Good Morning:
Having always been a (car) freak, I've mostly had cars that I did not
want a front license plate on for aesthetic reasons. I've been driving in CA
all of my life and have NEVER been stopped or written up for no front plate.
Once when crossing the border from Tijuana many years ago, the customs agent
mentioned the missing plate but took no further action.
When I bought my new '06' in April, the dealership made me sign a waiver
stating that I was accepting the car (530i) without a front license plate
bracket installed. They indicated that in our post-9/11 world (that seems to
be the excuse for everything these days), officers are now enforcing the front
license plate regulations because it increases the opportunities to identify
a particular car. Also, I suspect the increase in red light enforcement
cameras may also be a ($$$) motivator.
Dick: I'm sure you are aware of this but the California DMV is now
making the year of manufacture (YOM) plates for the yellow background with
black
lettering. I don't know what years that covers because I only remember the
black and then blue plates when I was growing up. Though you would likely be
unable to get your specific letter/number combo, at least you'd have matching
YOM plates...just a thought. If you are looking for an incredible plate
restorer, I can refer you to the one I used back east for my 69 280se cabrio.
He's really an artist. And given what I've seen in pictures of some of the
plates he's restored, I wouldn't be surprised if he could recreate one for you
from scratch. HMMMMMMM...I've always wondered where these plate restorers
originally learned so much about license plates...
Steve G
Benicia, CA
BJ8 #43007, 79 MGB L/E
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