Original CA Plates

[Chuck Lutz]

I was telling a friend, who is a car collector, about my 56 Mark II and mentioned that it's got (what I wrongly assumed) the original black plates. He stopped me there and said "not original". Turns out the black plate here in CA didn't come in until 1963. Turns out that the CA DMV has a "YOM" (year of manufacture) program for old cars where they'll (for a nominal Schwarzenegger fee) switch your registration to a correct type plate if you can find it.
My friend told me about a gentleman in Vacaville, CA that finds, refurbishes and sells old CA plates. When I called him he told me that he had 6 sets of 56 and don't remember how many 57's. I picked mine up last week and they are superb. They are yellow with black lettering and a "56" in the upper right corner.
If anyone is interested let me know. For those who are not in CA and want this update on your car, you might check with you state's authority and see if they have a similar program.

[SLK]

In NY, you are allowed to use the plate(s) from the year that the car was titled. Over the years, they would switch between Black or Yellow and one or two plates. 56 used a single yellow plate from 55 plus a black 56 corner tab. The plates are not allowed to be refurbished in any way.

I'd love to find some coincidental meaning to my plate AG-71. Does anyone know if any of the following ever owned a Mark II?
Jacob Javits - New York Attorney General 1955-57
Louis Lefkowitz - New York Attorney General 1957-1978
Herbert Brownell Jr. - US Attorney General 1953-57
John Mitchell - US Attorney General (convicted during Watergate) 1969-72

[depmike38]

:oI know I'm going to show my ignorance but did every state in 56 use black license plates?

[Chuck Lutz]

Actually, no. I have black CA plates on my 56 but they didn't come into play in CA until 63. I bought the 56 plates that were yellow with black letters and "56" on the corner.

[Doc]

A follow-up on the CA YOM plate program. Following Chuck's advice, I contacted Dave (google: Dave, license, Vacaville, CA) and found out that he comes regularly to the monthly auto swap at the fair grounds in Pomona. I met him there and he had three sets of restored 1956 plates--one with an AAK sequence that was consistent with both the year of manufacture for our car and for its early-in-the-year registration (it sold in Oct. 1955). They weren't cheap, but you guys had persuaded me to get YOM plates. Registration with the DMV was easier than anticipated (download the form online) and cheaper ($45)--but one word of caution for anyone else in CA who may want to get YOM plates (for 1956 and 1957, they are the "chrome yellow" shown in Chuck's entry above). When the transaction is over, they will ask for your current plates--if, for whatever reason you want to keep them (e.g. you've got the original black plates issued when CA switched and everyone had to turn in their yellow plates), just tell the agent that they are on the car and you have to keep them until the new registration arrives because the interim registration shows the old plate number, not the new YOM number (which is true) and you can't drive it without plates. There seems to be some confusion on what the actual policy is, but that convinced my agent that I should keep the black set as well (which could then be used for YOM plates on a car from the 1960s).

[Barry Wolk]

Michigan's Historic Vehicle plates are almost the same color as my car. The YOM plates are white with baby food green lettering. Historic plates are $35 for 10 years.

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg18/barry2952/Picture0010-2.jpg

[Chuck Lutz]

So Doc, did they have to send off to Sac to get it transfered or did you walk out with the white paper temporary registration and new stickers? As I said earlier my stickers showed up in late November after applying at the DMV in August. I have to note, however, the stickers (both month and year) are in my glove box because I can't find any information online from the DMV about where the hell they go. I figure I'll wait until the CHP pull me over and tell me. :D
You are SOOOOO right about it confusing the DMV agents. There's no two stories alike that I've heard. The plates are beautiful though, aren't they?
Another aside... I just received my renewal for 2010 and the registration fee is $324. WTH!!!! I need to call them. Something's got to be wrong.

[Doc]

The paperwork has to go through Sacramento, so all I got was the temporary registration. When DMV Sac processes it, they are supposed to send you the two stickers and two aluminum tabs that you attach to the holes in the plate--the month sticker goes on one, the year on the other. The tabs can be put on so they extend above or below the plate, depending on how the plate fits in the bumper. Like you said, no two people get the same treatment and I've talked to others who also didn't receive the tabs.
One other add, if someone is interested in CA YOM plates and you have a 1957 vehicle, you also have to buy an additional old sticker (i.e. from 1957) to go on your base YOM plate (which are all dated 1956 like the illustration in Chuck's post). The dealers like Dave also have the vintage stickers (which are apparently reproductions, but they seem to be accepted by DMV).

[Chuck Lutz]

Oh yes, I forgot about the cheesy aluminum tabs they sent. I suppose they could go on the lower part of the plate but won't fit above. I couldn't imagine how they were supposed to go either. They're in the glove box too.
I have a rather unique plate holder in the rear of my car. I'ts go a sub-frame mounted to the bumper and a finish frame with two brass cotter pins on the lower quarter points of the finish frame. It's like knuckles on an hinge. Two of the knuckles are on the sub-frame and one on the finish frame that nests between the aforementioned two. The cotter pin is then inserted like the hinge pin. To take the plate out you take the pins out tilt the finish frame out from the bottom and unhook the top interlock. I've never seen anything like it but it's very cool. I'd love to get some of the dents out of the finish frame and continue to use it. If I think about it I'll get some photos. I'm not sure if this was aftermarket or factory. Does anyone have something like it?

[0bird2]

Here in Texas we can register a car with year of manufacture plates (YOM) as well as antique and classic plates. The latter two are new plates that the state has made. The YOM plates for '56 are Black with Yellow lettering and the '57 plates are White with Black letters. The plates can be found at swap meets and in antique stores. The registration is for 5 year periods and isn't too expensive.
The state of Washingtom also does YOM plates and both the '56 and '57 plates are Green with White lettering. There is a metal tab mounted on the plate with the year of the car. The plates were all printed in '54 and used thru '57.
The registration is permanent (a one time fee) and dirt cheap.
When I registered my '57 T-Bird down here the DMV gave me back the registration sheet from Washington and I kept the WA plates.
So, I am legally registered in TX and in WA, just need to swap the plates.
I have a set of NEW YOM plates for the Mark II and they are really expensive. Not too many new ones around, in fact I bought the last new ones this vendor had and he is the biggest vendor in TX. I have seen reconditioned ones for over $300 a pair. Feel real lucky at $180 for the new ones I got

[woodlandsmarkII]

Vintage Texas Plates are available at the following website:
http://www.txlicenseplates.com/
I've purchased plates from the Powell family for several years. Great product, fast delivery, required Texas DOT paperwork for registration included with the plates. They have my recommendation.
Mike Grimes