Old font number plates?
Author
Discussion

vit4

Original Poster:

3,507 posts

192 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
For one reason or another I need a new front number plate. However, if at all avoidable I'd rather it wasn't in the new (51 onwards) style. I have seen a reasonable number of cars past this age with the old font on, mostly Skodas thinking about it but others too. Does anybody know anywhere that does them?

Many thanks.

ETA: I don't mean white-on-black ones, the ones you'd get on any standard car from 80's/90's etc

Edited by vit4 on Wednesday 1st December 12:16

kambites

70,444 posts

243 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
There are companies around that will do whatever you like on a plate, for example: http://fancyplates.com/. I'm not sure of the legality of getting a new plate made up to the old standards, although I don't suppose there's any way they can tell, if it's a pre-51 car.

Oli L

200 posts

195 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
Try www.Dubmeister.co.uk

If i remember rightly there's are uk legal aswell.

HellDiver

5,708 posts

204 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
This makes no sense. Pre-51 plates use the same Charles Wright 2001 font as post-51 plates.

Or are you talking about the old squarer style font used on the pressed aluminium plates of the 80's?

kambites

70,444 posts

243 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
The post-51 plates have a narrower version of the same font.

ETA: Down from 57mm to 50mm, apparently.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 1st December 12:27

HellDiver

5,708 posts

204 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
Oh, well as plates are made by computer now, the correct font is chosen when the plate is being made up. Therefore, anywhere that makes plates should use the correct font by default.

I thought the OP was asking about some of the odd 80's style plates (square font pressed aluminium, or the ones with the stroke across the 7, or slash across 0, etc).

kambites

70,444 posts

243 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
I think even pre-51 registration plates are generally made up with the narrower font these days, because if you're replacing plates, they're meant to have the EU mark down the side and whatnot.

vit4

Original Poster:

3,507 posts

192 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
Cheers for all of the replies. Not sure if I'm going to repair the car for definite yet, but most probably. Why this popped up as a concern to me prior to the rest of the stuff that needs doing I'm not sure hehe

kambites said:
I think even pre-51 registration plates are generally made up with the narrower font these days, because if you're replacing plates, they're meant to have the EU mark down the side and whatnot.
This is what I thought frown Probably just going to have to ring the show plate companies then frown

kambites

70,444 posts

243 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
Out of interest, why do you care?

vit4

Original Poster:

3,507 posts

192 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
kambites said:
Out of interest, why do you care?
The new ones just look 'wrong' to me on older cars. It's not the end of the world, just one of those things I'd prefer. smile

varsas

4,071 posts

224 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
My understanding (which might be wrong) is that if putting new plates on a car it must be the new style plates, regardless of the age of the car. Anyone making plates must only make the 'new' style plates. It is not illegal to have old style plates on a car, but it is to put them on.

In the real world, apart from putting black and white plates on a modern car I doubt the police will care. Even if they did, assuming you have '80's style plates on an '80's car how will they prove the plates are new?

Best place to get old style plates (for show use only, of course) is classic car shows, you'll still need V5/licence etc.

sklar

1,491 posts

238 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
http://www.pl8s.co.uk/

Framptons. Brilliant. The guy from volkswizard uses them to put fresh plates on the Mk2's he sells.

AdamW

775 posts

262 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
vit4 said:
kambites said:
Out of interest, why do you care?
The new ones just look 'wrong' to me on older cars. It's not the end of the world, just one of those things I'd prefer. smile
I agree! Glad it's not just me with typeface OCD.

vit4

Original Poster:

3,507 posts

192 months

Wednesday 1st December 2010
quotequote all
sklar said:
http://www.pl8s.co.uk/

Framptons. Brilliant. The guy from volkswizard uses them to put fresh plates on the Mk2's he sells.
Ace site, thank you! thumbup