Historical plates any cop problems ?

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rustytoolss

rustytoolss

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Has anyone had any cop related problems driving there cars with Historical plates. What I really want to know is when your using your car on a semi daily basis . I know that historical plate are for car show/ parades etc. in ohio. But if your minding your own business , drive normal, have you had a cop questioning your historical plates ???
 
I have heard of no problems here in my neck of the woods and will be going that route myself, just drive sane and dont attract the attention of any cops for sure. It was a load off my mind when I learned I could do this in order to avoid a yearly saftey inspection because my car will never have a parking brake, or at least save a bundle by not putting one on, dont need one in Texas, its flat as a pancake LOL.
 
I was stopped once here in NJ, but I think the cop just wanted to see why there were legs in the air of my backseat while driving down the road. He stopped me and walked up to the car with his hand on his gun, peering into the backseat. I had a prop (stuffed pants with socks and sneakers) that I used to use for car shows (sticking out from under the car) there. When he saw it was only a prop, he relaxed and then started raving about not driving to/from work with historic plates, etc.. He said that my car didnt get state inspections because of the plates and my brakes might be bad. I replied that NJ only check emissions anymore and that my car received better care than most new cars on the road today! If he wanted to give me a ticket, I would have showed up in court to fight it. Judges usually don't have time for cops that write tickets for BS!

Your experience may vary, but if you don't call attention to yourself, it probably won't be a problem.
 
^^^ right, I can inspect my car for saftey better than anyone else, I have no intentions of driving anything unsafe.
 
how does he know how much you drive? Tell him your registered and smile.
 
Did quite a bit of research on this recently here in Texas before registering my latest ride and went the Classic vehicle route instead of the Historical. You are essentially attempting to thwart the law if you register your daily/weekend driver as a Historical and while I'm far from an angel, at my age I just didn't want to open myself up to the possible infractions that could result should I get pulled over by some cop that's having a bad day, doesn't like the way I look, or is in the midst of the revenue generating monthly infraction push. It's just another probable cause to pull you over and if I'm returning home late at nite from a friends and maybe had a beer or two I don't need to advertise another probable cause to pull me over.
 
I'm retired. so it's not like I would be driving to work every day. And my 64 is by far Historical (25 years needed). The only time I had a problem was when I used a model year plate 1968 charger with registered 1968 plate legal in ohio). I got stopped one night, and had to prove to the cop that it was legal. Stopped me ,and told me that it was illegal to use a model year tag. The law was fairly new at the time.
 
I know people (family) that when they found out about HIST TAGS they got them for all the old crappy/rust 4 door Buick 1987 everyday drivers. They must have 4 junk cars with historical tags on them...my fault that they ever found out about historical tags. What they are doing is just WRONG !
 
I had a cop stop me on the way home from my wedding reception in my 72 Charger. "Yes officer it is a special occasion"! He gave me a warning just to save face....
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I've never heard anything in area of anybody getting stopped with antique/historical plates on. I don't drive my car enough to find out either.
 
When we were in AZ our Fairlane had historical plates on it. Got stopped on the way home form work one night in it. Had been driving it for a week or so straight. Apparently I passed the same Mesa cop every night. He pulled me over to inform me that one of the rules was no daily driving with those plates....no warning, no ticket. After he got done giving the car a once over he did say the real reason he pulled me over was to check the car out...
 
A co-worker of mine that has a 69' Camaro with a blown 600 ci motor is also considering going the historic route as his car doesn't have windshield wipers and he wants to bypass the safety inspection. To each his own and it makes better sense for him. Kinda hard to roll incognito when you have a huge blower sticking outta your hood anyway but he's a guy that likes to pour back a few coldie's too and we also discussed the probable cause concerns I mentioned in my previous post. Not saying everyone likes to drink it's just after spending many years on the wrong side of the law I find that's it's a helluva lot easier and less expensive to not advertise your breaking the law. Now if I could just stop romping off a light or get the occasional smoking of the tires outta my blood. ..........Not gonna happen, Lol?
 
IMO it's not worth it, especially here in Ohio. Cops here notice anything out of the ordinary and driving around in Highland county with Historic plates just puts a big target on your ***. The cops know all about every car show within 100 miles of their jurisdiction. At least that's what I was told by a feller at the Friday Courthouse cruise in when I asked him why nobody had Historic tags on their rides...
 
Other than wanting to check out the car, I've been pulled over three times for using year of manufacture license plates here in NC. Twice the officers did not know the law in which I informed them and showed them my real tag and registration. After going back to their car, calling it in, and being confirmed of the law on their radio, I was free to go. The third one the officer knew the law but just wanted to check my real tag. Was free to go immediately once I showed him my tag, he didn't even go back to run the #'s.
Usually when I sell North Carolina YOM tags I give a copy of the law to keep in the glove box just in case an officer does not know the law.
 
"G DAM YOU turn AROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!" is what I was yelling to a friend of mine.

We were coming down an off ramp on which a city cop had someone stopped, and was evidently returning to his car, facing me. I have no front plate as I run "year of manufacture" plates which only require one (rear) plate.

He was looking intently as we passed, and evidently the "off color" old plate satisfied him. But my stupid FRIEND had to turn around and rubberneck the cop.

Other than that I've had no problems. I pay full yearly fees plus a small extra fee for having the original plate. I don't remember, 50? bucks a year I think. This gives me "full use" with no worry as to mileage or other restrictions.
 
Hemioutlaw said:
A co-worker of mine that has a 69' Camaro with a blown 600 ci motor is also considering going the historic route as his car doesn't have windshield wipers and he wants to bypass the safety inspection. To each his own and it makes better sense for him. Kinda hard to roll incognito when you have a huge blower sticking outta your hood anyway but he's a guy that likes to pour back a few coldie's too and we also discussed the probable cause concerns I mentioned in my previous post. Not saying everyone likes to drink it's just after spending many years on the wrong side of the law I find that's it's a helluva lot easier and less expensive to not advertise your breaking the law. Now if I could just stop romping off a light or get the occasional smoking of the tires outta my blood. ..........Not gonna happen, Lol?
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Your co-worker could never get historical plates with a blower sticking through the hood in PA. They want the car to look close to factory or original and want 4 pictures of each side of the car before they issue the plate. They do have "collectible" plates for vehicle's with like his blown Camaro.
 
Up here in Minnesota my car falls under "collector" plates, which the law states is for parades and car shows and such. Older r cars, 50cs and older I believe, can drive every day with no restrictions, but I'm only allowed the very limited use, according to the law. I've never had any problems, but it took calling the DMV 4 times to get a non 60 year old grumpy widow to stress the aspect of using the car for "club function" things, like getting supplies for the club, etc. After that call my 2 roommates and I started a car club! A pretty inactive one at that.

I moved and the local guys down here don't care. They see me every day and could care less. I also only run one plate as my car only requires the one. Mopar performance plate on the front. In the summer there is always a show or cruise in nearby that I could use as an excuse if need be.
 
drove 64 mi a day with them, but rural roads up to edge of large city. might have seen 1-2 co. cops. also helps to be gray haired old fart!???
 
I've been stopped in my Fifth Ave for have expired plates....they "expired" in 1987. I was like you know I knew I forgot to do something 3 years before I was born. Cop went on to tell me I had to go to the MVA because the tags aren't showing up in his system. I said thats because MVA doesn't send the info to your computer (went down this road with my dad's 69 charger). So he asked why did I want the plate anyway when I could have new plates. I said because I want these, I paid the state $30 extra dollars to do so.
 
I was in parked in a convience store one Thursday evening in my 48 Willy's ran inside to grab something, when a county cop pulled in and said take it home, no warning or ticket.
In WV you can run them as regular transportation from noon on Friday until noon on Monday, no parade or special occasion needed.
 
I have Utah Vintage Vehicle license plates on my 74 duster.
(your car has to be at least 40 years old for vintage plates)
So far I have not been pulled over by cops or highway patrol. In fact I received a "thumbs up" from a highway trooper on a patrol bike when he passed me. Then a few minutes later he pulled over some idiot ricer in a prelude because he was weaving in and out between lanes.

I even asked a cop about this, he said: "Normally it is not enforced but we do give out warnings a few times a year. There are not enough vintage vehicles around to give notice anyways. And sometimes we enjoy seeing them on the road, when they're being respectable drivers (no street racing)."
"We hardly ever give out tickets for them, the only exception is if your car has very visible pollutants coming from the tail pipe."
"If your car has a lot of white smoke constantly spewing from its tail pipe, its a hazard and you are to be cited with a fix it ticket."
 
Y'all all need to move to NC! Here you can run vintage plates on any car older than 35yrs old as long as you keep a current tag in the car with you. Now ive been pulled a few times by unknowing officers and every time I've gotta explain how it's legal, then they look at me like I'm crazy, call it in just to see if I was lying, then apologize and send me on my way.

Oh, and on anything older than 35yrs doesn't have to have any type of annual inspection!
 
Honestly, I think that you are all missing the big picture here. We have similar plates here in British Columbia - we have both collector and vintage plates with stipulations that they are not for daily use, only for car shows, club functions, parades, going to the garage / shop etc.

While we all bend the law a little, the bigger picture is what happens if and when you cause, or are even just involved in an accident, god forbid a serious one. Here in British Columbia the provincial insurance company has been known to question neighbors, co workers etc how the vehicle has been used, and if they can prove that you use it for other than what is spelled out on the registration and insurance, your insurance is null and void. Think lawsuit, loosing your house and savings etc.

Example - you are driving down the highway on a sunny day minding your own business and have a tire blow out, which causes you to have an accident where someone is badly hurt or killed - and your insurance washes their hands of it because they find out that you use the vehicle for other than what the paperwork says.

I suspect this is the same case elsewhere in North America. Bottom line is, if you want to have your *** covered, insure the vehicle appropriately for how you intend to use it.
 
vntned said:
Y'all all need to move to NC! Here you can run vintage plates on any car older than 35yrs old as long as you keep a current tag in the car with you. Now ive been pulled a few times by unknowing officers and every time I've gotta explain how it's legal, then they look at me like I'm crazy, call it in just to see if I was lying, then apologize and send me on my way.

Oh, and on anything older than 35yrs doesn't have to have any type of annual inspection!
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Same thing in MD man....down to the explaining to the cop what the law is.
 
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