Do you have antique plates?

[shadango]

I was all gung ho about getting antique plates for my car....I figured that I can abide by the "only occasionally driven" rules....the only real benefit to it in PA is that you dont need the yearly safety inspection....since the car will probably see very few miles I figured why pay the yearly registration and inspection costs......in PA, you pay once for Antique (97.50) and the plate is permanant. Cool.  I currently have another vehicle that I drive maybe 25 milesa year and the yearly inspection is a real PITA plus just plain DUMB with that low mileage......figures I would avoid that with this car.

Well, after waiting a week, the state finally got back to me....DENIED.

The denied my app on the grounds that I have aftermarket wheels on the car.  I called and tried to speak to someone to find out exactly what I could do and if there is anything else that will be an issue and I was told they will get back to me in 3 business days.

So I am bummed.

I can "fix the issue" and resend another app with new pics, which will take another week or so......if they dont find an issue at THAT time then I am good....otherwise, will be rubber stamped again.

truth be told, I like stock rally rims better than what I have...but the ones I have are brand new, with brand new tires.....and rally rims are gonna be pricey to find plus I woulld need new tires all around I guess....

My current rears are wider than the fronts.....wheels too....although you cant see that in the pictures sent to the state.....I didnt think it mattered.....I thought that the USE of a nearly 40 year old vehicle was the point to the plate, not the LOOKS of it.

I was wrong.

So, how many of you have your old Mopar registered regular and how many of you are antique?

I guess the upside is that with regular plates I can drive it as much as I want.....without fearing big brother is gonna nail me for enjoying my property too much with the wrong plate.....

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Here in Maryland, we have Historic plates. You just have to state whether it is stock or a hot-rod. I have NO idea what the vague line is there between the two, or what the cost might be.

Hey, drive down here, we can swap wheels, and you can get inspected.   


  Mike

[bordin34]

I have antique plates, I don't think NJ cares how modified your car is. If you have a non-space saver spare tire in the trunk, put it on and then go to the junkyard and find another or two. You will only need 2 stock wheels and tires but you will need to swap them from side to side as you take pictures.

[MDMoparDude]

I have antique plates on mine, VA didn't ask to see pics of the car, just the money.  No state inspections with them, and nock on wood, I have driven my car any day of the week and haven't been messed with.  I imagine if you are screwing around, it is another ticket they can give you, but was followed by a police officer for 5 miles this morning and they didn't stop me..........

[69bronzeT5]

I just put mine on for shows....

[hooD]

Michigan lets you use a Historic plate, an Authentic plate (same year as your car) or a Regular plate.  Both Historic and authentic plates need to be registered to a vehicle 25 years or older.  A one time registration fee of $35 applies for the authentic plates.  Historic plates renew every 5 years or so, and the regular plate needs to be renewd each year.

I have my original plate when I bought my car new in late 1972.  I don't know why I kept it all those years, but it paid off for me when my car turned 25 and I was able to re-register my original (authentic) plate for 35 bucks.  That was back in 1998.   

I have never been stopped or questioned by the cops about my plate, and I drive as much as I want.  And my wheels are aftermarket.  I'm glad I don't live in PA even though you guys won the Stanley cup.

[shadango]

Here in Maryland, we have Historic plates. You just have to state whether it is stock or a hot-rod. I have NO idea what the vague line is there between the two, or what the cost might be.

Hey, drive down here, we can swap wheels, and you can get inspected.   


  Mike

Thanks for the offer!   

Thats what is killing me right now....I cant drive ANYWHERE without a plate.....I can get a regular plate tomorrow....but then I have to have the car safety inspected.   Kind of defeats the purpose of getting the antique plates....LOL

[torredcuda]

Photoshop! 

['Cuda Hunter]

I agree. PHOTOSHOP.

Here in Colorado, I paid a one time fee, no inspection, Have to pay registration every five years.  That is on my 67 GTO.  Otherwise, I keep a specialty plate on my 71 and regular plates on everything else.
cheaper all around to have regular plates.  Actually cheaper to have a specialty plate. 

[RusTy/SE]

I went to my local Alabama office back in June 2007. Initially given VAL443, i explained that my car will have a 440 and asked if VAL440 was available. "Let me take a look", and cool beans, she returned with it One time fee

I found the "totally zed" plate at a rural antique shop years ago

[Bearcuda]

Thats cool, The only reason I went with regular plates is that I wanted a vanity plate. You can't have antique vanity plates in West Virginia. I was thinking of finding a date correct set though in case I want to switch over.

[JH27N0B]

Maybe someone would lend you a set of stock wheels and tires to put on your car for photographic purposes?
Here in Illinois they aren't very strict with buying antique vehicle plates, I think the vehicle has to be over 25 years old and that is it.  However, they do have fairly strict rules about the use of a vehicle displaying antique plates; driving to and from car shows, exhibitions, and parades, and maintenance.  I think that is it, by the letter of the law, even a pleasure drive on a nice day seems to be illegal!
It sort of depends on how strict a policeman is, and how much he knows about the antique plate rule here, as to if you will have trouble.  In over 12 years of ownership of my car I have never had a policeman question me about my plates.  I probably don't drive it more than 500 miles a year on average, and usually I am going to or from a cruise or show when I am driving it, so I don't push the law much.  When I first got the car, I did drive it to work from time to time.  I still take it out for a drive from time to time when the weather is nice.
I just figure if I am ever questioned I will say I am doing some maintenance and taking it out for a test drive.
A friend of mine was telling me recently that a coworker of his drove his kids to soccer practice in his antique plated Camaro convertible on a nice Saturday, was pulled over, and when he told the officer what he was doing, he was ticketed for improper use of antique plates.
Just about every weekend there are shows and cruises, and there are cruises most every weeknight in some local suburb.  It seems to me it is easy to come up with a good story for a cop if ever questioned, saying you are going to a car event. One just has to make sure he says the right thing and not admit to doing anything not allowed with our vanity plate rules!
They are a great deal here, I paid extra when I first got mine for Vanity plates, but since then, they only need to be renewed every 5 years, and the renewal is only $15 or $20, with no extra charge for the Vanity plate.  For regular plates, they nail you something like $100 or $125 extra, every year, when you renew your vanity plates!

[shadango]

I am resigning to the fact that it is going to be a struggle with the state.....

Lets say that I do switch the wheels and send in new pics.......then I have to be concerned about when I drive it and such......honestly, i bought the car so I could enjoy it....I think having the weight of  "is the leo behind me going to pull me over and question my plates" hanging over my head would ruin that....

I am going to sleep on it a couple days, but I may just put on my big boy pants and quit whining and get regular plates and inspection and all that crap.....

I am going over my brakes and front end etc to double check everything.....the only trouble I see so far is that my tie rod end boots are split....but the joints all all nice and tight........

[pink panther]

here in Missouri, I have historic plates, doesn't matter that my car is altered with aftermarket wheels, the only criteria is it has to be 20 years old to be antique. I have peronalized historic plates that have to be renewed every year with no inspection ever required, if they were just historic they wouldn't have to be renewed.  I gota card that you keep track of your miles on, but no-one ever wants to see it.

I agree with other, photoshop your car.

[cuda]

I dont have a collector plate but i do have my grandfathers collection of plates that go back to the 1940s from every car he ever drove. I put them all on my garage wall.