license plate restoration

[MDMoparDude]

Anybody ever had an old license plate done, and where is the best place?

[Bearcuda]

Haven't had one done, but I'm about to do the antique, correct year plates for my 73. Media blast, fix a few scars with bondo, prime, repaint. Too easy.

[burdar]

Here's a link to a company that sells vintage tags.  It might be cheaper buying new ones than restoring old ones. http://www.licenseplates.tv/

[Purple73Cuda]

Are those plates legal to use or are they just a novelty thing?

[burdar]

I believe you have to check with your state DMV.  Some states allow you to run antique plates and others don't.

I found a stack of old plates in my grandparents garage after they died.  I found two sets of 73 plates.  One of which is possibly the origonal plates to my car.

[MDMoparDude]

It is actually for a buddy that already has the plates.  He just wanted to get some feedback from someone who has had this done.  The link looks good, wonder if VA will let me run those.  Hate going to DMV to ask anything though. 

[burdar]

Here is a website for a company that restored origonal plates but I don't think they can re-do the reflective property of the paint.http://www.mojoartworks.com/

[ted]

Here's a link to a company that sells vintage tags.  It might be cheaper buying new ones than restoring old ones. http://www.licenseplates.tv/

not legal and dont look that close to originals

[burdar]

Accually the tags they show for Iowa match very well with the origonals I have.  In Iowa you can run vintage tags of the year the car was manufactured.  It all depends on the state.

I did see that they say your custom number is painted on...maybe that means it isn't stamped.  I just thought that might be an option for those who don't have any plates to begin with.

[e-tek]

Haven't had one done, but I'm about to do the antique, correct year plates for my 73. Media blast, fix a few scars with bondo, prime, repaint. Too easy.

I've tried that - and have lots of body/paint experience - not that easy and they just don't look real in the end. It has to do with the raised letters and the piant on them - hard to get right. Maybe you're better tho!

[Bearcuda]

I've tried that - and have lots of body/paint experience - not that easy and they just don't look real in the end. It has to do with the raised letters and the piant on them - hard to get right. Maybe you're better tho!

You know what I think might work well but I haven't tried it myself? I don't know about all plates, but our old ones have sunken in letters so they would be raised on back. Is that typical? Anyway, I think if you painted the letters first (if they were sunken) and then used one of those little rubber rollers for the outer paint, I think it would walk over the letters pretty nicely and evenly. Anyone know where to get those hard rubber rollers? They are like a paint roller, but only about 4 inches wide.

[burdar]

My Iowa plates are just the opposite.  The numbers are raised.

I'm hoping I can clean up my plates without having to repaint them.  There is still a 1974 sticker on them witch would be destroyed otherwise.

[LAA66]

 Raised letters in Challyfornia also. But this method could be used on either type:

 I sprayed the digits (yellow), let it set a week or so to cure, then shot the background. Immediatly afterward, I carefully removed the black paint from the numerals with thinner. Not exactly perfect but neither were the original margins. (The inmates making them probably weren't to motivated back then.) 

 Managed to save the 1970 sticker also which was the reason for refurbishing instead of replacing the plates.

[wally426ci]

Hey man, long time. I did mine myself by testing different Blue's.

Basically it cost me about $8 in paint.

 

[LAA66]

 Looks good! And a border to boot. Nice match on yours Wally. 

 Mines not exactly the 1970 California colors ,,,,,,,,, but what the heck they fit my Challenger better.
 
 So far Johnny Law hasn't noticed either.