Correct number plates

[Keith A]

Hi everyone I'm new to this forum having owed my first '6' for just under a year. I am trying to put some originality back into my 1973 TR6 firstly by changing the number plates back to the original factory spec. Currently the front and rear plates are standard size, both front and rear are black plastic with silver numbering is this correct? were they originally metal or plastic when they left the factory? were they both black?

 

A small detail in the grand scheme of things I know but can anyone advise.....

[Graham]

Keith for a 73 car I think you should have a white tin front plate and a yellow tin rear both with the separate plastic numbers/letters in black , that's what my mk1 Austin Alegro JLR543N had fitted from new

 

ATB Graham

[cp25616]

Agreed.

Alan

[ianhoward]

Keith

 

My understanding is that current requirement is that post 1973 cars should have white front and yellow rear plates - i.e. from 01-01-1974... This can be required at MoT, though not always cared out!

 

Regards

Ian

[ptjs1]

Keith,

 

It's a changing area!

 

Your car, if registered after 1st Jan 1973, originally had yellow plates with black letters. (They had been optional since 1967)

 

However, the legislation has now changed, in line with the moving tax-free status for vehicles. So, all cars registered before 1st Jan 1975 can use the old black and silver plates. And that will change next year to 1st Jan 1976 etc.

 

So we now have a situation that some vehicles originally registered with yellow and black plates may now use black and silver plates!

 

Paul

[Alec Pringle]

There was no factory specification for number plates as far as I am aware - they were supplied and fitted by the Standard Triumph dealer, not the factory.

 

They didn't have to be tin either, plastic number plates were also available by 1970.

 

Cheers

 

Alec

[Andrew Smith]

This might help - http://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/tippers?opendocument&part=4

 

Cheers

Andrew

[Keith A]

Thanks for the feedback guys. consensus seems to be white front, yellow rear with black plastic numbers/letters.

 

The link to the Tippers website was useful, thanks Andrew.

 

Regards

 

Keith

[Rod Thomason]

Hi

I have the tin ones, Idont think you can have black and white front and black and yellow rear may not pass MOT

[ptjs1]

Rod,

 

By "white", I think Keith means the pale yellow background.

 

Paul

[Mike K]

I have seen elsewhere on the forum reference to rules re reg plate format being changed with time (as per the free licence tax rules) but I reckon this is incorrect. I suppose if there was a good reason to enforcing a new format back then, it doesn't make much sense to allow it to change just because of the passage of time.

 

I checked the DVLA website which 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, and

with black letters and numbers

 

and in The MOT Inspection Manual also on the DVLA site it states:

 

Vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1973 may have registration plates displaying white, grey or silver characters on a black background.

 

and

 

On vehicles first registered on or after 1 January 1973, check:

· the colour of the characters and background

 

and under Reasons for Rejection states:

 

2. a. a front registration plate does not have black characters on a white background

b. a rear registration plate does not have black characters on a yellow background

 

So, the wrong plates could result in failed MOT although that probably depends on the tester involved, but there is also the prospect of a fine up to £1000! You are correct to steer clear on the black and white plates Keith.

 

Cheers.

 

Mike.

[ptjs1]

Mike,

 

The rules definitely changed last year. This is from the DVLA gov.uk site:

 

Vehicles that can display black and silver plates

Since April 2015 vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1975 can display the older style plates. You must:

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

This allows your vehicle to retain its authenticity and be in keeping with its age.

Vehicles constructed 40 or more years ago are exempt from vehicle tax.

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

Hope that clarifies things.

Paul

[Bill944T]

"This allows your vehicle to retain its authenticity and be in keeping with its age."

 

The only way the post 72 vehicles can retain their authenticity is to have reflective plates as fitted at the time.........

 

I mentioned vanity in an earlier topic which wasn't well received!

 

Regards

 

Bill

[Bill944T]

Since April 2015 vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1975 can display the older style plates. You must:

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

Note the conditional "and"..... Has anyone registered within the historic vehicles class applied to display the older style plates and in what written format did they receive DVLA permission?

 

If anyone has, please post DVLA's permission (suitably redacted!).

 

Regards

 

Bill

[peejay4A]

I'm with you on this Bill. If you're after historical authenticity then post '72 cars should have reflective plates. I may be wrong but it looks like allowing black/silver/white plates on pre'75 cars is somehow allowing them to indicate historic status. By accident or design?

[ptjs1]

I'm cynical enough to believe that at some point, restrictions will be placed on historic vehicles in the UK, such as happens in other countres, leading to restrictions of use. And if they all have black and silver plates, it becomes easier to identify the offenders.

 

My 1973 car never originally had black and silver plates. so, when the 26-year restoration is finally finished, it will have the original yellow and black plates fitted. I still might not be allowed to use it in the future in certain places, but at least it will look original.

 

Paul

[stuart]

FWIW my first 4a registered 6mths after they stopped making them had white and yellow number plates (Hills make) from new as they were already starting to come into use by then.

Stuart.

[Denis]

And my '69 TR6 came with it's original Hills raised (3D) black plastic letters & numbers riveted onto pressed aluminium plates with refective backgrounds. Ugle hard to clean things, but I retained them for originalities sake, albeit they're not on the car at the moment.

[Mike K]

This will help you sleep!

I wrote to the DVLA pointing out the discrepancies on their web-site and asking them to check/confirm the position. Having read through the statutes I have to say I remain sceptical of their view but anyway, their reply restates their view:

..........As part of the changes to display regulations in 2001, the law allows vehicles recorded as being in the historic tax class to use the black and white or black and silver style plates. Since April 2015, vehicles manufactured before 1975 are now able to display the older style marks providing they have applied to the DVLA and are recorded within the historic tax class.

This meant that when the changes to the historic tax class dates were announced in recent Budgets, this had the unintended consequence of amending the display Regulations to allow additional vehicles to display black and silver plates.

I can confirm following the Chancellors Budget at the beginning of March the exemption date for the Historic tax class changed from 1 April 2016 to include vehicles (excluding those used commercially) constructed prior to 1 January 1976. This means that when a vehicle is taxed in the Historic tax class the vehicle may display the black and silver number plates......

 

The reference to “applied to the DVLA and are recorded within the historic class” is just one thing – apply for historic class successfully and black/white plates becomes acceptable.

 

The 2016 Budget included:

VED: classic vehicle exemption – The government will legislate to place the classic vehicle VED exemption on a permanent basis from 1 April 2017, so that from 1 April each year vehicles constructed more than 40 years before the 1 January of that year will automatically be exempt from paying VED. (Finance Bill 2016)

It is difficult to see that the new legislation will unravel the “unintended consequence” created so 1973-1976 cars are likely to remain legal with black/white plates but it is possible I suppose that the rolling qualification date might be halted. We will see. And well done for getting this far!

 

Mike.

[Dave Smith]

My 73 TR6, just looking at photographs when my car was nearly new, the original reflective style plates had a stainless steel edging around them, I think this was quite common in the '70's. If you going for true / correct originality for a '73 car.

[boxofbits]

I am certain reflectives were an option around 1968, and certainly prior to 1970, but like most things were not made compulsory for a few years, 1st Jan 1973.

 

From a point of view of originality, and to be aesthetically correct the fixings are also important. My '66 Mini is fitted with 3 self tappers front and rear across the centre of the plate, whereas the coloured plastic 1/4" screws and nuts, sometimes with a capping came along early '70's I believe.

 

In fact my own Triumph is incorrect on this point to be pedantic over detail, though I have fitted the white on black letters which were produced by Mels or Hills I believe at the time, though some of the original characters are getting hard to find NOS.

 

Regards

 

Kevin