I'm looking for some info from you guys that I couldn't get while on the phone with SOS for an hour. I'd like to register my '56 Chevy with the correct year plates (which I'm having a hard time finding). If you register as historic how strict are they about driving the car? I like to drive the car as much as I can when weather permits, and I work at a shop so I think I can give the excuse that I'm going to fix the car. I've heard that police were stopping people the week before the dream cruise because the "parade" hadn't officially began so I'm not sure if they're real strict on it or if they were trying to make examples of people burning rubber on the street. Also, if you register the car normally, can you use classic insurance? In NY it had regular plates on it with classic insurance and never had problems with driving it regularly. I'm currently living in Holly if that makes any difference.
The law has been changed to allow unlimited driving during the month of August so that is not why the Police are stopping people the week before the Dream Cruise. As to strictness, it depends upon the Police Dept. When calling the local Secretary of State office, it is hap hazard if you will find someone who actually knows the details about historic or authentic plates. Read this: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/hplate_16252_7.pdf and this: http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1585_1595_52364-205712--,00.html
thats why i never run the yom plates, some cops are too dumb and dont know the law. i also got tired of arguing that one tail light is legal for pre49 cars, so just put on two lights
I run YOM plates on all of mine- never been a problem- I was stopped once for not having current tabs on the YOM plate- now carry a letter saying plates do not expire- but I live in northern MI and not in the big cities- also use Hagety insurance which limits driving as well - but while I drive them often I do not try to make them my daily drivers-
I can see YOM plate on a stone stock restored to showroom condition car but can never figure out the attraction for say a 31 A built period correct for the early 50's. Or worse yet these billet packing mid 60's cars. I'd think you are looking to be hassled if you drive it to work every day, park it out front of where you work so everyone can see it, drive it to lunch and park it back out front and then drive home every day. Driving it to work once a week on the day the local burger joint has their cruise night or on the day a group has cars and coffee before work probably wouldn't raise an eyebrow. I see mid 80's work beaters running Antique plates around here and a few with YOM plates and that kills the whole appeal . This state does have a "collector vehicle" plate that is rear plate only that has a lot of appeal for me though as I hate running a front plate. YOM, historic, Antique or what not I'd print out the RCW's for running the plate and have them right in with the registration and insurance papers, especially for YOM plates.
This link has looks about both plates http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1585_1595_52364-205712--,00.html This link gives the info about driving limitations http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1585_1595_52364---,00.html Sent from my XT1254 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
you can't use YOM in Michigan for a daily driver. Driving to and from car shows, cruise nights, ice cream runs are allowed. Pretty much how I use my car.. there is a car show or something just about every night of the week here, so if pulled over, you could come up with a story to tell the cops easily.
Yeah I figured that much, got pulled over there once. The cop says I needed the sticker on my (NY) plate.. says "You gotta follow our rules here". Took him a minute to realize how little sense that made, he let me off acting like he was doing me a favor after he ran my plates thinking I stole the car. I plan to use the car on the weekends and cruise nights, and maybe occasionally take it to work on a nice day. I think I'll go with the YOM plates for the look of them.
I run YOM on my '50 Ford (and have run them on all my old cars) and never once had a problem. I think it's more the driver and his/her driving than just being an old car on the road. Now...I'm trying to get YOM plates on my camper (1958) and that's turning out to be a hassle. I'm gonna tag it with a trailer plate and keep the YOM in the back window.
Never forget about "test drives" or service checks. Maintaining is more than wiping down, gotta drive em. They can't deny that need. Now if the same cop sees you every day for a cpl weeks, well... Uninformed MI S.O.S worker insisted I needed antique plates vs a standard issue on my A pickup. "You'll wish you listened when you get a ticket." "Well thanks for the warning dear, but can I just get my plate?" Yes, couldn't make that up if I tried.
Went through this last year seems you need Year specific or historic to get lower insurance rate. I had custom plate but it would have cost me almost double for insurance so I went with historic so far have not been hasselled. I checked other classic insurance they had the same policy lower rates with year specific or historic.
I ran a regular plate on my cpe for a while but in 04 I went to historic plate and I've never been stopped because of it. The car has been to Ca. twice, Fla. 3 times and out to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia with them on and over 75K mi. I have Grundy for insurance and it was over a $100 savings with the historic plate back in 04 not sure what the savings would be now
Grundy doesn’t assess the Michigan catastrophic insurance cost when you show that you have YOM or Historic plates. It has been as much as $100 or so a year but I don’t know what it is right now. But the real answer is to read the SOS web site!
... If you use regular plates ... you can still get classic insurance ... but you are going to pay the full amount of Michigan's catastrophic claims on your insurance policy (about $170 extra) ... If you register a YOM or historic plate ... you used to pay 20% of that ($34 vs $170) ... ... The restrictions on YOM plates are that you aren't allowed to use them for a daily driver for work or errands to the store etc ... but cruising for pleasure ... old car functions ... cruise nights ...etc ... is permissible ... I did hear that they amended it a couple of years ago ... letting you drive your car for the whole month of August with no restriction ... (possibly because of the Woodard Dream Cruise) ... ... Another thing to keep in mind is when you register a YOM plate ... it comes with a non-expiring registration ... and that they don't show up in Michigan's database if the police run your plate ... You are issued a paper slip stating that fact ... and that you are supposed to show it to them in case you do get pulled over ... ... We take weekly old car lunch cruises of 100 plus mile round trips with no hassles ... As long as there's no reckless driving involved with your car ... you should have no problems really ... ... My car buddies actually got in an accident with each other out of state (one rear ended the other in the rain) ... Both had YOM plates with Grundy insurance ... No tickets were issued ... the police were sympathetic ... and Grundy paid them generously on their claim ... ... I've had my YOM registered on my car for the last 25 years ... I actually got pulled over for speeding and gave the cop my paperwork telling him about it not being in the database ... He was cool about it but still gave me an impeding traffic ticket to collect the revenue for his city ...
The easier way to avoid "arguments" with the police is to carry a copy of your state statutes in your vehicle. In Missouri there are explicit instructions on the how and why of YOM plates. If you feel the need to argue then it would help you out in Montana with Florida YOM plates, for example, to not have that information at hand. Do you expect the officer 2,000 miles from your home state to know its laws.? The easiest way to avoid arguments is not to act like a teenager when you drive around especially out of state. Tire burning, no mufflers, etc., are simply drawing attention to yourself. Really, how often have you been stopped for doing nothing? Really?
In Washington, there are restrictions as to how you can use your vehicle that include special occasions. In western Washington, any day that it doesn't rain is a special occasion.
In the last dozen or more years, 3 times. Not in specialty cars, just getting fucked with. The best was the cop's mistake that I was speeding. I wasn't. I told him that at my age I'd simply say "Hey ya got me, how about a break." and then I said "Frankly you're not important enough for me to lie about it." That got his attention. "Excuse me?" "Yeah, really. For a ticket? But it was the car behind me, I didn't exceed the limit." He checked my record, came back and said he thought "not important enough" was pretty good. Shook his hand, said thanks, told him be careful out there. They're people just like us, right? Give em the same demeanor you'd give anyone casually and it's a win.
Try www.MadMaxsAuthenticPlates.com for plates. He is in Mi. and is easy to deal with. Reasonable prices, too.
Been driving my 50 with YOM plate for at least 15 years. Never been stopped. The best part of YOM plates is you register it and pay once and never have to renew it. I think it was $10 at the time.
I'd say that having the printed out info on the plate including the rcw's on it in with the registration and insurance papers is a must do thing if you run YOM plates in any state. As far as how often and where you drive it that may depend on the attitude of local law enforcement. Some like the old cars and are cool with it while some are hardcore when they think someone might be getting away with something. I did see a mid 60's truck with classic plates hauling a load of plywood and lumber up the road the other day and If I had been a cop that would have been an instant ticket because that is clearly written in this states rules as a can't do with those plates.
I've hauled groceries, etc...hell, my wife hauled a garden full of plants in the Shoebox one time! Just drive sane.
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