Some toppers and/or radiator tags

[Neil Mylar LakewoodCA]

Here are some pictures of some license plate toppers and radiator tags that I've collected. Some are city license tax tags.

The Missouri plate has a St Louis city tax tag and a small tag with the number 1 on it. Any idea what the small tag was for?

I'm not sure what the Los Angeles T.N.T. service tag was for, but I'm glad it survived.

Do you guys have other toppers you can share?

[Neil Mylar LakewoodCA]

Other pictures.

[WTSHNN]

I have two of the "Peach of a City" toppers and have never been able to figure out what it means in regards to Chicago. Probably have a dozen '29 Chicago Tax Tags.

Nice collection.
-Tim

[Neil Mylar LakewoodCA]

Hi Tim,
You mentioned that you must have a dozen Chicago tax tags. The ones I have are for 35 HP or less. Have you ever seen one for above 35 HP?

[Fordors]

Originally Posted by Neil Mylar LakewoodCA

Hi Tim,
You mentioned that you must have a dozen Chicago tax tags. The ones I have are for 35 HP or less. Have you ever seen one for above 35 HP?

The horsepower reference is to "taxable horsepower", not as rated by the manufacturer. Taxable HP values are based on bore and stroke, that was the reason for the engine architecture typically used in the UK,(small bore, long stroke) the fee charged was lower.
Years ago in Chicago (maybe into the '70's) one purchased a city sticker and typically a six cylinder was rated 31 taxable, while V-8's were 35 if I remember correctly. Haven't lived in the city in years, but I bet everybody pays way too much now.

[WTSHNN]

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Originally Posted by Neil Mylar LakewoodCA

Hi Tim,
You mentioned that you must have a dozen Chicago tax tags. The ones I have are for 35 HP or less. Have you ever seen one for above 35 HP?

I have over 60 Chicago Tax Tags in my collection...here are some of them.

















Here are my "Peach of a City" toppers..





-Tim

[The Hot Rod Grille]

Here's a license plate that was sold by local civic groups (Lions, Civitan, etc) as a fund raiser. It was produced in the WV State Prison on the same machine as the regular license tags.

Jim

[dlshady]

Glad to see that there are other tag topper collectors here! I've been hunting ones from Alabama and the surrounding states for several years now but they've proven to be pretty tough to find.

[dlshady]

A few more...

[Fordors]

I'm a '32 guy, but couldn't pass this one up. As found, needs to be painted a medium blue with white characters for the World's Fair colors.

[denis4x4]

Here are a couple. The Telluride topper is a reproduction of one that was sold in the early fifties. The repros were a Rotary Club fundraiser. Google American Beach Florida and the results are fascinating.

[Chris in WNC]

Originally Posted by denis4x4

Here are a couple. The Telluride topper is a reproduction of one that was sold in the early fifties. The repros were a Rotary Club fundraiser. Google American Beach Florida and the results are fascinating.

when I lived in NE Florida I drove many years with an American Beach topper on my Model A.
once I met Marsha Dean Phelts, a local lady who wrote a very good history of American Beach.
her family had spent summers there back in the segregation years.

[Neil Mylar LakewoodCA]

I'm enjoying the pictures of the toppers and city tags. Thanks for sharing.

Questions for Tim and for Fordors:
Would the Model A had been given an 'under 35' tag?
Did all cities required a city tag?
Was the city tag required for all vehicles in a city or just for commercial vehicles or just for businesses?
Was the city tag required to be displayed on each rear license plate?
If every car was required to have one on their rear license plate, then why do they appear to be so rare?

[FL&WVMIKE]

I am, presently, running these original toppers. The first one is not original, but a fantasy piece, hand painted by me.
MIKE (mikeburch)
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE - Twice

[FL&WVMIKE]

These are the original dealer stickers on my 1934 and 1935 Fords.
MIKE (mikeburch)
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE - Twice

[sidevalve8ba]

[FL&WVMIKE]

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

I am, presently, running these original toppers. The first one is not original, but a fantasy piece, hand painted by me.
MIKE (mikeburch)
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE - Twice

I forgot to mention that the DAYTONA BEACH topper is made of steel and not aluminum. It must be pre-war. ???
MIKE (mikeburch)

[Brad in Germany]

It is an original rally plaque given to the participants who drove their cars to the celebration of the grand opening of the Ford factory in Köln, Germany, 12-14 June 1931.

The motifs on this radiator badge include the Ford factory in Köln, the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral) and the bridge over the Rhein River in Köln. There are two variations of this radiator badge with the main difference being the name of the manufacturer, a slight difference in font size and also a very slight overall size difference.

Fordially,
Brad in Maryland

PS: "Fahrt zu Ford am Rhein" = Drive to Ford on the Rhein {river}

[Fordors]

Originally Posted by Neil Mylar LakewoodCA;821953[U

:Questions for Tim and for Fordors:[/U]
Would the Model A had been given an 'under 35' tag?
Did all cities required a city tag?
Was the city tag required for all vehicles in a city or just for commercial vehicles or just for businesses?
Was the city tag required to be displayed on each rear license plate?
If every car was required to have one on their rear license plate, then why do they appear to be so rare?

Yes Neil, the Model A would have been under 35 HP.
All cities did not have a tag requirement, I would think it began with a city looking for more revenue. They may say it's for registration purposes, but they can easily run your plates.
The tag was required on all vehicles registered in Chicago.
Don't know for sure, but I guess the tag was displayed on the rear of the vehicle for cars, but trucks maybe not. Often times the rear of a truck is dirty, or obstructed in some way.
The scarcity is partly because not every community required them.

In looking at Tim's tags I see some variety- there is Passenger Auto Under 35HP, Passenger Auto Over 35HP, Auto-Light Delivery- possibly like a sedan delivery or pickup?, Auto Truck, and lastly Auto Truck Over 1 Ton.
Auto Truck was what Chicago bureaucrats called commercial trucks BITD.

As an aside, living in unincorporated Cook County I paid $100 for my vehicle sticker (displayed on the windshield) but this July I will get it free as a senior citizen.

[WTSHNN]

Originally Posted by Fordors

Don't know for sure, but I guess the tag was displayed on the rear of the vehicle for cars, but trucks maybe not. Often times the rear of a truck is dirty, or obstructed in some way.

They were displayed on the front of the vehicle...don't have a good shot of a Model A with one on this computer but this gives you a hint.

The duplicate tags I posted earlier came out in 1928 or 1929 (can't remember which) and was started cause people were either stealing them or reporting them stolen and getting a new one. So they started issuing the duplicate tags. They switched to windshield stickers in Summer or Fall of 1931 however, motorcycles and dealer tags still were the metal discs. Motorcycles and taxi medallions are nearly the same today as they were back then.





Just for the hell of it...




-Tim