'83 308...should I go for Classic or Antique in Texas? | FerrariChat

'83 308...should I go for Classic or Antique in Texas?

Discussion in '308/328' started by Nuno Andrade, Sep 6, 2019.

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  1. Nuno Andrade

    Nuno Andrade Karting

    Aug 24, 2019
    154
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Nuno Andrade
    Can someone please advise what is the best option in Texas for a 1983 car? Should I go for antique or classic? I drive it around twice a week...probably 100 miles a week.
    Also I didn't see any option to personalize an antique license plate on the VTR-54 (antique application form in TX)

    Thanks
     
  2. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 26, 2001
    29,386
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    Trailer Swift
    Antique pkates have significant resteictions on use. They aren't always enforced, but just cruising around is technically not allowed. On the positive side, no inspection and cheap registration. Classic plates offer no advantage over normal plates.
     
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  3. waymar

    waymar Formula 3

    Sep 2, 2008
    1,321
    Northeast, PA - USA
    Full Name:
    Wayne Martin
    I have a 1982 in Pennsylvania and went antique about 10 years now. Drive it all over even at night. Never had any issues. Upgraded all lights except head lights to led for better visibility by other drivers. I don’t cause a scene and drive it modest.
     
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  4. Kidasters

    Kidasters Formula Junior

    Oct 4, 2013
    546
    Houston, Tx
    Full Name:
    Ken
    This. Also - Antique plates are good for multi-years. Finally - they only issue you 1 plate (rear). But - theoretically - you are only supposed to drive them to shows and for service.
     
  5. ferrariowner

    ferrariowner Formula 3

    Feb 21, 2014
    1,109
    Mansfield, TX
    Full Name:
    Ron
    Wow! If I am allowed to drive when it needs service, I can drive it everyday. I can always say I am taking it in for service. :)
     
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  6. Nuno Andrade

    Nuno Andrade Karting

    Aug 24, 2019
    154
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Nuno Andrade
    Looks like on the Antique form does not allow you to personalize your plate. Is that correct? (In Texas at least)


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  7. Glassman

    Glassman F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed Silver Subscribed

    In Montana I have date of manufacture plates for my 83. You find a set of plates used the year of manufacture, have the plate approved by a five minute inspection by the Highway Patrol, and it is a one time fee. You also get a state issued Classic Car sticker for the rear window that means "leave me alone".
     
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  8. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,143
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    Our Classic plates have a Ford on them, that was enough to steer me off.
    There's also the absence of Annual Inspection, 5 year duration, BUT a lot of local LEO will pull you before they see "what they are dealing with".

    I have seen the Classic Car format but don't have info.

    A personalized plate is just that, and excludes participating in either program, and adds $40 a year to your License fee.

    I just go with a normal plate, annual inspection (which no longer has a physical presence on the car, no sticker) and drive all the miles I want.

    Collector insurance has the same 2500 miles per year, show or display in it.
    The State Law mimics that language.
     
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  9. Nuno Andrade

    Nuno Andrade Karting

    Aug 24, 2019
    154
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Nuno Andrade
    How is that? You don’t need to put the sticker? Why not?


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  10. Smiles

    Smiles F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 20, 2003
    16,601
    Pittsburgh, PA
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    Matt F
    If you get to do a “year of manufacture” then check out www.licenseplates.tv.

    You can get any period-correct license plate you want, completely custom made.

    Matt
     
  11. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,143
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    Our annual Safety Inspection went "stickerless" about two years ago?

    You still get it, but it posts to the big TxDOT database in the sky.
    Then you trundle on down to the County Tax office and buy your PLATE sticker for the windshield.

    They will renew your hard tags every five years but you don't do anything to the actual plate, until then.
    Anyway you only have one sticker in the front glass now.
    It's the license.
     
  12. A12pilot

    A12pilot Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 11, 2018
    390
    DFW
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    Dave
    #12 A12pilot, Sep 27, 2019
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2019
    That sticker in our windshields isn’t the plate sticker, rather, it’s the vehicle registration and you can’t get that until you do the safety/emissions inspection. I’m glad we went down to one sticker. It’s about time!

    For Antique Autos, the 5yr registration is correct and no inspection is required, and actually, no insurance proof is required when you’re at the DMV for the first time. See, they think you will never be driving this on the road and from a book-keeping standpoint, if it’s not on the road you technically don’t need road insurance. It’s a very little known fact, but correct. I’d still bring it with you. I used to live in Harris County and have registered upwards of over twenty Antique cars and happened to one day be registering a 1957 Chevrolet I bought out of state. The supervisor was the one helping me and she was very polite and knowledgeable. She informed me since I was going with Antique plates that not only was the safety inspection not required, the out of state VR form wasn’t required, nor was proof of insurance. Interesting! But she says it’s just best to have all of that done since it avoids any hassle during your checkout with the clerk since most don’t know. The neat thing is you can use an original plate from the year of manufacture of your car. The Antique one they issue you if you don’t go the date plate route, comes with a small metal tag. The registration comes with a sticker that goes on it that tells the month/year of expiration. Much like a trailer plate has, but it goes on the metal tag that fastens under one of the plate retaining bolts instead of being placed on the tag itself. The old Antique tags were screened with the expiration date on it. Now it’s the small sticker that goes on the tag.

    I don’t know about the personalized made up vintage 1980something tags you can buy online. Would be good to know if you could use those! I’ve registered all my cars Antique and never had one issue ever being pulled over by the police. Most know, and most understand we’re pretty responsible drivers that really don’t drive these cars on a daily basis. Although I’m sure if you passed a cop daily in your way to work or something, that may be a different story! Hope that helps!

    Cheers
    Dave
     
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  13. Nuno Andrade

    Nuno Andrade Karting

    Aug 24, 2019
    154
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Nuno Andrade
    thanks Dave, so let me see if I get this right....I can register a veihicle as antique and use the vintage (year/make) license plate? I was under the impression that if I register the car as antique you will have to use the antique license plate ...with the blue Ford T in the middle.
    In any case for now I have registered the car as a classic but will be interested to know these details and be better prepared for next year.

    Cheers
     
  14. A12pilot

    A12pilot Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 11, 2018
    390
    DFW
    Full Name:
    Dave
    Hi Nuno,

    I registered a 1969 Dodge A12 Super Bee using the Antique plate they issue, but had a set of 1969 Texas plates I wanted to use. She told me I couldn’t use those since it was an Antique, but that’s when the Supervisor heard and said “This was changing next year (2014) so you can use those plates next year since you’ll have a small tag for the sticker instead of a silk screened plate with an expiration date.” But then the following year I had registered a 1949 Chevrolet 3100 using 1949 Texas Truck plates and tried that, but that required a safety inspection and a resulted in it being a regular registration renewable each year, along with the accompanied windshield registration decal. Confusing? Yep. When I get my 328 I’ll be trying to go the registering it as an Antique and use 1986 plates and see what they say. I’ll keep you posted! I’m in a different county now where things are a little slower and people are a lot more friendly, so we’ll see what they say.

    For now, my understanding is Antique = State issued single blue “Model A” tag with accompanied small metal tag with 5yr expiration sticker anchored to the tag using one of the tag’s mounting screws. Classic Car/Truck = State issued front and back “labeled” tag ex., (Classic Truck) with regular inspection yearly and window sticker. Regular Registration = State issued or personalized tags (front and back), or Dated Year tag in acceptable condition and unregistered, with yearly inspection and front window sticker. Finally, Yet To Be Determined = Antique registration using Dated Year Tag with accompanied small metal tag attached on the Tag hold down screw with registration expiration date (5yrs) sticker, no window sticker.

    I’ll report back what my clerk says when I try the latter route!

    Cheers
    Dave
     
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