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Posted by: horizontally-opposed Jul 20 2004, 02:48 PM

IF one were to need a new front plate to match his or her prized, original blue-and-yellow California plate, how might that person get a good replica of the existing rear plate made?

Maybe I should have written this in the "I have this friend.." voice...

With all of the recent front-plate crackdowns, I suspect, once ticketed, you get stuck with two new plates. And I believe the only vintage plates you can retroactively fit are yellow with black lettering (circa 1956). It'd be a bummer to lose original 1973 plates.

From what I understand, there was a cottage industry in SoCal serving the above purposes for the restoration community until the government (thank you for your efforts on vintage license plate recreation enforcement) arrested the perpetrators.

I suspect anyone still offering such services would be best served if their info was PM'd rather than posted...

Thanks!

pete

Posted by: tdgray Jul 20 2004, 03:17 PM

Posted by: lapuwali Jul 20 2004, 03:33 PM

From my reading of the CVC, there's no spec on what the plate is made of, or anything else other than size of plate, size of lettering, and contrasting color. There are places that will make fiberglass copies of a plate (using your original as a mold) that advertise on the Web that seem to be doing a reasonable business. I don't believe making your own plates is against the law at all. Making up the plates to match a plate that doesn't belong to you, would be, and I imagine that's what the places you heard about were busted for.

I've seen a couple of cars with plates that were not issued by the state. One guy with a Jag D-Type simply used a photo of his legit CA plates to have a pair of flexible vinyl static-cling "stickers" made for so they conform to the shape of his car's voluptuous aluminum bodywork. Similar idea to the painted on number plates these cars originally used in the UK. I thought the same thing on a base of magnetic sign material would be a great thing for the front bumper of a 914. I'm also needing a yellow-on-blue CA plate for the front, and was planning to hand-make one myself. If I stamped the thing out of Al, how are they gonna know? If I make it out of fiberglass, who's gonna check?

Posted by: ! Jul 20 2004, 06:16 PM

http://www.licenseplates.tv/

OK....these guys make great looking replicas....they will NOT ship to CA, but you can ship them as a gift to a friend someplace in say ......Indiana.....or something.

They are NOT cheap at 75-80 a pop.....but they are authentic down to the same new paint "smell"....."I" can't tell the diff....I have seen a replacement for a concour weenies car when he had one of his stolen...side by side, identical.

Posted by: seanery Jul 20 2004, 06:25 PM

pete, you can use my address if you want.

Posted by: Eric_Shea Jul 20 2004, 06:41 PM

Send me a gift... matches my paint


Attached image(s)

Posted by: Eric_Shea Jul 20 2004, 06:47 PM

Man Z... I'm having the time of my life. Glad you found that site. (easily amused)


Attached image(s)

Posted by: lapuwali Jul 20 2004, 08:21 PM

FWIW, I found a site with an admittedly low credibility score, but here it is, anyway:

http://www.cr8apl8.com/faq.html

According to this, it is indeed a felony in EVERY state to make your own license plate OUT OF METAL. You can, however, make them out of something else if you like. California allows you to legally use non-metal replacement plates for yellow, blue, or black background plates. This particular plate makes them out of fiberglass. The guy claims to have been making plates for 20 years now.

YMMV and all that...

Posted by: horizontally-opposed Jul 21 2004, 11:49 AM

As always, good info...

Many thanks!

pete

Posted by: rick 918-S Jul 21 2004, 11:58 AM

Posted by: horizontally-opposed Jul 21 2004, 02:51 PM

Well, decided to give the CR8APL8 gig a try. Will post results...

Posted by: horizontally-opposed Aug 2 2004, 02:30 PM

Well, I tried Create a Plate, got the plate, and see why the satisfaction is so low -- the plates aren't even fiberglass, really. They're some sort of plastic-paper board and the blue is neon compared to the real plates. Also, the "California" is pathetic, the fonts are kind of wrong, and the number sizing is off.

When I went back the Website to get more information on the returns, it was gone. Hmmmmnnn. Ko-inky-dink or....?

I guess I'll send it back via UPS to get tracking taken care of and then dispute the $35 with my credit card co. -- though it's probably not worth it!

pete

Posted by: lapuwali Aug 2 2004, 02:38 PM

Well, that's a bummer. I know I've seen at least one site that claimed to use YOUR plate as a mold for a new fiberglass plate. They also refurbish orginal plates. I'll have to see if I can find that site again. Perhaps they've vanished.

If I can't find it, may very well make my own replacement front plate using by own back plate. Perhaps use plaster or something similar as the mold-making material, since this will be a one-off. The only trick will be finding the right shades of blue and yellow to paint it.

Posted by: ! Aug 2 2004, 02:47 PM

Dude...you get what you pay for....try the one I suggested....my "friend" got his plate in two days and then shipped it to his other "friend"....side by side no diff except for it looking brand new....

Posted by: Part Pricer Aug 2 2004, 02:53 PM

The original holder of the CR8APL8.COM domain let it lapse as of July 31st. It has been snapped up by a poacher. However, here is the info on the original domain name holder:

Kyprios
George Ades (videoqos@aol.com) it might be videogos@aol.com
714 269 1173
Fax: none
POB 1146
Tustin, CA 92781

I went to the WayBack machine and pulled up this information from the site:

CR8APL8
Post Office Box 1146
Tustin, CA 92781
Toll Free: 1-877-269-4646

There you have a name and a number. Go get him.

Posted by: fiid Aug 2 2004, 03:09 PM

Modern license plates are stamped out. I would think you could just order a sample plate, get some masking tape and fire up some rattle cans.

I doubt anyone would notice or say anything. YMMV

Posted by: horizontally-opposed Aug 2 2004, 04:46 PM

MikeZ, you're right and the only reason I didn't go for the first place is that I couldn't get the darn website to let me buy a plate. And you do get what you pay for, as the Create a Plate guy sent me an email back saying they don't do refunds because they've never got negative feedback. His "100 percent satisfaction guarantee" only extends to making me another plate (and charging me S+H or $5 plus!). We'll see -- and thanks for the info -- might need to give him a call!

Darryl's Plates (did a Google) charges $50 per plate for replicas of your own provided you send them your remaining plate as an example. They seem to imply they're done in metal.

I'll investigate and re-try MikeZ's spot, as well.

many thanks,

pete

Posted by: ! Aug 2 2004, 04:50 PM

I.....er..... my "friend" didn't have any trouble at all.....he ordered two plates right after the first posting.