Primer for YOM plates
 

I finally found some YOM plates on eBay for a decent price. North Carolina plates are pretty cheap except for the 1929 plates, which are like twice the price of 1930. I think it's because the paint scheme that year was Carolina blue, so everyone likes to collect that year.

Anyway, I got a good price on a plate that's in good shape, straight, no holes, no paint, heavy surface rust. I got the rust off with Evapo-Rust and a little sanding. I am now at the point of priming it for painting.

I've never painted metal before and I don't know much about primer. I went to the auto parts store and there were a couple dozen kinds of primer to choose from. Not sure if I picked the right one.

The kind I got is called Filler Primer. I picked this one because the plate has significant pitting and I thought this way I could save time and have fewer cycles of spray, sand, spray, sand, etc.

But there was also one called Clean Metal Primer, would that have been better? Any thoughts?

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

You should be fine but try and use the same manufacture for the top coat of paint . Read the labels on the can for the correct time between coats.
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Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

I would hit the first coat with etching primer. Then a couple of coats with the filler primer that you have. After the first coat of filler primer, sand most of it off, leaving enough to fill the pitting. Repeat second step a couple of times until the base is pretty smooth. Then you can top it off with some colour. Rustoleum products should be fine if you can find a colour close to original. I would do the letters/numbers in their colour first, then tape them off and do the base colour. Make sure you wash the evaporust off good before you start. I think it just needs clean soapy water.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

Thanks folks, I ended up swapping it for their "2-in-1 Filling and Sanding Primer" with rust inhibiting. I think I'll have to get a custom blend made for the background color.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

BEFORE final painting ck with your DMV as some states want to physically see the plates in question (ALSO ck with DMV to make sure the plates aren't already in use). Some even won't accept restored plates. If and when you get approval to use them then you can do what you want with them.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

Our state at the time required plates front and rear and didn't allow YOM plates, so we registered our Sport Coupe as an antique. It had a passenger-side tail light so we put the YOM plate there.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

NC is pretty lax. Here's the sum total of the relevant law:

"Any motor vehicle of the age of 35 years or more from the date of manufacture may bear the license plates of the year of manufacture instead of the current registration plates, if the current registration plates are maintained within the vehicle"

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

That's pretty much the same for MD, however when I registered my yom tags I had to take them in for the dmv to inspect. They checked for reflectivity (not sure if that applys to yours) and readability, and also if the number was current. The tags I use were special issued in 1976 only as a bicentennial plate and the 'young' lady at the dmv had never even seen a set, she questioned me as to what they were. Ironically, I had to have my license plate inspected but the car required no inspections to get tagged.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

I think the difference in NC is that the YOM tags are purely decorative. As explored in other threads, the law doesn't even require that the tags be NC tags. The car is registered under normal plates and those plates are kept under the seat or someplace like that.

To be honest I doubt the state would even care if it was the wrong year, since there's no registration process. I mean, I care. But I don't think I'd get in trouble with the state if I had '28 or '30 plates.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

Same here, I have my car registered with modern tags that I carry in the trunk. The yom tags are attached to the outside of the car. They are not even listed on my registration. I agree with you though, I cant imagine there would be any issues, especially if the restored colours are close to original. Again, i doubt anyone at the dmv would even know what they looked like (not that i would either, LOL).

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

Just some food for thought specifically for North Carolina YOM plates, it may apply else where too. No where in the statute does it state YOM's have to be NC. I've been and will continue to run California tags because that's where my truck is from.

P.s. I do keep a copy of the statute with my registration just in case.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

This same issue came up regarding New Hampshire on another car forum I peruse. Apparently many states allow different than registered state YOM. I was flabbergasted and did not believe this could be correct at first. Not an issue for me in MD, but I would be surprised if they allowed it.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

I think different bodies that register and insure these cars take different stances on to what extent this thing is legally a car versus an artistic or historical representation of a car. And that's why you get these disparate rules on YOM plates, title inspections, whether you're technically supposed to drive it for non-ceremonial purposes, etc.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

I probably wouldn't hurt to carry a copy of the state law from wherever your vehicle is registered. We have all met a very, shall we say 'fresh' officer.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

Although this thread got hijacked to YOM plates, a comment on the primer. I used a filler primer when I restored my Colorado plate, and wished I hadn't. It built up too fast and was hard to sand down around the curvature of the letter stamp. If I do it again, I would just use plain primer, and give it multiple coats.
My plate was very rough, it had some holes, and was folded and nailed to a wall. Take your time and make it nice, it's actually a fun side project.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

OK thanks, this plate is pretty solid and only has moderate rust pitting, no dents, nothing I have to peen out. I'll take another look at the standard primer.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

My coupe is registered in PA with a YOM plate. You must go to the state web site to screen the number. The registration shows that number - I do not have another set of regular plates. I had the plate restored by Duane in MI. 517-371-3225. He charges $45 per plate plus s$8 shipping. Excellent work. He advertises in the services listings in the club mags.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

Just wanted to come back and post the end result to close out this thread. Pretty happy with how it turned out, although I made sure to take the pic from several feet away so you can't see all the little mistakes in the paint job.

Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

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Re: Primer for YOM plates
 

I have Yom plates on my car in Texas. You do have to show them the plates when you register the vehicle. I had previously lived in NJ had a few sets of vintage plates but they do not let you use them.