How can I keep my (CA) black plates?

[tiorio]

The 911 content is questionable but the Porsche content is 100% and you guys know a heck of a lot about these things so...

A friend buys a house from his uncle. In the garage of said house is a 1964 356C which hasn't moved since 1976 with no rust, reconditioned interior, and new (in 1974) paint to cover well repaired fender damage. Original 97k miles, never rebuilt but not running (carbs off before storage and bagged).

Said 356C needs to be sold. As the friend called upon me to help him demo and shelve the garage in return for storing some of my stuff, I have first crack.

Vehicle hasn't been registered in CA since 1976. A call to my local AAA office and subsequent research says 'DMV considers this vehicle off-record' which means no matter what, a new title has to be issued. Which is fine but...

The car has the original black plates. With a new title comes new plates and according to AAA, now way around it.

At the very least I'll tell them the plates were lost and keep them but DAMNED if it wouldn't be the cat's a$$ to run black plates legally on this thing.

Does ANYONE have any info. on this? Here's a little pic to whet the appetites...



Moral of the story? You might not want to run away when a friend asks you for help moving/cleaning out the garage...

Thanks for any info!

[B D]

I would talk to collector car shop and ask what they do. I am not sure but if you know someone in collections I think there is a tricky way you can do a lien sale somehow and keep the plates and get a new title.

[Joe Bob]

I've been told that if you can show paperwork wise that the cr originally had THOSE plates that DMV will let you keep them. Sounds like ya need to stand in line and deal with the weasels at DMV.....

[Az911]

Good find I would do what ever it takes to keep the old black plate on the car.

[TOO RUF]

You register them as Vanity plates. Store the ones from DMV and run with the Black ones.

[Joe Bob]

Won't work....the number/letter sequence is of a type that is not acceptable....

[BURN-BROS]

How about painting the plates that you get in black. I bet no one will realize. My dad did that in the 70s to a blue plate.

[Hugh R]

Ex Gov Davis vetoed a bill to allow the use of new uses of black and blue plates for historical vehicles because they're not reflective. You may be out of luck unless as MikeZ says you can convince the DMW weasels. I've thought about painting my blue plates black on the DB4. See if you can get vanity plates with the three letters first and three digits second and then paint it black. That way it'll at least appear correct when you paint them. Blacks were "abc 123", blues were "123 abc"

[yelcab1]

I am in the minority I guess, but ... there must be bigger problems to worry about.

[notmytarga]

According to CA DMV Info if it was a 1962 or earlier you could use year appropriate plates. A neighbor has a 1952 Chevy panel van and he got his plates from a used plate dealer and registered them. EBay has an old plates section. But you can only use then if 1962 or before:

From the DMV site:


Vehicle Code

Model Year Date License Plates

5004.1. (a) An owner of any vehicle that is a 1962 or older model year vehicle may, after the requirements for the registration of the vehicle have been complied with and with the approval of the department, utilize license plates of this state with the date of year corresponding to the model year date when the vehicle was manufactured, if the model year date license plate is legible and serviceable, as determined by the department, in lieu of the license plates otherwise required by this code. The department may consult with an organization of old car hobbyists in determining whether the date of year of the license plate to be used corresponds to the model year date when the vehicle was manufactured.

(b) A fee of thirty-five dollars ($35) shall be charged for the application for use of the special plates.

(c) In addition to the regular renewal fee for the vehicle for which the plates are authorized, the applicant for a renewal of the plates shall be charged an additional fee of ten dollars ($10). When payment of a regular vehicle renewal fee is not required by this code, the holder of any license plates with a date corresponding to the model year may retain the plates upon payment of an annual fee of twenty dollars ($20), which shall be due at the expiration of the registration year of the vehicle to which the plate was last assigned under this section.

(d) Whenever any person who has been authorized to utilize the special license plates applies to the department for transfer of the plates to another vehicle, a transfer fee of twelve dollars ($12) shall be charged in addition to all other appropriate fees.

Amended Ch. 1292, Stats. 1993. Effective January 1, 1994.

[dvkk]

Does your friend's uncle not have the title? AFAIK, as long as you have the original title that bears those plates, you can run them.

One of the reasons you can't re-use the black plates is that they conflict with the 56-63 yellow plates that use the same ABC-123 sequence.

[tiorio]

Originally posted by BURN-BROS
How about painting the plates that you get in black. I bet no one will realize. My dad did that in the 70s to a blue plate.

Tried this one with a 69 El Camino SS...

The local constabulary was none too amused! The fine was outrageous but I managed to avoid by showing that it was the previous owner who did it and how the heck was I supposed to know they were painted?

Of course I knew, silly rabbit, but for the hundreds of dollars they wanted for this particular 'crime against all humanity'...

Thanks for all the responses guys! Now more research and a stack of $20s to bribe the boys in gray down at the DMV!

[jkarolyi]

Aw, man! How come I never have luck like this! Excellent find...are you planning on acquiring the car?

[ken_xman]

I am interested in the car, if you are not.
thanks, ken

[Randy Webb]

Email DMV -- I did that in Oregon and they said you can file a form to switch the plates from one car to anther. That is how I kept my 911S plates after I sold my '75.

[Joe Bob]

Originally posted by yelcab1
I am in the minority I guess, but ... there must be bigger problems to worry about.

Yeah....well the easiest way to pi$$ off a 356 owner is to ask about his plates.

New plates on a 356 get the "is that a real Speedster or a replica" question....or I guess you aren't the original owner or some such drivel that tweeks the panties of the whine and cheese crowd.

Best answer is ....it's a 356 thang....

[K. Roman]

You'd have to be pretty vintage to be an original owner of a 356.

[techweenie]

Tiorio: Call the DMV Service guys (310) 390-3944 and tell them what you're trying to do. They may be able to get a 'duplicate title' issued and then you can transfer it, keeping the plates.

Much better to deal with than the government drones, and they're right down the street!