Old Ford pics

[Ecode70D]

The F O R D letters are missing and the grill is bashed in, wander what year that was taken?

  Jim
     The  FORD letters on my original header panel are are missing and after very careful inspection the panel has never been repaired and there is no body work where the letters should be.  It is my opinion that just maybe  it was an  over the counter replacement.   Jay   
   

[Ecode70D]

He still hangs around Orange/Tustin.   We call him Bare Foot Blair, because he never wears shoes.  He's a genuine character.  A true Car Guy.  Quote

John
      We in Mass. have a guy that walks around barefoot at the car cruises. also.  Cobra Joe and JohnV , did you ever see him at the Friday night cruise in Halifax Ma ?    IMO it is not a smart thing to do, but each to his own.  Jay
   

[CobraJoe]

Can't say I have Jay.

[hemidave]

[hiball3985]

  Jim
     The  FORD letters on my original header panel are are missing and after very careful inspection the panel has never been repaired and there is no body work where the letters should be.  It is my opinion that just maybe  it was an  over the counter replacement.   Jay   

Thats a very good possibility Jay.

[Ecode70D]

Can't say I have Jay.

    Joe
    That's because when we are at the cruise, we are too busy looking at cars, and eating hot dogs.   
     We don't have enough time to be looking at feet.  If we are allowed to cruise this summer, I'll point him out to you.
JA

[cokefirst]

I hope I can clear up the California License plate issue.  For a while every vehicle were issued new license plates every year.  The plates came due in January of the year and everyone had to pay the registration of their vehicles and were issued a new set of plates.  If you want to go back prior to 1914, you put your own homemade plates on your car and registered them with the state.  In 1914 the state started issuing license plates and the plates were mailed to owners every year with the vehicle getting a new pair of plates for the vehicles.  In WWII, the practice of adding a year strip on plates started due to a need to conserve metal for the war effort.  1941 plates were issued and in 1942, and 1943 you were given a strip to put on your 1941 plates to update the registration.  For 1944, you were issued a sticker for the windshield as your proof of registration. along with a tab for your 1941 plate.  In 1945 you were issued a new plate.  In 1946 you were issued a tab for your 1945 plate and then in 1947, everyone got new plates.  In 1948, 1949 and 1950 you got a tab that attached to the 1947 plate then everyone got a new plate in 1951.  For 1952-1955, everyone got a tab to add to the 1951 license plate. 

In 1956, the federal government and the auto manufacturers got together to standardize the license plate size so that car manufacturers could provide uniform brackets.  the 1956 California plate conformed to that new standard and the early plates has a horizontal hole near the year stamp that was supposed to be used for a metal tab in 1957.  The state decided not to issue the metal tabs but went to a sticker for the 1957-1962 years.  In 1963, everyone was issued a new set of plates but those were supposed to be permanent.  From 1963 there was no general issue of plates to everyone.  Plates that were damaged, lost or stolen were replaced with whatever plate was currently being issued at the time.  In the 1970's, the state changed all registration being renewed in January to a 12 month registration process.  At that time they issued month stickers to be placed on the plate in the upper left hand corner with the year sticker attached to the upper right hand corner.

Thus is the abbreviated history of California car license plates.

[CobraJoe]

[hemidave]

[hemidave]

[CobraJoe]

[hemidave]

[CobraJoe]

[djfordmanjack]

Thank you for clarification, that makes sense now. so our 57s would only keep the original yellow 56 plates if they were not registered post '63. It would be interesting to know if the black and gold 63 carried the same numbers/letters as the 56 plates ( if one kept his registraion valid, only with mandatory new plates). Say if the original owner of my 57 CS had the same CET 173 plates in yellow 56 and black 63 plates later on.

I hope I can clear up the California License plate issue.  For a while every vehicle were issued new license plates every year.  The plates came due in January of the year and everyone had to pay the registration of their vehicles and were issued a new set of plates.  If you want to go back prior to 1914, you put your own homemade plates on your car and registered them with the state.  In 1914 the state started issuing license plates and the plates were mailed to owners every year with the vehicle getting a new pair of plates for the vehicles.  In WWII, the practice of adding a year strip on plates started due to a need to conserve metal for the war effort.  1941 plates were issued and in 1942, and 1943 you were given a strip to put on your 1941 plates to update the registration.  For 1944, you were issued a sticker for the windshield as your proof of registration. along with a tab for your 1941 plate.  In 1945 you were issued a new plate.  In 1946 you were issued a tab for your 1945 plate and then in 1947, everyone got new plates.  In 1948, 1949 and 1950 you got a tab that attached to the 1947 plate then everyone got a new plate in 1951.  For 1952-1955, everyone got a tab to add to the 1951 license plate. 

In 1956, the federal government and the auto manufacturers got together to standardize the license plate size so that car manufacturers could provide uniform brackets.  the 1956 California plate conformed to that new standard and the early plates has a horizontal hole near the year stamp that was supposed to be used for a metal tab in 1957.  The state decided not to issue the metal tabs but went to a sticker for the 1957-1962 years.  In 1963, everyone was issued a new set of plates but those were supposed to be permanent.  From 1963 there was no general issue of plates to everyone.  Plates that were damaged, lost or stolen were replaced with whatever plate was currently being issued at the time.  In the 1970's, the state changed all registration being renewed in January to a 12 month registration process.  At that time they issued month stickers to be placed on the plate in the upper left hand corner with the year sticker attached to the upper right hand corner.

Thus is the abbreviated history of California car license plates.

[hemidave]