been with the vehicle all along,it`s an indicator that the vehicle,most likely,has been in continuous service rather than sitting around for a long spell.

OH!!!!Cool plates on the Blazer,Kev.You picked the right color.it`s better to have them stand out rather than almost match up.And,they`re right for originals.I never liked almost matching blues.

[72BlckButy]

Great plate on the Blazer Kevin, it definitely finishes the look.

[KevsClassics]

Originally Posted by petey-pablo

Kevin did you really get your plates at licenseplates.tv? How are they do they really look like the origianls did back then in person as they do in your pictures? My Orig Plates are thrashed,I have been wanting to order some through licenseplates.tv but haven't heard of anyone who accually bought some through them, and did't want to spent money on something if it were crap. How do you like them are they stamped out like the originals they look great.....Thanks Pablo

Yes thats where I got them. I got them for my Impala also with my original text the car came with. I put them side by side with my old plates and perfect match. I am very satisfied with them. Thanks for the nice compliments guys.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by KevsClassics

After months of pondering. (19 to be exact) I decided to go with black/yellow as opposed to blue/yellow

I really like the plate ,,but ........... I might be sticking my foot in my mouth here and by saying it ..a lot of people ,espesially the ones that know our trucks will say ,,The truck isn't a 72.. by looking at the front clip.. not trying to affend you as I never would do that ,, just my opinon of what people will ask you .

Maybe I am wrong and if I am I will take a bite out of my hat ,,getting older and dont eat that much to eat the whole thing ..LOL

Again , I sure like the discription on the plate for a 72 blazer.. Gopapa Larry

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Kevin's look great, and better than the blue/yellow in my opinion but are not correct for 72.

There was a discussion on another thread, and it got a bit complicated... IIRC, there was some overlap as they used up the remaining supply of black plates as the blues were being introduced. My '72 has original black plates.


Kevin, I think you made the right choice, I love the look of those plates on your Blazer!

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by Stocker

There was a discussion on another thread, and it got a bit complicated... IIRC, there was some overlap as they used up the remaining supply of black plates as the blues were being introduced. My '72 has original black plates.

They were carried over from a previous vehicle, unless your truck is registered as a commercial vehicle. My 3/4 has the original commercial plates on them and are blue/yellow. It was first registered in 11-71. Black plates were stopped at the end of 1970, which is why a lot of 71's still had them.

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by special-K

California is a state where the tag stays with the vehicle as long as it is continually registered,which at some point required continuous insurance also.Aside from being neat to have the vintage tag that has been with the vehicle all along,it`s an indicator that the vehicle,most likely,has been in continuous service rather than sitting around for a long spell.

Minnesota has similar plate rules (plate stays with the car even when sold) only we have a twist on it.
Remember 3M originally stood for MMM or Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing. The company was started here and is still based here. Since they have a strong lobbying group in St. Paul, we get to get new license plates every 7 years. You see 3M makes the reflective backing that is used on the plates so they lobbied our state to pass a law that we get to throw away perfectly good license plates every 7 years.

I've owned my 72 Chevelle since 1984 and I'm on my 4th set of plates. My truck since 1994 so I've only thrown 2 good sets away. Not only do I have to take off perfeclty good plates every 7 years, I get to pay extra for the privilege.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

They were carried over from a previous vehicle, unless your truck is registered as a commercial vehicle. My 3/4 has the original commercial plates on them and are blue/yellow. It was first registered in 11-71. Black plates were stopped at the end of 1970, which is why a lot of 71's still had them.

Well, now I'm confused all over again. Unless they are specialized plates, I thought the plates always stayed with the vehicle in California.

My K20 is -- has always been -- registered as a commercial vehicle, which is the way I understand virtually all pickups are in California. By your first sentence -- my black (commercial) plates are original.

Your next sentence says your original commercial plates are blue, which seems contradictory... or at least very confusing.

I'm not sure when my truck was first registered, but it was an early '72, built in August 1971.

Just to make sure, I am not arguing with you, just very confused at the moment. It happens more often at my age...

[mclairmo]

I'm confused now, too. I have a 68 C10 with ugly white plates for some reason. How do I switch to black/yellow? Do I BUY new plates with same number I already have now? Do I paint my current plates black/yellow? Do I buy old original black/yellow plates and re-register with the new old tag number?

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Well, now I'm confused all over again. Unless they are specialized plates, I thought the plates always stayed with the vehicle in California.

My K20 is -- has always been -- registered as a commercial vehicle, which is the way I understand virtually all pickups are in California. By your first sentence -- my black (commercial) plates are original.

Your next sentence says your original commercial plates are blue, which seems contradictory... or at least very confusing.

I'm not sure when my truck was first registered, but it was an early '72, built in August 1971.

Just to make sure, I am not arguing with you, just very confused at the moment. It happens more often at my age...

My 3/4 ton is registered as a commercial vehicle; my 1/2 ton is not. One thing I have learned is never say "never" and never say "always" I have not in 30+ years here seen a 72 vehicle (commercial or otherwise) with black plates, but that does not mean some did not slip through at the end of the year in 71. According to the DMV website, black plates were used on some commercial vehicles in 72. Of course, if you look there, ask a DMV employee, and ask a CHP officer, you will get three different answers. All 72-up vehicles I have ever seen had blue plates. My 72 3/4 has blue plates, which were issued in 11-71.

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by mclairmo

I'm confused now, too. I have a 68 C10 with ugly white plates for some reason. How do I switch to black/yellow? Do I BUY new plates with same number I already have now? Do I paint my current plates black/yellow? Do I buy old original black/yellow plates and re-register with the new old tag number?

Your truck has white plates because at some point one of the owners registered it with newer plates. This is very common as the old plates get lost, mutilated, etc. If you want to switch to black/yellow, you need to find a pair that has been cleared (not used to register a vehicle in the last 7 years) on feebay or Pomona swap meet, or you can buy new plates with your existing number from the company that Kevin had make his (it is not considered legal here, which is why the company won't ship them to a Calif address, but I doubt you will have any trouble) I personally would not do it with a newer number, as the sequence used now is different from that used in 68. Do not paint your existing plates because that is asking for trouble. Hope this helps.