C3 Front License Plate

[Tom W.]

I'd like to mount a period correct "Chevy USA-1" license plate onto the front of my 71 using the correct SS plate frame.
I think the White & Gold plate would be correct (see attached), but I'm not sure of the years they were used. Did the text vary by year?
I believe the red, white, & blue USA-1 plates weren't introduced until the mid 70s.
Thanks for any help on this one.
Tom

[Sal C.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

Tom,
The one you need for your '71 would be the gold and white version that says "Putting you 1st in a big way!".
The red white and blue version was used in 1972 to 1974, the gold and white with "See America 1st"-1969, and gold and white "Putting you 1st keeps us 1st"-1970.

[Gerard Q.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

Tom,
The one you need for your '71 would be the gold and white version that says "Putting you 1st in a big way!".
The red white and blue version was used in 1972 to 1974, the gold and white with "See America 1st"-1969, and gold and white "Putting you 1st keeps us 1st"-1970.

I agree...I found one for my 71 on ebay....they come up for auction from time to time but be prepared to spend some $.

[Warren F.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

I have an original plate for my '71's but have not mounted it yet. Hope you find one.

[Pat M.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

and gold and white "Putting you 1st keeps us 1st"-1970.

Sal, was this slogan ever put on a license plate? I've never seen one. I use the 71 slogan plate for my 70, since I have a picture of my car from the mid-70s with this plate on it, and because I've never seen a 70 plate.

[Dave S.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

Tom,
The one you need for your '71 would be the gold and white version that says "Putting you 1st in a big way!".
The red white and blue version was used in 1972 to 1974, the gold and white with "See America 1st"-1969, and gold and white "Putting you 1st keeps us 1st"-1970.

Sal,
Thanks for clearing that up. I've collected them all but was never 100% sure which was which.

[Sal C.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

Pat, if you are refering to the use of "1st" in the slogan, that was my mistake. As Dave's photo shows it was "first". In my experiance, the 1970 plate is the hardest to find. It's the only one I don't have in my collection and I had a 1970 Corvette for 27 years.

[Pat M.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

Sal, I was only asking if that slogan was put on license plates, which was before Dave posted his. But in any event, what year was the "On the move!" slogan? I thought that was the 70 slogan.

[Dave S.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

Sal, I was only asking if that slogan was put on license plates, which was before Dave posted his. But in any event, what year was the "On the move!" slogan? I thought that was the 70 slogan.

Pat,
"On the Move" was in fact the 1970 slogan and like your bumper sticker there are lots of promo items from 1970 which use that slogan. To my knowledge there was never an On the Move licence plate.

[Sal C.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

I believe "on the move" was a truck related promo

[Pat M.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

Pat,
"On the Move" was in fact the 1970 slogan and like your bumper sticker there are lots of promo items from 1970 which use that slogan. To my knowledge there was never an On the Move licence plate.

That's what I always thought.

[Dave S.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

I believe "on the move" was a truck related promo

Sal,
You may be right on that but I have lots of 1970 promotional stuff with "On the Move" on it. Items like napkins, dealer stationary, pot holders, yardsticks, pencils, 33 1/3 phonograph album, bumper sticker etc. I also have a large Book titled On the Move - Newspaper Mat Service with lots of photocopy for advertisements that include trucks as well as cars. The slogan is also on the 1970 plastic salesmans badge and the give away golf ball. That leads me to think that "On the Move" was used across the entire Chevrolet line.
As I look through all this stuff I see "Putting us first, Keeps us first" printed in several places which thies that slogan to the 1970 model year.
There are a few old Chevrolet salesman that frequent this Board so maybe they will chime in.
This is what happens to me on a rainy day.

[Kurt B.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

Was there a USA 1 plate for the 68?
If so what exactly did it look like ?
Thank you
Kurt

[Sal C.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

The way I understand it, the USA 1 "See Americas' First!" plates were first released during 1965-66. They had USA-1 and the border embossed and gold anodized and had Chevrolet italicized in the Bowtie. They were made out of a very thin tin with a cardboard backing crimped on.
Sometime in 1967 the CHEVROLET lettering became straight in the bowtie, with the cardboard backing now glued on. I believe later plates were made of a heavier gauge steel without the cardboard backing. Those were probably the ones used for 1968 and 1969 but I don't know for sure.

[Henry S.]

Re: C3 Front License Plate

The way I understand it, the USA 1 "See Americas' First!" plates were first released during 1965-66. They had USA-1 and the border embossed and gold anodized and had Chevrolet italicized in the Bowtie. They were made out of a very thin tin with a cardboard backing crimped on.
Sometime in 1967 the CHEVROLET lettering became straight in the bowtie, with the cardboard backing now glued on. I believe later plates were made of a heavier gauge steel without the cardboard backing. Those were probably the ones used for 1968 and 1969 but I don't know for sure.

Sal,
Do you know what the 67 USA plate would have looked like? I found one yesterday at an antique shop (it's over at the garage now) and I believe it had USA-1 in Gold letters with CHEVROLET along the top. Thanks, Shooter