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Is there a source for a Reproduction Patent Plate for 1949 - 1950 Series 23 Packards?
All the detail on the plate of my 1950 is worn off except for the serial number which is stamped on the plate.

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Pulfer and Williams who is now owned by Lavine Reproductions sells blank plates and their site pictures both versions used in the 22-23 series but I don't know of anyone who actually does the stamping or embossing of the plates.

As I recall Joe Santana did find someone willing to do his 40 plate but that was several years ago so no idea if that is still a possibility. I believe he did mention finding a source for a passable Packard like font for buying the metal stamps if you want to try doing it yourself. You can read thru his 1940 Dutchess project blog and try to find the name of that company and possibly he mentioned the name of the place that did his stamping.

New plates are frowned upon by many with some inspectors saying it waves a red flag. It is too bad there could not be a way found to make a thin decal or the like where the old plate with numbers intact could be cleaned and the decal placed over the freshly prepared plate. If the decal was thin enough or maybe made with open spaces where the original numbers could show thru a fresh background. That or anything else such as a restoration service that re-silkscreened to make it look fresh would probably be just as frowned upon as the repro plates.

As a licensed California DMV VIN verifier, a reproduction plate is an immediate referral to the CHP (California Highway Patrol) BUT if the original VIN plate is kept with the car, it night just slide by.

You might be able to engrave one satisfactorily using a CNC dot peen machine. Or just stamp it by hand using HF dies after fixturing it such to keep the lettering lined up and evenly spaced.

Or possibly take the reproduction plate to a place that does engraving and see if they can replicate the appearance of the factory stamp.

As I recall these screw on. Use your original for registration, then replace it with the repro but keep the original in the glove box

Must be the third time i've broached what seems, esp. to those who like retaining as much originality as possible even in stringently renovated automobiles.

Some of our cars have patent delivery plates inscribed by the dealer selling our car new. We don't want to toss that 75-, 90-year old connection, replace it with a new square of lithographed tin.

Why

doesn't

someone

re-ink our original plates?

Don't give us another round of DIY nerdathon. If you know how, tool up or shut up. Just a site, address, cost.

Please, please, please. Nothing else. No explanations.