Black and Silver number plates

[1972nail]

Our Minor, my father's 69 and 72 Maxis, my 70 and 72 Vivas and my 72 Firenza all had reflective plates from new. So any argument that they weren't common until 73 doesn't really ring true.

[droopsnoot]

I should have read Fred's link before commencing rant. A cut-off of 1975 isn't too bad, it's still wrong though for M, N and P reg. cars.

Don't forget that link is to a blog post that was written in 2015, and therefore the cut-off of 1975 was when the historic cut-off was. It has since moved on. It also wouldn't be the only DVLA blog post that isn't accurate - the DVLA blog was where they said that a car that fails an MOT cannot be driven until the faults are fixed, regardless of whether the old MOT still has some time to run. That was only the case if the car had a "dangerous fault" on it.

The 1973 date is when they became mandatory for all new cars.

[Fred Dukes]

It is a bit difficult to interpret the DVLA rule - which was made in 2015 and defined the cut off at1975 however it goes on to imply that is rolls with the 40 year Historic Vehicle cut off - the Footman James article in Practical Classic says vehicles with "historic vehicle" tax classification can have black and silver plates!

[Johnboy HB]

Reflective plates were introduced sometime in 1967 but didn't start to become popular until 1968/9, presumably dealers used up the old stock first, British Leyland were still using white/silver characters on black background for their advertising up to about 1972

[Johnboy HB]

Going back to Rizzo's post, Jepsons do a good range of authentic classic number plates, I had some from there for my estate & am quite pleased with them

[1972nail]

Well the number plate recognition story was in the Daily Mail so it must be true

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailym ... rkets.html

And the Telegraph

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.telegr ... gnise/amp/

This article in Classics World is quite good.

https://classicsworld.co.uk/news/older- ... sing-anpr/

[1972nail]

Now that we've had a discussion about this interesting subject do any of you guys want to put pen to paper and write an article for the Autumn edition of ReVival? Submission date is 1 August....

[droopsnoot]

Leaflet INF104 is the thing to refer to: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... inf104.pdf

This latest version (published March 2020, I think) first of all says:

"Vehicles manufactured after 1 January 1973 must display number plates:
• made of a reflective material
• with a white background at the front of the vehicle and a yellow background at the back of the vehicle
• with black letters and numbers."

And then a bit later on says:

"Vehicles made before 1 January 1973 may display traditional ‘black and white’ number plates (for example, white, silver or grey characters on a black plate). From April 2020 vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1980 are also able to display traditional ‘black and white’ number plates. You must:

• have applied to DVLA
• be registered within the ‘historic vehicles’ tax class

The 40-year exemption date rolls forward automatically each year on 1 April. "

[Fred Dukes]

Cheers Mike that adds some clarity to it - they are not very good at making it totally clear - as you say - one place it says cut off is 1973 0n another place it say 1975 (and that was published in 2015! why can you still see it they should have removed it when it was superseded by the 2020 publication - and then in that publication it say it rolls with the 40 year Historic Vehicle rule

[68 dave]

Yes, discount motor spares in Leigh on sea, I know this as I am the manager. We do chrome and black which are on one of my cars or silver and black. Will sort you out a price in the next couple of days. We also mix paint. Dave hc692