Old License plate restoration

[Jim S.]

I was getting very bored since it was now late September and the temp was still at 105 degrees here in Phoenix. So I decided to do a mostly indoor project while I waited for my garage to become workable.

After several attempts , and trying various methods, I hit on one that gave me great results. It came out so good I had to share it with someone.

I hope to have the other one done this week. Should coincide perfectly with the weather change that allows me to get back to work on the car .

Jim

[Mark E.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Beautiful result!

Maybe your next project can be to add AC the garage...

[Ara G.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Nice job! Well done.....

[Jim S.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Maybe your next project can be to add AC the garage...[/QUOTE]

Thanks Mark,

Trust me , I looked into that . By the time you buy the unit , run the duct work, insulated the ceiling , fur-out and insulate the block walls , and insulated or replace the 18 foot aluminum door that faces west , your at the price of a good used car !

I settled for a portable Swamp Cooler . Works great until it hits 105 + outside ! Besides, if I had done that , I would only have a completed 66 corvette. Not these cool plates to hang on the wall !

Jim

[Domenic T.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Jim, great job,
I did a CA black & yellow and have to do a few more. I was warned that it is not legal to alter plates as in painting but got a smile from them.
Had to have a DMV check and the plate looked toooo good. In restoration they cut us a lot of slack.

Dom

[Terry B.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

So what is the secret for painting the numbers and letters?
I have tried several methods and none worked satisfactory.

[Jim S.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Hi Dom,

I used a CA black and yellow as one of my first test subjects. One of these days I will redo it , now that I have the process down pat.

[Charles C.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Yes, please share your secret of painting the digits with us! Your blue plate looks very nice in the photo.

I am currently restoring a pair of Ca black plates and have experimented with several methods. So far, rolling paint (with a hard roller) on to the digits has proved to produce the smoothest result. Taping and spraying was OK, but doesn't duplicate the OEM edge look as nice to me.

I have several mint unfaded originals to compare my experiments to, but haven't come up with the right method to make me happy yet....

Charlie

[Larry C.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Yes, it would be nice for you to share your process. Or, do we have to beg first? Great job on the plates!

Larry

[Jim S.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Terry and Charlie,

What your asking of me is a really long answer . One I don't have time for right now. I will sit down tomorrow and try sort it all out in words.

Like both of you, I went through a lot of different methods . The one settled on still involves a lot of steps and tricks.

The quick answer however is I spray painted the characters first.

[Dan B.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Nice result, please share your method with the group, experience is the best teacher

[Jim D.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

I've restored many plates and it's actually quite easy. I glass bead the plate and fix any dents/defects. Then primer and spray the main color. I use 3M 1/8" Fineline tape to outline the digits, finish masking the rest of the plate and then spray the digit color. The small letters etc. are done freehand with a pin striping brush. In Wa. State, they really don't care if you restore them or not as long as they are readable.

[Richard H.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

I have not done any this way, mind you, but I had researched and this is the method I'm going to try on the '57 plates I bought: After prepping all surfaces, spray the entire plate with the background color. After letting it dry sufficiently, cover the entire plate surface with masking tape. Then, take an orbital sander and while keeping it nice and flat, sand the masking tape off the numbers, letters, and any other raised areas. Then the letters and numbers are ready to spray or roll. Afterwards remove the rest of the tape, and you're done. This method sounded fairly quick and easy.

Rich

[Stuart F.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

First; I have a collection of about 50 or 60 old plates (tags) and there are some I might like to restore including my original 63 Wisconsin plate from my Vette, as well as a number of my old plates from earlier year cars I have owned and later from Illinois, New Mexico and Florida so I am nterested to.

Second; I have been looking for perhaps an ex-con with experience who'll work cheap.

Stu Fox

[Domenic T.]

Re: Old License plate restoration

Stu,
Great Idea, you would think with all the suggested counterfeit cars and so forth that we would have a X somewhere here on the forum!! Someone has to have some on the job training!

Dom