Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

The new to me 48 Custom Club Sedan arrived without a cowl ID plate, sadly. I have no historical information on the car, and so identifying the actual Packard vehicle number seems unlikely at present unless someone who knew my car before the last two owners surfaces...highly unlikely. The Briggs body plate is still there and reads 2255 2305, so that'll have to do, and certainly better than nothing.

New cowl ID plates are available off eBay for around $50 all in, including stamping your vehicle number in the field with the right typeface (pictured below). With quick turnaround, and considering the plate screening is more or less spot on (some loss of detail in the crest is obvious compared to an original plate), I'd say that's good. Their screening is all-black.






Then, there's Nostalgic Reflections who also has the cowl ID plate in stock. They also offer a quick turnaround with correct number stamping. Their plate is a work of art: acid-etched, enamel back-filled with a clear coat, will outlast silkscreened plates. I even notice that their plate has a dark red fill within the radiator/crest and inside the marca registrada lined hexagon. Their plate is also $300, so no small price difference.






If you have a very good or restored original cowl ID plate for a '48 Custom, would you please post a picture of yours for me to compare? I don't recall these ID plates having a red fill anywhere on them, but maybe I never paid attention. I also assumed (maybe incorrectly) that all cowl ID plates for the year between all models were the same. I love Nostalgic Reflections plate which is clearly and obviously better, but it practically looks too good. And when I compare theirs against a fair-condition original plate I saw on the site here, theirs almost looks incorrect. Thoughts?

I am presuming you're the same person who very recently posted this question on one of the Facebook groups and if so, the answer is still the same here. Replacing the VIN plate is an automatic failure with the California DMV and would never pass a verification unless you can back it up by having the original with the car. As a licensed VIN verifier, a vehicle with a new plate would mean that the verifier would have to tick the box to refer it to the CHP which would likely want to affix their own plate and number to the car.

If it's already registered, then it should be no problem unless for whatever reason an officer wanted to see it but what was used on the title? The engine number? California frowns on engine numbers but will accept them in a pinch.