Re: [FWDLK] California Black Plate

[eastern sierra Adj Services <esierraadj@xxxxxxxxx>]

Roger, in 1963, CA made EVERYONE turn-in his plates (& there were a LOT
of different-style
license plates, up to '63!!) & get the "Black Plates", which were issued
(to answer your question) thru 1967, (or 68). Then, the Blue Plate
'specials' were issued, thru the advent of 6, and 7-digit Personalized
plates--my 85 LeBaron still has Blue Plates--AND, thanx to a law
pushed-thru by an 'interested'  rep/senator, I believe that  the
BLUE-PLATES are STILL available (unless the law has been withdrawn!)
to new-car owners-a secret ALMOST as well-kept, as the ability to
punch-out the swaged rear axle studs, and replace them
w/normal-shouldered studs(--but I digress).

Anyway, any CA car, NOT manufactured during 1963 -1968, having 'VALID'
Black-plates, MUST have been continuously-registered, over the years,
with NO MORE than 4 years of non-
registration, because CA WILL NOT allow  Black Plates to be
re-activated, once they are more than 4-years "inactive".

In other words, IF 1963- 1968 is considered to be "Year-of-Manufacture",
now, THEN a person could buy/register black-plates for ONLY those years'
cars (1963 -1968). You can NOT install
or re-activate Black-Plates, on any car (not incl 63 -68??) , once that
car has had inactive registration for more than 4-years.

SOOO, IMHO, "Black-Plates" are MORE important/relevant to a car's
provenance, than
"Year-of-Manufacture" plates, BECAUSE California required EVERYONE to
surrender
his existing-plates, in 1963, & get the Blackies.

There is ONE exception to the rule that a Black-Plate car "must" still
be wearing its 1963 plates, & that is if the car "lost" its plates
during 1963 -1968, and its original blackies were replaced with ANOTHER
set of plates.

After 1968, the black-plates would have been replaced by Blue-plates.

Black plate cars are special, in that they've been on-the-road, in CA, @
least since 1963.

Neil

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