Register now to get rid of these ads!

License Plate Restoration?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Zapato, Aug 26, 2009.

  1. Anyone ever do a post on restoring license plates?
     
  2. caddy-hack
    Joined: Aug 2, 2008
    Posts: 43

    caddy-hack
    BANNED

    i would like to know also
     
  3. alex1954chevy
    Joined: Apr 13, 2008
    Posts: 253

    alex1954chevy
    Member

    my dad has a 1954 ford customline. i found him an original 1954 arizona license place it kinda rough shape. i took it to the body shop that does all the work for our cars and they completky restored it for me. my dad LOVES IT!! it cost about 100 bucks, but it was very well done
     
  4. Kevinsrodshop
    Joined: Aug 22, 2009
    Posts: 589

    Kevinsrodshop
    Member

    I have a page on my website for a plate that came with my 41 ford half ton. I did a quickie resto on it just for something to hang on the garage wall.

    The rest of the website isn't Hamb friendly so dont go there!

    http://www.kevinsrodshop.com/plate.html
     

  5. i think i did one or sorta limited post one a while ago..........basicly do bodywork (filler where needed), prime, a few coats of letter color, then background color and let cure for a few days. wet sand through background color to letter color on letters (i start with 400 grit and work up to 800), scuff up the rest of the paint (800 grit) and shoot with clear coat. always use good quality automotive paints and primers. these are the last 3 plates i did (the '47 plates are before the clear coat and have flat black numbers). you can do the letters with a brush or hard sponge if your good enough............which i'm not.

    btw the '39 plate i swapped numbers on (home depot numbers) for my house number.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Aug 28, 2009
  6. SWIGJ
    Joined: Mar 18, 2009
    Posts: 142

    SWIGJ
    Member
    from JASPER GA

    Try TAGDR.COM he is in Georgia
     
  7. DeVille Gal
    Joined: Apr 8, 2007
    Posts: 987

    DeVille Gal
    Member

    I think that Earl Schieb, here on the board, did one for HRLC you might want to PM him.
     
  8. what year wa. plate? i can tell you as i have spent way to much time researching this for my yom plates.:rolleyes:
     
  9. 61TBird
    Joined: Mar 16, 2008
    Posts: 2,640

    61TBird
    Member

  10. If you plan to use it for YOM registration be sure to check with your state to see if they accept restored plates. If you plan to sell it to a license plate collector leave it alone. Restoring it will only decrease its value.

    Charlie Stephens
     
  11. Fenders
    Joined: Sep 8, 2007
    Posts: 3,921

    Fenders
    Member

    What he said. Massachusetts does not accept restored plates. Original plate must be readable.
    Once you got it approved, then ummmm clean it up restore it ....

    BTW if two plates were issued in that year you must either have both, or claim that the other one was forever lost.
     
  12. Ayers Garage
    Joined: Nov 28, 2002
    Posts: 1,382

    Ayers Garage
    Member

    I've done a few for myself. I powdercoat mine, first letter color, then bake. Next, background color and wipe the letters clean before baking. They turnout pretty good that way.
     
  13. hotrodladycrusr
    Joined: Sep 20, 2002
    Posts: 20,765

    hotrodladycrusr
    Member

    Yep, Mike, Earl Schieb did two for me. One a YOM plate that he painted black with purple letter to match Big Olds that I run on the car. The other one he custom made with the letters HRLC on a Michigan plate, purple with black letters. I love them both.
     
  14. KATFISH
    Joined: Aug 9, 2004
    Posts: 662

    KATFISH
    Member

  15. bloodyjack
    Joined: Aug 29, 2007
    Posts: 649

    bloodyjack
    Member

    I am useing mine as i found them

    [​IMG]
     
  16. I'd love to know the in and outs of using YOM plates in Washington, year 1957.
     
  17. This plate will never be sold. Found a "CUBA" plate and would like to make it nice and then it becomes a wall hanger in my shop. Just another bit of paradise recovered.

    Zap-
     
  18. plym_46
    Joined: Sep 8, 2005
    Posts: 4,018

    plym_46
    Member
    from central NY

    It's fairly easy to do, as stated sand, straighten and fill as necessary, then with laquer paint the entire plate with 3 or 4 coats of the letter color. let it dry well, put it te sun for a day or two. Now paint your field color over the surface with enamal. then take a lintfree cloth, put some reducer on it and clean off the spots of the letttering numbers and any out line framing. 2 or three coats done that way and finish with clear if your like.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    If I use this plate I will need to repaint it as the yellow isn't DOT yellow. This was just a practice deal. But so get your plate approved for use first, then do your cosmentics.
     
  19. wa. 57' plates are evergreen backround with white lettering. is it steel or aluminum? strip it find a can of krylon or duplicolor evergreen and some white for the lettering. some guys use sign paint for the letters. post some pictures of your plate before and after.:D
     
  20. Mason
    Joined: Jul 21, 2007
    Posts: 21

    Mason
    Member

    Just a heads up for anyone "Darrels" License plate restoration in Pa. did mine. He originally said it was going to be 4 months 4 turned to 12 I called weekly and all I ever got was a bunch of stories. I thought for sure he lost them, then one day a year later they showed up I couldn't believe it. I would never go back to him but he did do a great job. He should have, he had plenty of time!
     
  21. 33Tudor
    Joined: Aug 30, 2007
    Posts: 763

    33Tudor
    Member

    I do them in basecoat/clearcoat. Here's a couple sets i've done.
     

    Attached Files:

  22. wow! really nice job.
     
  23. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    [​IMG]

    I do mine for my personal pleasure by hand. All lettered with a brush. The roller works fine if you have a perfect plate or you spend many hours restoring a plate to perfection but that is not my goal.
     
  24. The Liberace
    Joined: Nov 18, 2008
    Posts: 41

    The Liberace
    Member

    Dude, give the guy a brake. When he was'nt working on plates he was breakin rocks or being some guys boyfriend!
     
  25. oldpl8s
    Joined: Apr 11, 2007
    Posts: 1,487

    oldpl8s
    Member

    I do restoration of California plates if the metal is in pretty good shape. PM me to send photos -
     
  26. stop your killing me:eek:! no not the "broke back bitch" gig again!:rolleyes::D
     
  27. that's the only way to go......and like you pics they come out super clean.
     
  28. Swifster
    Joined: Dec 16, 2006
    Posts: 1,455

    Swifster
    Member

    Denise, be careful. The police can confiscate the plate for being modified. The YOM plates are supposed to be original colors only. Now, having said that, you may never be pulled over for it. It's up to the cop. Kind of like window tint. I know a lot of people try to 'color coordinate' their license plate, but they have the right to take the plate on the spot.

    By the way, when you register the plate, you've given ownership to the Secretary of State. Most cops have no idea what the colors were 60 years ago so you may never be bothered, but you may run into one who is a license plate collector and knows the law.
     
  29. Von Rigg Fink
    Joined: Jun 11, 2007
    Posts: 13,418

    Von Rigg Fink
    Member
    from Garage


    True

    and i got lucky on this one..my 53 Michigan plate is Black with white letters and numbers, and my 53 chevy is Black with a white top.

    this is where that cop would lose that argument;)
     
  30. Swifster
    Joined: Dec 16, 2006
    Posts: 1,455

    Swifster
    Member

    If you go into the ALPCA (American License Plate Collectors Association), and you look under FAQ, you'll find a index on the left side that has a list of restorers. Dan Landino has done mine and he's very reasonable. This is a sample of the MI plates he did for me before I moved...

    These were the original condition (the tabs were NOS)...

    [​IMG]

    And these are the finished product...

    [​IMG]

    A real good restorer should be able to repair just about any plate. I've seen some plates that were missing chunks that looked like new when completed.
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.