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Should I take rust off old plates from 20's and 30's


Guest Efoyt

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I have a bunch of old license plates that I pulled out of a broken down shed...they are completely covered in rust. Should I take take the rust off with naval jelly? Or will that hurt the value. License plates run from the 20's to the 40's and are from Maine.

Thanks, Ethan

post-95804-143142700256_thumb.jpg

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What do you plan to do with the license plates, sell them or keep them? If you plan to keep them, do whatever pleases you the most; however, stripping the rust with naval jelly will leave them vulnerable to further rust. Once stripped of rust, you'll need to paint them in colors that are a close match to the colors of the original plates. If you plan to sell the plates I think (just my opinion here) that they would be more desirable left as they are. I'm sure that folks with more knowledge than I have of collectible license plates will soon post comments on this thread.

Nice find by the way,

Grog

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It is my opinion, you should do as you please. Generally speaking restoring a plate diminishes the value to a collector, but not a person that wants to put it on their antique vehicle. The condition of the plate in the pix, renders it pretty much valueless unless it is VERY rare.

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Keep in mind that some states, like New York, will not allow the use of repainted plates.

That's true in Florida as well. From what I've been able to determine about the Florida law, the license plate must be easily legible, and I don't think that the plate shown by Efoyt in the original post would qualify. The suitability of the plate must be determined by the Florida State Vehicle Registration folks. I don't know what their standards are, but I suspect that they are somewhat subjective.

Cheers,

Grog

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Purely subjective I guess - but in all honesty after 45 plus years dealing in antiques and old cars and parts I would like to think I could tell a repainted plate correctly 99 per cent of the time. It is very difficult to duplicate original finish on anything - take an old plate and an envelope fresh vintage plate into a painter and ask them to duplicate it - I'll bet you will be able to tell the difference.

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Repainting your plates is most likely is illeage because in years back (20s and 30s) they sent new plates out a different color each year, so repainting your old plates new colors would most likely fool most officers into thinking you had current year plates...therfore the law. Most states still have it illegal to leave your horse unhitched, I dont think an officer would enforce that either.

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<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> The law in New York specifically targets year of manufacture plates used on historic vehicles. You need to submit photographs of the plates and sign the following statement in order to use the plates. They also check to make certain that the plate number does not match any plate number in the computer.

Owner's Certification Statement

I certify that the vehicle I want to register with vintage plates is owned and operated as an exhibition piece or collector's item, and is used for participation in club activities, exhibits, tours, parades, occasional transportation and similar uses, but is not used for general daily transportation, in accordance with Section 401-7(G) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law. I also certify that the accompanying photograph is of the original, readable, un-repainted plate(s), not of a manufactured facsimile. The year of the plate(s) corresponds to the model year of the vehicle.

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... I also certify that the accompanying photograph is of the original, readable, un-repainted plate(s), not of a manufactured facsimile. .. <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style>
It just says the photo must be of an un-repainted plate. So provide a photo of it taken before repainting.
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Sorry, my fault for not including the pages above the certification which are part of the entire form that is to be submitted along with no less than 8 different items as attachments. The DMV puts these online in password protected PDF format so my workaround is not properly formatted but all the words are there. While NYS DMV is much better than it used to be, they do not have much of a sense of humor and if provoked can make it exceedingly difficult to register a vehicle.

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Vintage plates are the actual plates issued to the vehicle owner, or other original plates (not reproductions) issued by New York State (NYS), in the year the vehicle was manufactured.

l

Any motor vehicle manufactured more than 25years before the current calendar year that is used only as a collector's item or exhibition piece, and not for daily transportation, may be registered with vintage plates from the model year of the vehicle.

l

Vintage registrations are valid for one year

. To register your vehicle with vintage plates, you must have actual plates that were valid in NYS in the year the vehicle was manufactured. If it was a metal tab year, you must have the metal tab.

o The plates must be original; not reproductions and not painted.

o If NYS issued only one plate in the year of manufacture, that plate must be mounted on the rear of the vehicle.

If NYS originally issued two plates in that year, you must use both matching plates.

HOW DO I REGISTER MY ELIGGIBLE VEHICLE WITH VINTAGE PLATES?

Mail items 1-8 to:

NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, Custom Plates Unit, P.O. Box 2775, Albany NY, 12220.

1. MV-82 (Vehicle Registration/Title Application)

*. Complete and sign form MV-82. Please be sure to fill in your name,

address, daytime phone number, and client ID number (from your driver license). If you have questions about the requirements,please see form MV-82.1 (Registering/Titling a Vehicle in New York State)*.

2. A photocopy of your driver license

. This serves as proof of identity. (See form ID-82* for a list of other acceptable proofs.)

3. Proof of ownership

. If the vehicle is currently registered to you, provide a photocopy of the current registration. If the vehicle is not currently registered in your name, send the original transferable registration or title, signed over to you. If that is not possible, send form MV-51B (Statement of Ownership)* with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) tracing or VIN verification signed by a police department.

4. Proof of insurance

. Send a valid Insurance ID Card (FS-20, FS-21) issued and dated within 45 days of the date you register the vehicle. The ID card must include a scannable barcode and the computer-printed word "HISTORICAL". Cards without the word "HISTORICAL" will not be accepted. Contact your insurance company to get information about insurance for an historical vehicle.

5. Sales Tax Receipt

(ONLY needed if the vehicle has never been registered in your name in New York State.) To get a Sales Tax Receipt, you must bring your bill of sale and proof of ownership documents (title or transferable registration) to any Motor

Vehicles office, where you will complete a sales tax clearance form (DTF-802*, 803* or 804*) and receive a Sales Tax Receipt (FS-6T). (If your vehicle is currently registered in your name, or if it was registered to you previously, proof of sales tax payment is not required.)

6. Payment of fees

. You may pay by check, money order or credit card. Make a check or money order payable to the "Commissioner of Motor Vehicles". If paying by credit card, please fill in the appropriate information on Page 2 of this form.

Passenger Vehicles:

o If you already have a valid NYS registration for the vehicle in your name, the fee is $3.75 for the new document.

o If the vehicle is not currently registered in your name, the fee is

$28.75

. NOTE

: If you live in New York, Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, or Westchester county, the fee is $53.75 due to the addition of an annual $25 Metropolitan CommuterTransportation District supplemental registration fee.

o If the vehicle is a 1973 or newer model year and does not already have a NYS title issued in your name, there is an additional fee of $50 for the title.

7. Color photograph of the vintage plate(s)

. Submit a clear, color photograph of the plate(s). If the vehicle year required two plates, both plates must appear in the same photo.

8. This form (MV-440V) with your original signature on Page 2

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