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05-07-2021, 05:29 AM | #1 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 8
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License Plate Search
Hello, I have a 1930 Tudor and I'm searching for a pair of Indiana plates for it. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where to look? I have found single plates on eBay, but no pairs.
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05-07-2021, 06:04 AM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NNNNNNNNJJJJJJJJJJ
Posts: 6,785
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Re: License Plate Search
take your time with ebay- they come up. also you could join the national "plate" club for leads. I forget their designation, off the top of my head............
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05-07-2021, 06:12 AM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington Cty., ME or Flagler Cty., FL
Posts: 1,106
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Re: License Plate Search
I agree with Ronn, have it as a bring up and bookmark it. Pairs will cost you more and because it is in the Model A era they will cost even more. A few years ago I found a glass covered 1914 plate for my Model T for a $100.00. Try to find a near perfect plate, they are difficult to paint and have them look original. I use my plates in the front as a vanity plate. I know it may not be legal but I haven't been stopped yet. Who is going to pull a bank job driving a Model T??
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05-07-2021, 06:42 AM | #4 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 3,897
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Re: License Plate Search
Is there anyway to duplicate a single plate? My first job was working with gas turbines and the sheet metal parts were formed with stamping molds made of low temperature melting metal, like pot metal. Perhaps a stamping mold could be made for the plate in the same way by casting the mold using the existing plate? Dead soft copper would be easy to form or even dead soft aluminum. Once painted it would be difficult to tell from steel. A large press may be able to be used to form the new plate(s).
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A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. |
05-07-2021, 06:44 AM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Mebane NC
Posts: 2,353
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Re: License Plate Search
When I was looking for a ‘29 NC plate, I used eBay’s saved-search alert to email me whenever a new plate was posted. It took several months to find a suitable plate.
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05-07-2021, 06:57 AM | #6 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 3,897
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Re: License Plate Search
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A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. |
05-07-2021, 07:23 AM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Connecticut Shoreline
Posts: 1,821
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Re: License Plate Search
Check your states motor vehicle laws on using period license plates.
This subject has come up many times before. Some people really seem not to care weather it’s legal to repaint or reproduce a plate. In most states it is not legal. Might seem like a minor point, but at what point do you except illegal. |
05-07-2021, 07:32 AM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,096
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Re: License Plate Search
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05-07-2021, 08:32 AM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Middletown, NY
Posts: 165
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Re: License Plate Search
I think that the "Repaint Rule" is ignored (personal experience) if the repaint is good. I believe that the rule exists to eliminate sloppy repaints that make it difficult or impossible to read a plate from a distance or moving vehicle. I doubt that at a traffic stop that an officer is going to take out a magnifying glass to determine the authenticity of a plate. A good source for plates is eBay but as mentioned in an earlier post much patience is needed. Another option is to buy a single plate, photograph it, and send the photo to a vendor that does stamped copies (raised letters/numbers) for a duplicate. Cost for copy is in the $100. range. Good Luck! GD
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05-07-2021, 09:00 AM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Troutman, NC
Posts: 717
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Re: License Plate Search
I just found my 1929 North Carolina Plate on e-bay as well. It may take some time to find a nice one but they do come up. For me this was 3 month of looking.
Ron |
05-07-2021, 09:18 AM | #11 |
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Connecticut Shoreline
Posts: 1,821
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Re: License Plate Search
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05-07-2021, 09:24 AM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Mebane NC
Posts: 2,353
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Re: License Plate Search
The '29 NC plate is one of those plates where the color is just all over the map, dozens of different takes on what color it was. Here's a photo I took when I was doing research. Bottom is a plate I found in the collection of a major plate collector in Greensboro. Top is a photo I got off an eBay listing that IMO looked original.
Text sources describe the color as "Carolina blue," but I've seen a lot of samples that are closer to the royal blue that you've got on your plate. I don't think anyone knows for sure. Even the originals I've seen are clearly altered by years of age and sun exposure. BTW a good tell on whether an NC plate has been repainted is the R's and A's in the state name. Those letters are really hard to do by hand and it's rare that both Rs and both As on a repainted plate look the same. Last edited by alexiskai; 05-07-2021 at 09:29 AM. |
05-07-2021, 09:45 AM | #13 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fountain Valley, Calif.
Posts: 937
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Re: License Plate Search
I found and bought restored plates for my 1930 Town Sedan, here in S. California. You need to be sure the numbers/letters are still good…..I heard that motorcycle plates were using some of older numbers/letters. In California, I had to take the plates to my local DMV, where they were examined as to color and size. Restored was fine as long as the color matched, size was correct, and numbers available. But every state is likely different, so I would sure recommend checking with your DMV first.
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05-07-2021, 10:24 AM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Marengo. Illinois
Posts: 262
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Re: License Plate Search
Try a google search for Indiana License Plates. you can usually find a matched set within a few weeks. A matched Illinois set for 1928-1931 go anywhere from $35.00 and up.
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05-07-2021, 12:07 PM | #15 |
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Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Erie Pa
Posts: 689
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Re: License Plate Search
These plates were bought off EBay paid $50. for them
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05-07-2021, 12:24 PM | #16 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 3,897
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Re: License Plate Search
It did not occur to me that re-pop plates could be illegal. Who would care if they were original or not. A set of original plates 1930 came with my car. The North Carolina DMV said to keep the issued plate under the seat and mount the original plate on the rear. They did not record the number or check to see if it was original or still OK. In fact, they didn't even look at it.
Lots of people on the internet advertise restoring original plates. Are they breaking the law? Most do a very good job that are not distinguishable from a new 1930 plate.
__________________
A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. |
05-07-2021, 12:24 PM | #17 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Troutman, NC
Posts: 717
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Re: License Plate Search
Quote:
Ron |
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05-07-2021, 12:27 PM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Mebane NC
Posts: 2,353
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Re: License Plate Search
Yeah, my speculation on that is that the Carolina blue paint makes it particularly appealing as a collectible.
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05-07-2021, 12:41 PM | #19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Syracuse, NY
Posts: 173
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Re: License Plate Search
I was fortunate enough to find a pair of 1930 License plates in fair condition for around $50 on eBay a while ago. In NY you have to have a pair, so it was definitely worth it. The only part that was a little nerve wracking was waiting to hear from the DMV after the purchase, whether they were OK to use or not (they used to have a number you could call to check the letters/numbers to verify it was valid - disconnected since COVID). I went through the re-registration process, pictures of the plates, and a check, and held my breath - two weeks later a shiny new registration came through - mission accomplished. I may at some point seek a restoration service for the plates, but for now I enjoy the comments/looks when people see them and ask if they're legal.
Last edited by mgambuzza; 05-14-2021 at 07:19 AM. Reason: add photo |
05-07-2021, 12:50 PM | #20 | |
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Location: Anchorage, Alaska
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Re: License Plate Search
Quote:
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