License Plate Repairs

Cape Codder

Cape Codder

Well-known member
I have two license plates I would like to have repaired and painted.
Can someone suggest a restoration service?
Thanks for your time.
Joe Grobleski
Cape Cod
 
If your plates are not too beat up this is a great time to do it yourself and learn a little body work all you need is a body hammer with a pick end and a small dolly with a flat side and a narrow edge. it is actually quite fun to do. trick is to tap lightly and work slow.
 
I agree with J Franklin. They are very easy to straighten out and can be repaired with any type of welding although I find TIG works great on the thin gauge. I clamp the thin plate to a heavy steel plate which absorbs heat and helps in the welding. It certainly would be good experience preceding body sheet metal repair. I generally have a set waiting for the same primer and paint that I use on the cars. There is a great web site http://www.worldlicenseplates.com/ that lists examples in color of just about any year plate in the world. Here you can get very close to the correct colors if there is any doubt. Here are pictures of two sets where I rearranged the numbers. The lettering is by hand using "One Shot", and believe me, I am far from an artist. Gar Williams
 

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Cape Codder:
I have found that it is not so easy as Gar says to do the plates. I have one man in Milwaukee and one here that does plates. You can expect to pay $25 and up for each.

Gar:
Nice work and pictures. I have a 1930 ILL plate that I did 15 years ago. It is getting harder to find plates that have the right numbers you can cut up and make what you want. "A" era TN plates are $100 and up. I moved here 7 years ago.

Vic
 
Gar:
Two things - the 29 plate should be red and black and the brackets should be oriented like the 31 plate.

Too much time on my hands today.
Vic
 
I've had several done by Bob Rogers in Burlington, NC. His work is outstanding and his pricing is very fair. His phone number is: 336-584-6359.

Todd
 
Warren Baier
Wauwatosa WI
(414) 461-6925

I sent him 3 plates I had stripped & painted, he did the lettering.
looked as good as lettering the boys in the penitentiary did ;-)
 
I agree with J.Franklin.Try it your self.I have done 3 sets and it's relaxing.I got 1 more set to do .It's not that hard ,just takes time.:cool:
 
If you plan to register your car with these make sure you do it before you restore them. The registry will not accept newly painted plates. They inspect all Year of Manufacture plates before issuing a registration. At least that is how it works in Ma. I think the same is true for some other states.
 
I've been in the pinstriping & lettering business for over 50 years so I can tell you that one earlier post who mentioned One Shot lettering enamel was right on. ALSO, get yourself a pair of good quality lettering brushes. They can be gotten through Mack Brush out of Jonesville, Michigan. Get a number 2 and a number 6 red sable quill lettering brush. Keep them soaked in transmission oil when not being used. They'll least forever.
 
Frank Miller said:
If you plan to register your car with these make sure you do it before you restore them. The registry will not accept newly painted plates. They inspect all Year of Manufacture plates before issuing a registration. At least that is how it works in Ma. I think the same is true for some other states.
Click to expand...

In florida also.
 
I bought already restored plates here in Calif. for my A, and here in Calif. you need to take them to the DMV and have them inspected to be sure they are original and that the number is still good. I was told that many of the old numbers have been retired and used on other types of new plates, such as motorcycle. Calif. DMV did not care if the plates were newly restored or painted as long as they were correct, but best check with your own jurisdiction before you do the work!
 
Vic: I apologize for the color in the picture. I have tried taking several pictures and they all come out with an orange tint. The plates are red; One Shot "Flame Red".

Regards the position of the plates, the Judging Standards, page 18-2 reads "Ribbed clips that hung the plate below the bar were used from the beginning of production until May 1929. Thereafter, redesigned license clips suspended the license plate from above the bar."

We are fortunate here in Illinois to be able to legally display the "Year of Manufacture" plate on our cars. We are required to register the vehicle as an "Antique" and carry the Illinois Antique vehicle plate and registration with us. The State has no record of the "original" plates displayed on our cars. Gar Williams
 
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