Blue California license plates

[Nick Nichols]

I have a pair of very nice personalized 1969 blue California license plates that read "64STUDI". They are registered to my '64 GT Hawk. I wish to sell them. Make offer. 415 652-3926. Nick

[Dick Steinkamp]

The blue base California plates were issued from 1969-1987 so there would be no Studebaker that got these plates originally...but still a neat "wall hanging" item for sure [8D].

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

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[Nick Nichols]

Yes, that is true but if your black 63 plates were no longer serviceable between 1969 and 1987 then you would be issued a set of blue plates which is what happened to this car. The previous owner opted for a set of personalized blue plates. You can still use them on your '64 Studebaker in CA as they reflect the year 1964 and Studebaker. I would release the plate number to the new owner of the plates.

[StudeRich]

A personalized plate to be used as a year of manufacture plate? I think that's bending the rules too far, all of mine have been standard 3 number/three letter plates if used as year of Mfg. If the original (current) owner of this 64STUDI plate, reinstates the OTHER copy of this plate that you apparently do not have, they would be DUP's which will prevent you from registering yours! [:0]

I just figured out why that will not work, to qualify for YOM you have to have (2) legible plates with the correct year sticker, and since they came out in '68 as Dick said, there is NO WAY!

I have Yellow on Blue "64(1/2 space)STUDE" in the 7 digit issue that we won in the State Lottery for the first 7 digit Blue Calif. PERSONALIZED plates, when I sold the rear stickered plate to a guy with a '64 GT Hawk he registered it to his car and got a replacement front plate, because I have the original front plate, so bottom line...I can only install my plate on the front for off road (Show) only, because the # is still "live"!


StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[Skip Lackie]

quote:Originally posted by StudeRich

A personalized plate to be used as a year of manufacture plate? I think that's bending the rules too far, all of mine have been standard 3 number/three letter plates if used as year of Mfg. If the original (current) owner of this 64STUDI plate, reinstates the OTHER copy of this plate that you apparently do not have, they would be DUP's which will prevent you from registering yours! [:0]

StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

Rich-
Depends on the state. Regular-issue plates in western states (as you well know) stay with the vehicle when the vehicle is sold unless the owner pays to move the number to another vehicle. Back East, in most states the plates stay with the owner (exception: Delaware). As a result, most eastern states allow personalized plates to be used as YOM plates IF the plates are stickered correctly and are the style and design that could have been issued for the vehicle on which they'll be used. Such use prevents anyone else from registering a vehicle with that personalized number.

If the plates in question had been issued by an eastern state, they would not be usable as YOM plates on anything other than (as Dick noted) 69-87 vehicles.

Skip Lackie
Washington DC

[sals54]

If you could get them registered to your car here in CA, then the only thing left to do would be to repaint them black and yellow instead of the hideous blue.

sals54

[Dick Steinkamp]

BTW, this year the yellow on black plates California plates issued from '62-'68 become eligible for YOM licensing. Until now, the car had to have the ORIGINAL BLACK PLATES if it had them at all...hence the term "original black plate car". Now, it will be hard (if not impossible) to tell if the '62-'68 car you are buying was originally titled in California and stayed there its whole life.

However, the term "original blue plate car" is already coming into common usage...especially for those late 60's-early 70's muscle cars. The yellow on blue plates are not eligible for YOM licensing.

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

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[Warren Webb]

One more point on registering in California: if the license fees are up to date, no problem, but if registration fees (on the personalized plates) have not been paid then the new owner would be responsible for payment, so depending on how many years its been can add up to a substantial amount. I may be wrong, but I believe its $25.00 per year for most personalized plates. This applies to the plate only & not the vehicle registration which may or may not be up to date.

60 Lark convertible
61 Champ
62 Daytona convertible
63 G.T. R-2,4 speed
63 Avanti (2)
66 Daytona Sport Sedan

[wcarroll@outrageous.net]

AFAIK, personalized plates can be re-assigned to a different vehicle -you just have to verify they are still available and make sure their fees are current and up to date. There's also a re-assignment fee.

So, Nick's plates (if in usable condition determined by DMV) can be re-assigned for use on any '69-'87 vehicle.

I believe Warren is correct -the fee is $25/yr to keep them active and it's probably about the same to re-assign them.

I have a set of white plates that read S2BAKER that I've been holding onto -but am now thinking of re-assigning a set of '62 YOM black & yellow plates I have since, as Dick pointed out, '62-'68 plates are now eligible as of this year!!!

Why Black & Yellows??? -'cause my Avanti has a Black & Gold color scheme

http://community.webshots.com/user/s2dbaker?vhost=community

[barnlark]

As Dick stated, "yellow on blue plates" are not YOM eligible. Nick clearly states he has "a pair" of plates and does not mention them being used for YOM plates. But are they transferrable for every day use? They don't seem to qualify as "special plates."

I found license plate vehicle code laws regarding altering numbers and letters, but nothing about painting them. That can't seriously be allowed, though can it, Sal?

Warren, you are spot on. The fees could be very high if not kept up to date. Ohio offers a simple instant online search (no old fees) to see if the plates you want are available. California only seems to offer an application:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg17.pdf

For history:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/plates/licenseplthistory.htm

Renewal:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/fees/reg_fees.htm

YOM specs, per CA DMV, Special Plates

[52 Ragtop]

I drove my Avanti in LA for 11 years with only a rear plate, and it was originally blue/yellow. I repainted the plate black/yellow (which comes under the "defacing a license plate law") and never had a problem!

The difference is (IIRC) black plates are ABC 123 and the blue plates are 123 ABC. "Most" law enforcement officials would not pick up on this!

Jim

[studeclunker]

Vanity plates can be transferred from one vehicle to another. They can also be transferred to another owner. Therefore, Nick's plates can be transferred to another collector. Problem is, the new owner must pay all fees applicable. This, as has been exhaustively pointed out, can come to quite a tidy sum.[:0][}] California is ruthless in getting 'their' money out of one, I assure you.

So, for all practical purposes, if the plates have been unregistered, they will have so many fines against them that the cost of re-installing them on another vehicle will be considerable. This would render them either valueless for practical use or prohibitively expensive for anyone but the wealthy.


Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?

[candbstudebakers]

Nick welcome to the forum 9 post and already they are beating up on you, but I guess someone like you can handle it, come by some time and take a car or two off my hands, also it would be nice to see you...Bob Peterosn

[studeclunker]

Oh now Bob... We're just all arm-chair pundits expounding on our wisdom and giving out pearls of wisdom... choke, kaff, kaff, kaaaff... AHEM, sorry.[:I] Choked on something I said.[)]


Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?

[Swifster]

YOM end at Yellow over Black plates. I'd talk to the DMV regarding the blue plates because while they can be transfered from one car to another, the wording in that law doesn't state they can be sold to another owner (without the car going with it). Technically, a registered plate belongs to the state and is their property. This allows the state to confiscate your YOM plates should you be caught driving with a suspended license, no insurance, etc.

California, like New York, Massachusetts, Florida, etc, doesn't allow repaints (at least not before they're registered) of YOM plates. This doesn't mean it hasn't been done, just that it's not technically legal. This is why they want th plates sent to them first. They will aso usually apply the first set of yearly registration decals. It usually costs you a year before you can paint them before getting access to another decal.

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Tom - Mulberry, FL

1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $2125.60)