Buying black and silver numberplates
Discussion
At present i've got a 1970 MGBGT thats got hideous modern plastic numberplates on it. Ideally I'd like to get black and silver ones to replace these. Is it still legal to purchase these and do they have to have the manufcturers name and postcode printed on them. What would be the correct dimensions and style of plate for this model and year, and could anyone recommend somewhere to obtain them from?
Have you tried Google? I got 1,500,000 hits for "Black & Silver number plates".
http://www.chestnut-registrations.co.uk/vintagepla...
This looks about right for a 70's MGB
http://www.chestnut-registrations.co.uk/vintagepla...
This looks about right for a 70's MGB
Edited by RichB on Wednesday 7th October 22:48
Because of the "rules" on buying plates (you need to produce the reg docs, utility bills, passports, your mother's birth certificate etc) all the companies that make black and silver plates operate out of other countries now (like Ireland). So much for the Government's big idea to kill off car ringing operations...
The ones shown in the photo are correct(ish) for your car, my father had a 1968 Escort with this type when I was a kid. Any car registered before 1973 can use black and silver plates but in reality most cars made after about 1969 would've had yellow/white anyway, everyone got those fitted as soon as they came out because they made the car look more modern.
So rather ironically, the "correct" plates (what your car would've been fitted with new) are the yellow and white ones but not in perspex like new ones you buy in Halfords now. My own 1970 Fiat has its original plates, they're Bluemels, aluminium with raised black plastic letters on yellow/black background.
Don't get those aluminium black and silver stamped ones BTW, they date from the fifties and before and are wrong for a 70's car.
The ones shown in the photo are correct(ish) for your car, my father had a 1968 Escort with this type when I was a kid. Any car registered before 1973 can use black and silver plates but in reality most cars made after about 1969 would've had yellow/white anyway, everyone got those fitted as soon as they came out because they made the car look more modern.
So rather ironically, the "correct" plates (what your car would've been fitted with new) are the yellow and white ones but not in perspex like new ones you buy in Halfords now. My own 1970 Fiat has its original plates, they're Bluemels, aluminium with raised black plastic letters on yellow/black background.
Don't get those aluminium black and silver stamped ones BTW, they date from the fifties and before and are wrong for a 70's car.
Mound Dawg said:
Because of the "rules" on buying plates (you need to produce the reg docs, utility bills, passports, your mother's birth certificate etc) all the companies that make black and silver plates operate out of other countries now (like Ireland). So much for the Government's big idea to kill off car ringing operations...
The ones shown in the photo are correct(ish) for your car, my father had a 1968 Escort with this type when I was a kid. Any car registered before 1973 can use black and silver plates but in reality most cars made after about 1969 would've had yellow/white anyway, everyone got those fitted as soon as they came out because they made the car look more modern.
So rather ironically, the "correct" plates (what your car would've been fitted with new) are the yellow and white ones but not in perspex like new ones you buy in Halfords now. My own 1970 Fiat has its original plates, they're Bluemels, aluminium with raised black plastic letters on yellow/black background.
Don't get those aluminium black and silver stamped ones BTW, they date from the fifties and before and are wrong for a 70's car.
Order them on-line and you don't need any paper-work.The ones shown in the photo are correct(ish) for your car, my father had a 1968 Escort with this type when I was a kid. Any car registered before 1973 can use black and silver plates but in reality most cars made after about 1969 would've had yellow/white anyway, everyone got those fitted as soon as they came out because they made the car look more modern.
So rather ironically, the "correct" plates (what your car would've been fitted with new) are the yellow and white ones but not in perspex like new ones you buy in Halfords now. My own 1970 Fiat has its original plates, they're Bluemels, aluminium with raised black plastic letters on yellow/black background.
Don't get those aluminium black and silver stamped ones BTW, they date from the fifties and before and are wrong for a 70's car.
Pressed black and silver plates were used right upto 73, so how can they be wrong for a 70's car? 50's and earlier cars had black with white letters attatched to it rather like the plates from 74 onwards.
Edited by mgtony on Saturday 10th October 15:04
Agreed, I only posted a picture of the silver ribbed plastic ones as an example but the pressed alluminium ones would look better, yellow and white ones they are quite simply wrong but I expect the OP will do some research. Getting plates via the internet is really simple.
Here's another link for a company based in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth http://pl8s.co.uk/1963-to-1973.php
These look nice...
Here's another link for a company based in Waterlooville, near Portsmouth http://pl8s.co.uk/1963-to-1973.php
These look nice...
Edited by RichB on Saturday 10th October 17:28
mgtony said:
Order them on-line and you don't need any paper-work.
Pressed black and silver plates were used right upto 73, so how can they be wrong for a 70's car? 50's and earlier cars had black with white letters attatched to it rather like the plates from 74 onwards.[/footnote]
Here you go, explains a bit better than I did.Pressed black and silver plates were used right upto 73, so how can they be wrong for a 70's car? 50's and earlier cars had black with white letters attatched to it rather like the plates from 74 onwards.
[/footnote]http://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/en/list+accessori...
Look at the different types of pressed aluminium plate and the different fonts. The type "CNE 793" is the one usually sold as a "pre 73" plate, check out the square letters/numbers, particularly the "C". But this is the font/size fitted to pre 63 cars. The correct pressed plate for up to '73 is "BCK613C" with the rounded letters/numbers, again look at the "C", most repro companies don't do this type, they sell the pre-63 font.
Having been around at this time (I'm quite old...) I can tell you that the usual type used in the 60's was "BWC 986F", separate plastic digits on an alu black background. Pressed alu plates had pretty much died out by then. Have a look at some old road tests of pre 73 cars and you'll see this. They did make a brief comeback for white/yellow plates in the 80's though.
Is that my anorak? Ta.
Mound Dawg said:
mgtony said:
Order them on-line and you don't need any paper-work.
Pressed black and silver plates were used right upto 73, so how can they be wrong for a 70's car? 50's and earlier cars had black with white letters attatched to it rather like the plates from 74 onwards.[/footnote]
Here you go, explains a bit better than I did.Pressed black and silver plates were used right upto 73, so how can they be wrong for a 70's car? 50's and earlier cars had black with white letters attatched to it rather like the plates from 74 onwards.
[/footnote]http://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/en/list+accessori...
Look at the different types of pressed aluminium plate and the different fonts. The type "CNE 793" is the one usually sold as a "pre 73" plate, check out the square letters/numbers, particularly the "C". But this is the font/size fitted to pre 63 cars. The correct pressed plate for up to '73 is "BCK613C" with the rounded letters/numbers, again look at the "C", most repro companies don't do this type, they sell the pre-63 font.
Having been around at this time (I'm quite old...) I can tell you that the usual type used in the 60's was "BWC 986F", separate plastic digits on an alu black background. Pressed alu plates had pretty much died out by then. Have a look at some old road tests of pre 73 cars and you'll see this. They did make a brief comeback for white/yellow plates in the 80's though.
Is that my anorak? Ta.
I was around at this time but the only set of wheels I had would have been my pram, Three spokes of course.
You can get pressed black & silver number plates no problems, they are not required to have the makers name etc on them,i work in car accessory shop, we order in number plates from Jepsons in Sheffield, still need to produce docs, unless ordering on-line then they may come with a disclaimer not to be used on the road.
When I worked for a Jeep main dealer I needed a new plate for the wife's Punto. Arrived same day from the local parts factors along with the ones for the new cars we were registering. No documents were ever supplied.
The classic plate guys neatly sidestep the regulations by operating from offshore or any of the other dodges oulined above but being able to order plates by giving the guy in the parts department a post-it note with your name and the reg. number on it shows how flimsy/useless these rules really are.
The classic plate guys neatly sidestep the regulations by operating from offshore or any of the other dodges oulined above but being able to order plates by giving the guy in the parts department a post-it note with your name and the reg. number on it shows how flimsy/useless these rules really are.
Anyone useing a classic at night I'd recommend having some sort of reflective number plates
Even 70's cars' rear lights and reflectors are smaller and less effective than todays' cars and the reflective plates made the car more easily seen when travelling or parked
You'll know more than me but I think you can have reflective plates with individually attached platic digits or pressed plates with the digits raised from the background both of which look good, are correct for the period(?) and will provide more safety at night
Even 70's cars' rear lights and reflectors are smaller and less effective than todays' cars and the reflective plates made the car more easily seen when travelling or parked
You'll know more than me but I think you can have reflective plates with individually attached platic digits or pressed plates with the digits raised from the background both of which look good, are correct for the period(?) and will provide more safety at night
Mound Dawg said:
My own 1970 Fiat has its original plates, they're Bluemels, aluminium with raised black plastic letters on yellow/black background.
You can get these (repro) types quite easily although its usually a black plate with white raised numbers and I think it does make the car more authentic if its from the correct era , the dilemma is really - white or silver raised letters as both were availble at the time. A lot of 50s/60s Jaguars seem to have the silver letters but Fords etc white , could be a status thing here ?? 
Edited by RedexR on Monday 12th October 20:07
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