A friend of mine bought a car that was driven from Caflifornia and sold to a dealer here. The dealer told him that it was a "black plate car". What the heck dose that mean? It has a pair of cal license plates with matching numbers, is that what it means?
That is all it means and it is used by superficial speculating sons-a-bitches back east to somehow bamboozle people into paying more money. Period.
I have allways thought that the "black-plate" thing was some sort of proof that the car had not been resold since the blue/yellow plates made their appearance ? Klaz
Black base - yellow numbers vs yellow back - black numbers. Unbolt them and add the new plates from your state, sell the black plates on ebay to someone who cares.
Some people in Ca. consider a black plate car somewhat special. When I lived there some of those that wanted to "prove" that it was a very rust free car would throw around the phrase black plate car. I even ran into some "collectors" who sought out New Mexico cars or Az. cars because in their opinion they may even have a cleaner chassis than the black plate car because they were further from the salt air. I bought a New Mexico 62 Corvette with a really clean chassis so there is something to the Southwest lack of salt but the plate plate expression may be more flash than substance.
California license plates : `47 version Yellow with black#s , then came the `51 version DARK blue/black? with yellow#s , next was the smaller `56 version : Yellow with black#s and then came the "Black-plates" mentioned ( looks like a very dark blue with yellow#s ... A car sold new in `49 would have the `47 License-plate with a `49 tag added in the lower right corner . Same with the `51 and `56 version ... I am not sure when the Black-plate turned up ... `60 ??? Guess any native Californian could put this straight If someone back in `52 sold a `47 Ford ( with yellow `47 plates ) , Would DMVgive the new owner a set of `51 plates with a `52 Tag ? , or would the previous owner allready have added them ( by law ) ? If you sold a "black-plate" `63 Riviera in `74 , could the new owner keep the black-plates , or would he have to accept the Blue/yellow ones` ?? KLAZ
the black plate was issued I believe from 1963 thru 1969 and then in 1970 the blue plate with yellow numbers came along. I guess it is used sometimes as a marketing ploy to show that the car has been a California car continuously since the 60s.
this last reply sums it up the best, I cherish black plate cars if there the ones that came on the car, and they just look better on more kinds of cars.
As an easterner, to me it means that you have proof that the car has been continuously registered in California since the date of that plate. If you've battled rust buckets all your life, that can be a big asset. I know guys that keep their car registered in California just to keep those plates current. That "California car" car you are buying could have spent 25 salty years in New York before moving to California but it won't have those black plates. If you don't live in the rust belt you may not think it's a big deal.
This pretty much sum's it up. The black plate cars are the "hot" ones to get out of California. It's a badge of honor kinda thing.
I love the Black plate lesson from Norway. Are you a transplant or do they give courses in license plate lore up there? I also love the myth or no rust in California, I live 100 yards from the Pacific and it is pouring rain right now. I am pretty sure the '34 is rusting as we speak. Evil T and I did get a pile of parts that included a set of original black plates though, still in the envelope, quite purdy. True
Shit I live 100 yards from the Pacific on the other side of that pond, (do ya think if we looked hard enough we could see each other?) Weather is good here ...no rain, sun is just coming up and I am off to the opening of the worlds newest dragstrip today. I am sure that all the tin in the yard is still rusting right now......salt spray travels for miles.
Stuff gets everywhere you know? And yes, I can see your rusty tin from here, but it rusts counterclockwise. True
In California when you sell a car the plates go with it to the new owner. So the original plates ought to be on the car... That is unless the car was out of registration for a length of time and the DMV lost the records of it. I think it's 5 years now and you're out of the computer. If you register a black plate car that is out of the system, you get issued new plates. So it's a simple way people use to try to prove the car was never off the road. But... I'm a little cloudy on this part, you can reassign black plates to an old car via some process with the DMV. At least as far as I know. I have the original plate for my Parkwood, but I have new plates on the car now.
There is rust I suppose and then there is downright pitiful rust. These are some photos of an eastern 55 Bird (originally an orange metal flake car that supposedly won awards back in the 50's) that I did when I had my shop in San Marcos Ca. My Ca friends used to laugh at this resurrection. When I would cut out portions of the body I would use a bunch of witness marks so that I could put it back in the same body configuration as it left the factory. Then I would cleco the outside of the body together and then cut more away on the inside. I really believe by the time I was all done I replaced 60% of the body and some pretty good portions of the frame. It was one of those stupid projects that I got myself into and didn't make enough money to buy dinner. I have a real appreciation for cars with lets say a minimal amount of rust. Jim
Cars with black plates don't rust?? The plates have rust repelling qualities? If you only run 1 plate will the oppisite end of the car rust?? If I bring a black plate car to CT to use as my winter driver, it'll never rust. Right?? If I put black plates on my currently rusty car they will prevent further rust?? Or will it completely reverse the rusting process restoring the floors & panels to there factory spendor without the need costly welders & replacement panels?? Sign me up. I'll take 2 pair of the black plates please! Billy
CA DMV will let you put yellow plates from the 50s om 62 and older cars but havent decided the black ones are worthy of being nostalgik so, as said above, if the car wasn't registered for a while and was deleted from the computer you can't use the black plate any more even if they are still on the car. you have to use the newer reflecto-plates that seem to self destruct in about the same time as a new OEM paint job clear coat. It is a plus for believing the title is really up to date and legit. SO in that way it is worth a bit more money, but not much out of state because you can't run them, can you? The black plates keep some cars from rusting...Corvettes, Bricklins and Avanti's come to mind...
I don't know about the whole 63 thing. I've got a matched set of black plates from my Merc with 62 stamped in the upper right corner.
Black plates just mean the cars been a california car for the majority of its life. My 39' Merc coupe was advertised as a "black plate car" and it was truely that...solid and rust free!
My info differs a little...As per me registering a car that was off the computer but had perfect black plates still with it and on the old registration as (TRUE) described earlier. DMV will let you run black plates on a car that has not been registered in a while. The plate must be in good shape and the number that was issued to the car. You can't find a set and register them to your car.. They must have been issued for it....EVILT
What EvilT said, one of my cars was off the computer for a while. I did have to bring the plates into DMV so they could see their condition.
You mean left to right... Is that the tardis (sp)? ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver" Since I gave up hope I feel much better.
Black plate usually means its had fewer owners been kept in a garage hasn,t been spanked(accident damaged) and maintained to a higher standard. all of these can be in varying degrees. positve and negative but you could get lucky..
Jeez Jimdillon, They must have parked that bird in a brine tank. I don't suppose you documented this project from start to finish? It would make for a good clinic.
I got black plates on my truck. Bought them off ebay, and registered the truck with em' In Texas you can use the same year plates as the year of manufacture of your classic car....maybe that's all they did.
It was a long story but I was trying to be a nice guy and due to a real lack of brain activity I agreed to restore this car. I have a bunch of photos ( I used to take photos to send to the customers), a few before and most during and some after. Maybe the best clinic would be on how not to get involved in stupid projects. I was on a budget and had to cut more corners than I wanted but it came out OK-I saw it went thru an auction and was the cover car, so it showed well. If I was a gamblin man I would bet that rust in the deep recesses probably came back for a visit .-Jim
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