My US spec 1.7 73 914 is here in England. It came here from Newport Beach two years ago on the California blue plate number '1APV732'...What is the '1' in the number for as I have seen plates from the 70's with 3 letters and 3 numbers normally, yet mine has an extra digit?? Would it have been re-plated since 73??

Hope you can help.

Andy

I'll check my 240Z's original plates tomorrow but I don't think it means a thing. Just random non-repeating letter/number combinations...

Would THIS blue plate be on from new?? Presumably being a 73 car, there would have been enough numbers to go around then...?

Yes. Very probably...

Yes, it would have been re-plated since '73.
Blue passenger car plates from California with 7 digits were first issued in 1980.
Timeline of California license plates:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_regis...s_of_California

Jon B.
Vista, CA

I have the original issue blue plates on my 1972 and they're 3 numbers followed by 3 letters.

if my car changed plates in or after 1980 it probably confirms my car came from outside the state. I fotgot my original engine code but it wasnt the lower hp one fitted for CA.

It has been replaced for sure but that does not mean it came from another state. Some people, when purchasing a used car turned in the old plates for new ones "just because". Or they could have lost a plate or had it damaged it an accident and they were replaced.

Once the ### LLL format was done, CA went to a #LLL### format.

This means that your car was purchased and plated in CA after being bought and plated in another state.

Blue plate, and yes a re-plate from the original '73 in service date. I would guess '77-78 ish. Not that big of a deal. Still a blue plate.

FWIW - my 914 was delivered to Kansas City, moved out to CA in 75-76 and given the plate below.

Nice car BTW!

Those are not original for that year.

As always, Google is our friend. The 7 digit yellow on blue plates appeared in 1980. They were joined by reflectorized blue on white plates in 1982, and replaced by the latter in 1987. This means the car in question was replated sometime in the 1980-1987. Perhaps the owner at the time had mangled plates, or was issued a citation for no front plate, or the plates were stolen, or he/she just wanted new plates.

The Cap'n

Checked my original 240Z plates and they are three numbers followed by three letters...

Well if you're going for originality then, yes, it is a big deal because obviously a 7-digit blue plate isn't original to the car. So to me, it's no different than a white California plate ..... I mean it's either original or it's not, right?

Speaking of original, if the OP's car is a '73 then the rear bumper has been replaced ..... it's a '74 bumper.

You are wrong.

The rear bumper is a pre73 bumper with the rubber t#ts added!!! A job for the future....

Wow, double whammy .... wrong year bumper AND non-original tits! My apologies for assuming it was off a '74, but that's the first time I've seen that. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. A while back someone showed an early 914 with 75-76 BUBBs added because the owner liked the look of them better.