question about the legality of pressed plates?

I kept my original 1975 plates, they are scruffy but add to the character of the bus.

 

About 5 ish years ago I had my 71 Westy.
Freshly imported from Texas.
I had my UK number plates printed up at a printers to replicate the ones it come from the USA with.
Totally illegal but amazingly never stopped once.



But then............ way back in the mid 90's............
You probably cant see it in this bad quality pic but.........
on my old Saab 99..........
I took my pressed number plates apart & painted the plates Brown (to match my wheels) & painted the letters/numbers beige, just because.......well........ just because.
Got stopped the very first day & the cop flipped his lid !!!!!!!!

Calm down calm down O

 

I like the look of the black and silver vintage plates on my bus

 

When I got my van it failed its first MOT for having b&w plates (oh and a load of other important mechanical things).

Having them meant absolutely nothing to me so I had a set of modern plates (with the GB and Union flag) and shoved them on. In fact I prefer the new plates. I like the contemporary in small bursts.

 

I have them fitted to my old banger


But then mineis 1962.

 

Lots of earlybayers run usa sized plates but it bkack/silver or black/ white combo's! Apparently if its an import ( and i have checked this with my old skool mot man) and it has numberplate surrounds then you can have plates to fit the surrounds!!

Check out states-plates.com

 

Ive got black and silver on my 76 devon. No probs. An illegal no plate is a £60 fine. Not had one on the bus yet, but had 3 on my bikes (smaller number plate than standard)

 

Still got the original ones fitted in 72 , the alloy type with individual letters yellow back rear and white front

 

so by all accounts, my plates arent legal?
my bus is a 73, but i have non reflective white/yellow metal plates.. plus the front ones held on with electrical tape

 

Yours are illegal due to having the wrong font.
A lot of this kicked off a few of years ago when people trying to individualise their cars started using script fonts etc which made them very difficult to read not only by cops but ANPR cameras that were coming in to use. Shifting the letter spacings about was also deemed inappropriate so the DVLA clamped down and their specifications are on their website and anyone making plates has to make them to conform to that specification. I suspect yours were made prior to this clamp down?
I think you can use other fonts if the plate being made is not for regular use i.e for shows etc and you have to sign the paperwork to say that they will not be used on the road.

 

dammit, lets hope MOT man doesnt notice...

 

Get a cheap normal set made up and swap them for the mot