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Does anyone know the best way to restore/repaint your YOM plates? Is there someone in the San Francisco bay area that can do a nice job. I am reluctant to send them off. I'm afraid I wouldn't get them back.

I have business cards for two vendors in the Bay Area. I have no experience with them, but they are probably worth a call.

Jim's License Plate Refinishing
Jim Gentile
3449 Virgil Circle
Pleasanton, CA 94588
925-462-1506

Buy - Sell - Trade Old and Unusual License Plates
Dave Hindman
256 North Alamo Drive
Vacaville, CA 95688
707-448-8942 (phone)
707-448-3428 (fax)
Davesclp@aol.com (e-mail)

Also, I bought a set of 1937 NM license plates for my 115C from an individual in Albuquerque, NM. He restores and sells unrestored license plates. I believe he deals mostly in NM plates. I can get his contact info if you are interested.

There are usually one or two license plate dealers at the swap meet section of the Good Guys Get Togethers in Pleasanton.

Good luck,

John

I don't really know how the professionals do them, but I've seen some that are quite outstanding. After metal prep, I've always painted the background color first, let it cure, and then used a small and very hard roller to apply the second color to the raised portions. A certain amount of touchup at some edges was always needed. I've had others whose work seemed very good tell me they paint the raised color first over the entire plate, then after its dry lightly roll thin grease or oil on the raised surface, spray the background color, and then remove the overspray on the raised characters. Either way I guess can yield good results but requires a certain amount of experimentation and patience. If I ever needed one done again, I'd probably go to a pro.

Thanks for the information. I'm not far from Pleasanton. I'll call that guy.

I sure like this website. This is my first time talking with other people on what I think they refer to as a Blog.

Bob

Here in Ontario Canada it is illegal to repaint license plates.

I believe this dates back to when plates were changed every year and each year was a different color.

It might be interesting to know what other jurisdictions have this rule. However I doubt it is enforced on antique plates.

The plates I have seen, appear to have been painted the background color then the lettering painted with a hard rubber roller.

To do the most perfect show quality job, paint the lettering color first then paint the background color, finally polish the top layer of paint off the letters using rubbing compound.

Thanks for the info. I'll try that.

Bob