TX Antique Car plates/registration

I have run antique plates on all of my car that qualify. Yes, you are restricted to showing events and a few others but everytime I drive my car I am showing it... I have never been hassled by the police. I do not think the majority know/understand the antique plates. I drove one car as a daily driver with 66 plates and never had any issues.

The good is you do not have to do inspections, the plate/tag last for 5 years and is only around $60..If you have a really old car (pre 1976) the year specific plates look awesome and can be picked up pretty cheap.

greg

 

I have friends with older cars and plates and everything is fine for them. I picked up some 69 plates the other day but have not gotten them registered. You should be fine.

 

If you want to use vintage plates, make sure you call ahead and check to see if the plate number is available before buying them. I got some free 1965 plates recently, but unfortunately, someone else is already using the plate number on a newer vehicle.

 

I have never had a problem with the police in any of my cars. The police are usually so busy checking out the car itself that I think they dont hastle you.
The ironic thing is, when we were driving these cars in high school we were the first to get pulled over. I guess it could have had something to do with what we were doing at the time.

 

Alex, lots of the guys here in Austin have the antique plates. You won't get hassled for taking a weekend cruise. You could just always say that you are heading to a local show or taking the car to a photo shoot.

 

The problem for me is they have a FORD in the middle of them!!

ROTFLMAO!

I noticed a new pattern though recently "Classic Car" on a 70s Cutlass...check with Tx DOT on all the forms..

As Jay mentions yet another solution is the plate from the year of the car, but "sticker plates" start in 1976 so later than that s hard to find..I have been told I could use 1977 Dealer Tags on my cars but that didn't sound right so I passed on that deal....

 

I have 5 cars with Antique plates and after a partial 1st year new plates will be issued and good for 5 years as stated before.
Only 1 plate is issued. And yes the cars are to be used for shows, car functions, parades, etc.

I have 4 cars with matching year plates and they are a neat way to add a nice touch to your ride. They come with a metal tag that is supposed to be bolted to your rear plate, but some cars make it difficult to use them. I carry some in my glove box in case anyone cares to see them. They are a registration sticker in place of the normal blue registration for the windshield. No limits on driving with these plates. I've never had anyone question why there are no registration or inspection stickers on the winshield of these cars. I think these must also go on a car at least 25 years old, because they are a type of antique plate.

As for obtaining plates Ebay is a good place to start, but other good sources can be found by searching the internet for plates from your state. Prices vary greatly depending on condition like most everything else. I think I paid about $150.00 for one set of NOS plates in perfect condition and I'd have to research to find the prices on the others. You can also find them in rough or fair condition if you want to restore them, but I find in the long run I maintain my good dispostion more easily if I spend the bucks to get either restored or NOS plates.

Any registration office can give you the exact rules on the use of these types of plates.

Keep the shiny side up!

Larry

 

I just renewed mine on the '68 Jaguar E-Type. Tx DOT now using little stickers on the antique plates, not the little metal tags.

The no State Inspection aspect of it is important for these old cars. I am finding that the local State Inspection people are getting really picky about passing a muscle car. This year, they would not give me inspection stickers on my Olds 4-4-2 or the "Starsky & Hutch" Gran Torino because one of my INTERIOR turn signal lights was out... Another place turned me down because my license plate light was inoperable... Bet those lights have not worked for 20+ years.

 

I had a '64 330 2+2, purchased in late 2002.

Before car arrived here in March '03, I went on ebay and bought a set of NOS '64 plates, still in plastic wrapper with tissue paper, for about $100.

When I went to register the car with state of TX, I filled out forms for Classic-plate (NOT Antique) registration status.

From then on, that's the way car was registered. No consequent limitations on use whatsoever, cost me an extra $15 a year to maintain this status.

I don't know if any of this has changed. I have TX "vanity" plates for my current 308.

 

Alex, how can I get in contact with you privately? I think I have some Miura related memorabilia from Edward Taylor that you may be interested in.