Misplaced black plate obsession?

[anonymous-user]

It has often struck me that the yen for black plates on cars that are legally entitled to display them is a tad misplaced, as, in the late 60s and early 70s, drivers would more likely have asked for the groovy new plates, especially on groovy cars. Watching "Get Carter" for the 99th time the other night (it was filmed in 1971), I noticed that the assorted cars driven by geezers, villains, and molls, which dated from 68 ish onwards, had white and yellow plates.

Having said that, I do have black plates on my Jensen, registered on 1st January 1970. Its first owner was a retired Colonel, and probably a conservative chap, so maybe I can justify it that way.

I cannot recall what plates my dad had in that era, but his cars were always old knackers anyway.

As for black plates on later cars, where is my revolver?

[Noisy]

I guess the difference is probably that the owners in the early 70's probably wanted their cars to look more modern, now most people like their classics to look classic, I have black and silver plates on my '65 vitesse, it had been stored since the 80's though when I bought it and had black and silver plates then as well.

[anonymous-user]

A fair point, but if people are stickers for originality (I'm not), then the new style plates might be more apt for, say, a 1971 car.

[Keep it stiff]

Back in the 70's you switched black plates to yellow to make your old car look younger, now people are more inclined to do it the other way round!

[gforceg]

I feel black and silver plates go better with chrome bumpers, more prevelant on cars from that time, than do yellow/white and black.

My dad has a 105 series Alfa from the early 70s which has age-specific-illegal black and silver plates, but they just suit the car, which is a 60s design, better.

[niagra]

I have a 1972 Elan Plus 2, so the front plate is made up of individual white letters on the grille as a background. I'm sure black letters would never have been permitted.

What would the rear plate most likely have been? I would say, raised white on black, but maybe original owners mixed and matched?

[danoli777]

I have to replace the plates on a car registered in March 1972.
It had the white and yellow plates when I bought it, what would it originally have had?

[anonymous-user]

If the car is something that a cool dude would have bought in 1972, then white and yellow. If an old dude would have bought it, black and white/silver.

[Glassman]

[ajondyh]

But if you insist on the yellow/white plates for a car of the early 70's then it would have to be the tin type with the separate plastic black characters or for slightly later cars the pressed metal ones. The perspex ones would look very odd

[vixen1700]

Breadvan72 said:

If the car is something that a cool dude would have bought in 1972, then white and yellow. If an old dude would have bought it, black and white/silver.

Yep, couldn't imagine somebody buying an SM in 1972 having black plates.

Although my '72 TVR has them

[P5Nij]

My 1970 P5B Coupe came with raised digit yellow and white plates from new but to my eyes they look a bit too flash for such a fine old car, the large area of yellow on the back jarred against the Zircon Blue paint a lot. I've replaced them with reflective / engraved black and silver plates which suit it really well (besides which they were very tatty and let the car's appearence down). My '68 Cooper S came to me with cheap repro black / silver pressed alloy plates with a modern type face but when it's finished I'll be putting raised digit black / silver ones on as I've since found out that Stewart & Ardern who first sold the car had a habit of putting their own plates on a lot of their Mini Coopers, the typeface used is subtly different to other raised digit plates seen on a lot of classics at shows these days.

As for your Jensen, I'd keep the black / silver ones on, I think they really suit the car (and the colour).

By the way (pedant mode on!) 'Get Carter' was filmed in the Summer of '70 and released in March '71. Two different red Mk2 Jags were used in the scene where the passenger door gets ripped off, one had yelow / white plates while the other had black / silver...! Also filmed the same year was 'Villain' starring Richard Burton and Ian McShane, the S-Type jag they use for a wages blag has the newfangled yellow / white plates on with a J suffix... it looks very odd and out of place...! The P5B Coupe which Burton tools around in has raised digit black / silver plates and looks all the better for it. This particular car was bought brand new for the film and really does look the part...



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Edited by P5Nij on Friday 27th December 12:27

[anonymous-user]

Glassman said:

This one seems to have wandered in from the "makes you think knob" thread in GG.

[aeropilot]

P5Nij said:

Also filmed the same year was 'Villain' starring Richard Burton and Ian McShane, the S-Type jag they use for a wages blag has the newfangled yellow / white plates on with a J suffix... it looks very odd and out of place...! The P5B Coupe which Burton tools around in has raised digit black / silver plates and looks all the better for it. This particular car was bought brand new for the film and really does look the part...

Ages since I've seen 'Villain', was the Jag supposed to be on false plates...?

I doubt there would be any legit regd S-Type on a J plate, as it would have to have been hanging around in a dealer lot unregistered for several years as S-Type production ended in August '68. The only 'G' plate S-Types I've ever seen were those of the Met Police, whose final bulk buy of S-Types probably accounted for most of the final months production.


Proper early 70's style plates here

http://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/...

[P5Nij]

aeropilot said:

P5Nij said:

Also filmed the same year was 'Villain' starring Richard Burton and Ian McShane, the S-Type jag they use for a wages blag has the newfangled yellow / white plates on with a J suffix... it looks very odd and out of place...! The P5B Coupe which Burton tools around in has raised digit black / silver plates and looks all the better for it. This particular car was bought brand new for the film and really does look the part...

Ages since I've seen 'Villain', was the Jag supposed to be on false plates...?

I doubt there would be any legit regd S-Type on a J plate, as it would have to have been hanging around in a dealer lot unregistered for several years as S-Type production ended in August '68. The only 'G' plate S-Types I've ever seen were those of the Met Police, whose final bulk buy of S-Types probably accounted for most of the final months production.


Proper early 70's style plates here

http://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/...

The S-Type in Villain was nicked for the blag, Richard Burton says to his getaway driver en route to the job ;

''very nice car Terry, good steal''!

''wouldn't mind one meself...''

''buy yourself a new one tomorrow''

!!

(Tippers ain't cheap but they are good).

[Humper]

Breadvan72 said:

If the car is something that a cool dude would have bought in 1972, then white and yellow. .

Or in the early seventies before the crackdown surely "cool dudes" would've fitted them fancy new refractive plates?

[nta16]

Breadvan72 get your own hobby-horse, I've been banging on about this for years

if I could actually be arsed to look at concourse (sic) cars now I'd gladly tell the owners

this is the usual photo I put up and I'm sure you've seen it if not commented on it, reminds me of Get Carter

and also note the ride height, tyre wall size and wheel arch clearance

watching The Sweeny the other day and noting the cars bounce at braking stops and as the passengers alight them

[MarshPhantom]

nta16 said:

Breadvan72 get your own hobby-horse, I've been banging on about this for years

if I could actually be arsed to look at concourse (sic) cars now I'd gladly tell the owners

this is the usual photo I put up and I'm sure you've seen it if not commented on it, reminds me of Get Carter

and also note the ride height, tyre wall size and wheel arch clearance

watching The Sweeny the other day and noting the cars bounce at braking stops and as the passengers alight them

Looks like Franny Lee.

[williredale]

Those Tippers plates do look good. My '73 car is wearing a set of Halfords finest reflective plates. As far as I can tell from old photos it's had Perspex plates for at least twenty years though.

[nta16]

MarshPhantom said:

Looks like Franny Lee.

yeap

and that's the response the photo always gets, not about the plate or soft suspension

Edited by nta16 on Friday 27th December 23:42