California BLACK PLATE ??

[Steve P.]

Someone that knows for a FACT please tell me what the deal is..

1) Black plate was assigned to the car and stayed with it through many owners??

2) Black Plate was assigned to the original owner only..

3) Black plate was just the color of the era...

4) Black plate means diddly???

What is the real deal??

My (black) 65' Coronet is a BLACK PLATE car and I was told I am the second owner of her.. It did go through a change of hands to get to me, but was not registered...

[Crazy440]

California plates stay with the car.

[Steve P.]

California plates stay with the car.

So what is the BIG DEAL about having BLACK PLATES?

[MichaelRW]

History of the California License Plate

Basic information on 1963- present plates:

    * 1963 was the last year a complete new plate issuance to all vehicles occured (the plates had a black background and chrome yellow characters).
    * 1970 is the year the basic plate was changed to a blue background with yellow characters. It was also the last year any black/yellow plates were issued.
    * 1976, year round registration started which requires a month expiration sticker afixed to the upper left hand corner of the plate.
    * 1982 is the year when the standard plate was changed to a white background with blue characters with a sun graphic and CALIFORNIA in red block letters. It was also the last year any blue/yellow plates were issued.
    * 1987, reflectorized plates with CALIFORNIA in red block letters were issued. The sun graphic was discontinued.
    * 1991, only reflectorized basic plates were issued.
    * 1993, the word CALIFORNIA was changed to red script.
    * 1997, stickers were made with background colors that change every year and characters printed in black.
    * Basic plates issued from 1998 through 2000 contain the words SESQUICENTENNIAL - 150 YEARS in red block letters at the bottom of the plates.
    * 2001, the basic plate is white with blue characters and CALIFORNIA in red script. There is no writing at the bottom of the plate.



So I take that to mean that any car licensed after 1963 the plate stays with the car regardless of how many owners there were.

[MichaelRW]

California plates stay with the car.

So what is the BIG DEAL about having BLACK PLATES?

It proves the car is an original California car and thus much less likely to be rusty since the climate here is mostly so warm and dry. Some cars parked right next to the ocean can be rust buckets.

[ChargerBill]

When a California car STILL has it's black plates it shows authenticity that it was originally a California car. Also, ANY old car with it's original plates is IMO just plain cooler...and many car buffs agree. You can only put black plates BACK onto a car after it has worn newer plates IF your DMV are allows you to register it as a historical vehicle AND you find a set of CLEAN black plates - however, there are restrictions on historical vehicles, so research this before you actaully commit to it.

Bottom line, I'd keep the black plates and use them. Here's the sad reality: If the car wasn't registered for a couple years or longer then the DMV will TRY to make you turn them in and get new plates. They claim that the new reflective plates are safer...whatever. You have to play cat and mouse with them. Go in there on a fishing expedition...if one person at the counter tells you to turn them in then go another time and talk to someone else. They will ask if you have the plates and you should say "I know I have one of them and I think the other is at grandmas house"...or something like that - you'll understand why I'm telling you to be non-commital in a moment. Maybe walk in with a legal envelope and a couple of old black plates...not the originals. If the person agrees to let you do it then pull out the bogus ones and say "Ooops, I grabbed the wrong folder, let me run out to my car and get the real ones". If the person at the counter won't agree or is wishy washy but sees the folder you are holding and demands that they see the plates then pull out the wrong plates and say "Ooops, I must have left them at home." (I did this with an old trailer black plate and a Oakland Raiders liscence plate) Eventually you will find a person who agrees that you should keep the plates instead of giving them up, just make sure you hear them right BEFORE you let them see the plates - (again, NEVER hand them the plates - ever!). You see, the DMV taking them from you is ONLY a technicality, not a RULE, so the person at the counter can do whatever they want in this situation. Whatever you do, DO NOT hand them those plates!!! OK, so in the end even if it ends up that you absolutely HAVE to register with NEW plates because everyone at your DMV is a jerk or an old car hater, you can still keep the old black plates to bolt on for car shows. Just go in and tell them the original plates are missing (after you have been told that they will NOT allow you to use them)...this is why I suggested being non-commital earlier. Remember, cat and mouse... Good luck.

[Brock Samson]

  The rule of thumb for car spotters is it denotes an original owner... very few folks are willing to go through all the "cat and mouse" C.B. discribes..

[MoparMotel]

Talked to DMV about it.........they said that as long as the car remained in california and was registered that the car kept the black plates. you cannot put black plates on a car unless you have documentation that those are the cars original plates. Ive got them on my black 68

[Brock Samson]

Weapon of Mass Distruction eh?.. I like it! 

[NicksGarage]

Here is a good site on California plate history. http://www.calpl8s.com/

A long time ago you could put black plates onto a car as long as the numbers weren't being used. You will see black plates on cars earlier than 1964 but they won't be original. That year they started replacing the old yellow plates with the black ones as registration came up for renewal.

I screwed up and let my '68 Barracuda lapse too long and now the DMV wants me to turn in my black plates and get new ones. They won't get them. So far I haven't been able to get any sympathy from any office even though the car has been registered to me since 1986 and the plates are shown on my California title.

I never understood why some states don't have the plates stay with the car.

Nick.

[bull]

California cars are supposedly more solid than cars from other parts of the nation so it's an advertising ploy to say the car has spent it's entire life in a warm, dry climate. Same goes for Arizona cars but for some reason no one says "Arizona (whatever color it was) plate car" when they advertise. They just say Arizona car. I don't know why an Arizona car would be any better than a Texas car or a southern Utah car, or a New Mexico car, etc., but that's just how the hobby lingo has evolved. My Charger will become an Oregon blue plate car when I'm done but that doesn't mean diddly squat to anyone because Oregon is out of the solid car loop I guess. My Charger was originally shipped to California but there are no black plates on it.

See? Look at these plates. They don't do anything for you do they?

[Steve P.]

I hear ya, Bull.. That's why I wonder what the big deal is with (IT'S A BLACK PLATE CAR)!!! My plates do match the title, so I guess that's a good thing, but shiP, I know of a 68' Road Runner that's never so much as seen rain and it's in New York....  You don't have to look very hard to see that my 65' is 100% rust free..
Don't get me wrong. I'm glad that it makes a difference to someone. I just don't REALLY understand why!!

[MichaelRW]

Here is a good site on California plate history. http://www.calpl8s.com/

A long time ago you could put black plates onto a car as long as the numbers weren't being used. You will see black plates on cars earlier than 1964 but they won't be original. That year they started replacing the old yellow plates with the black ones as registration came up for renewal.

I screwed up and let my '68 Barracuda lapse too long and now the DMV wants me to turn in my black plates and get new ones. They won't get them. So far I haven't been able to get any sympathy from any office even though the car has been registered to me since 1986 and the plates are shown on my California title.

I never understood why some states don't have the plates stay with the car.

Nick.

I'm going to guess the reasons some states don't have the plates stay with the car is:

1. In the rust belt the plates rusted faster than the car. (before aluminum plates)
2. To keep the prisoners busy.

[John_Kunkel]

I don'y fully agree with others' assessment of the fascination with black plates. While the trail of authenticity appeals to some, the reason the black plates are desired is because they simply look better than any other color.

Black matches every other color and doesn't draw the eye like some lighter colors do.