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Posted by: Lavanaut Mar 3 2009, 12:27 PM

Hey all,

I got my vanity plates shortly after I got my car, and I like them, for sure. But then I found a husband and wife team that restore old vintage plates here in Oregon. I had a vintage plate on the car for a show this past September and thought they looked pretty cool. I like the period-correct aspect of them too. So now I can't figure out which ones to go with. I'm leaning towards the vintage plates and just hanging the vanity plates on the wall as a memento. Curious what you all think.

BTW, I *think* with the vintage plates you can register them once, for cheap, and never have to register them again. That's a bonus, but not a big enough deal for me personally to be the deciding factor.

Aaaaaanyway, here they are:

Posted by: zymurgist Mar 3 2009, 12:53 PM

I'm cheap, so I lean toward vintage vs. vanity.

Posted by: Todd Enlund Mar 3 2009, 01:03 PM

Your car is far closer to original than custom, so vintage is a no-brainer to me.

Posted by: horizontally-opposed Mar 3 2009, 01:05 PM

I prefer the vintage if it's either or.

However, if OR made vanity plates back then, you *could* have a set of replica vintage plates made up to match your new plate ID and run those. It's illegal, of course, but it's also highly unlikely it would ever be an issue if you've got proper registration, etc.

pete

Posted by: 6freak Mar 3 2009, 01:53 PM

ditto

Posted by: schreiber Mar 3 2009, 02:00 PM

I'd definitely go with Vintage!

Posted by: ConeDodger Mar 3 2009, 02:25 PM

I am pretty sure you are correct about the vintage plate program. When I bought the BumbleBee Racer from Jim Chambers it had vintage Oregon plates on it. Jim told me something about a one time registration thing as I recall...

You can't beat that with all the Vanity plates in the world!

Posted by: dw914er Mar 3 2009, 02:27 PM

I have vintage myself.... so i'd say that

Posted by: KELTY360 Mar 3 2009, 02:48 PM

Is there any difference in the regs for needing to run a front plate? I would lean toward the vintage plates, but if that also meant I didn't have to run a front plate, it would seal the deal.

Posted by: dw914er Mar 3 2009, 02:56 PM

I know in some states its mandatory to run a front plate either way...

you can just *choose* to not run one (which I did)

Posted by: KELTY360 Mar 3 2009, 03:00 PM

Here in Washington I believe it depends on the rules in place when the plate was new. I have a vintage plate on my '47 Lincoln and am not required to run a front plate because it was not required at the time. YMMV

Posted by: Michael N Mar 3 2009, 09:20 PM

As time goes by I think the vintage plates on your car will be more appealing. In California it is nice to see a vintage 356 with the yellow and black plates.

Posted by: Lou W Mar 3 2009, 10:22 PM

I'll buy the vintage plates if you don't want them......I voted vintage

Posted by: Phoenix 914-6GT Mar 3 2009, 10:26 PM

Actually, in Washington, vintage and collector plates only need to go on the rear and there is a one time fee. After that it is good to go for the rest of it's life

Posted by: Mike Knox Mar 3 2009, 10:47 PM

I helped my mom get a set of vintage Oregon plates for my Dad's 1955 Thunderbird. They came from that same outfit in Eastern Oregon you described. They do excellent work. The plates and correct 1955 tags cost $335.00. The trip to DMV was no problem, they knew exactly what to do. It's a one-time fee of $81.00. The car is registered as a vintage vehicle. No further fees ever.

Here's the rub: The car is really only supposed to be driven to and from shows or parades. The guy at DMV said I could drive the car just don't get caught or it's up to the discretion of the police officer whether or not to cite me.

My dad's been dead 13 years, so I'm the only one who drives his T-Bird. I did this registration trick in January of 2009 and I have driven it all over the place with only a thumbs up from law-enforcement. So far.

I do like the suggestion of vintage vanity plates. Vanity plates of that era in Oregon were yellow with blue print. That's what's on my 1974 914 (OOMPAH). I bet the plate restoration people could do it for you.

Just my $0.02

Mike

Posted by: tod914 Mar 3 2009, 10:59 PM

Vintage plates are very cool. My old 75 had the 1975 plates from TX that came with the car. Very nice looking car btw.