Thanks Jake.

I don't know their condition yet, but I got a pair of them so hopefully one will be good enough for now and then I can get the other restored if necessary.

Restored License Plates on Collector Vehicles
 

This looks like a bit of a thread hijack, although in the same subject so I'll chime in. :)

I read the following on WA DOL regarding the qualifications for using restored plates:
"Washington-issued license plate that was designed for use in the year of the vehicle’s manufacture"

Link:
WA State Licensing: Collector vehicle plates

Anyone know how flexible the DOL is about this clause? I'm hearing that this aspect can create a hassel, although we all know that it is often who your working with at the licensing bureau that dictates.

I like the antique look of the "WASH. 63" plates and this was the only license plate made with an abbreviated reference to Washington, because the great people of the state felt it was not a dignified abbreviation reference to our wonderful Washington. **) But, since my Cobra is titled as 1966, based on my limited understanding and research, this DOL clause means I can't use the "WASH. 63" plates which were issued in the years of 1963 and 1964. Does anyone have any wisdom or personal experiences to share on this aspect of matching plates with the car's year of registration?

Fortunately if DOL is a stickler on this matching, the 1966 plates I need started being issued in early-1965 (as they ran out of WASH. 63) until sometime in late 1967, so there should be more of them available :)

I found a site run by Ian Slade that does a good job documenting Washington State licenses by years, counties and the background histories of the different plates. If anyone is interested here is a link to one of his very well done pages:
WASHINGTON County-Coded Passenger Plates, 1958-1981

More on restored plates and what DOL wants:
WA State Licensing: Restored plates

Good luck finding your "special" plate.

Cheers
BC Kevin

I titled mine as a "1966 Shelby Cobra" I got a 1963 plate (you only need one) with a 1966 sticker/tag. They didn't make plates every year back then, they made a 1963 plate and the next one they made was 1967. In between they made stickers. You must have a real/reconditioned plate, not a copy and it must be a number that was issued for that year and is not currently registered. I got a couple from this guy over the years. Call him, he really knows his stuff and can fix you up at a reasonable price. He has originals and reconditioned that look new: oldlicensefarm.com

That is correct. I have a 63 plate with a 65 tab.

Jake

I talked to Bob Reynolds at DOL a couple days ago. He told me to get a collector plate I needed a WSP inspection to determine the year OR an amended MSO that said it is a 1965. So, I called Factory Five today and asked if I could get a new MSO. The lady I talked to said my MSO should already say 1965. I told her it says 2009. She said just a second. She came back about 5 minutes later and said you’re right it does say 2009 and that is a mistake. She then told me she will fix it and mail a new MSO to me today. I love it when a plan comes together.

Bruce

Excellant news Bruce, welcome (shortly) to the Washington DOL Titled Collectors Car Gang of Snakes!

BC Kevin

Restored Plates on Collector Cars
 

Great information. Thank you Mastiff107 for the link to your plate-man's Old License Farm, looks like he does good work.

I so love how our bureaucracy always has such diversity in answers. I talked to DOL earlier this week and was told it's kind of fuzzy in the level of details DOL have for the restored plates. My DOL guy seemed to be quite fluent in the restored plate process, and claimed that the WA DOL really have no way to verify the plate as authentic. Sounded like the data on many of the old original plates registration records are unavailable.

So he says all they have to go by to authenticate the plate is by matching the plate numbers to the DOL's county-coded records of plates produced county by county during the plates production lifetime. Ian Slade has done a fantastic job at documenting the Washington County-Coded Passenger Plates, 1958-1981 at this link to his web site:
http://staff.washington.edu/islade/counties/index.htm

He went on to inform me that if the numbers match recorded county-codes on record, the final DOL decision is made based on the colors of the plate matching the era of the car you are registering the restored plate on.

I asked about using reproduction plates (although prohibited by the WA DOL documentation I have read), and basically he indicated a reproduction plate with the correct numbers and colors which is not recorded as currently registered, will pass the DOL criteria and be allowed.

Thanks everyone for your valuable input, the hunt begins!

Regards,
BC Kevin

I would avoid going to the DOL and go to a sub agent instead. I've done several YOM (year of model) plate transactions and it only takes a couple of mins. All they do is photo copy the plate, fill out the form and off you go. They don't care what it looks like. I restore mine before I go in.
One thing I should mention is that when you get a YOM plate, that plate number will not show up in any records. If you get pulled over and they run the plate, it will come back as "not assigned". They have to look at your registration to confirm that plate belongs on the car. A friend who's a police officer was telling me that if you have a pair of old plates, you can put them on two different vehicles. I went to the DOL and asked them and they said "no way". I asked them if I had a plate that said AXC 911 (which was the plate on my Cobra) could I register it. She ran a check and said "that plate is not assigned so if you have that plate, you can put it on your car". You should have seen the look on her face when I told her it was already on my car and she's the one that registered it.
The nice thing about YOM plates is you don't have to run one on the front.

Jim

Several weeks ago I called Factory Five and asked if I could get a new MSO as a 65 replica because my MK3 is titled as a 2009. She told me the 2009 on the MSO was a mistake and she would mail me a new MSO right away. I receive the new MSO about 5 days later showing it as a 65 Replica. I bid on EBay for a 63 Washington plate with a 65 tab. I got it for $25. Today I walked into the licensing office in Spanaway and walked out with my new registration and the Cobra is now a collector vehicle. It's a good day.

I'm going to the Bellevue WSP for the inspection tomorrow (8/14). What is the appropriate year to title a Superformance MKIII? Secondly, what benefit do year of make plates provide?

Year of Manufacture
 

1966 Shelby Roadster (RSHEL) is what I have on my title.

Besides the nostalgic look of Year of Manufacture plates, I dig the aspect that the YoM's obscure the "Collector Vehicle" aspect of my titling (like it's not on the printed on the fricken plates anymore), as there is DOL restrictions on usage of such "Collector" titling. With YoM I "think" that I may be more running under-the-radar for geting hassled over using the plates too often or not for events, etc... %/

I've had my snake licensed as a 1966 since 1997 and been running the Collector Plates for 10-years without a single incident or even a question over usage falling in the guidelines. I'll see if my theory is correct as I just put YoM on last week. The aspect of the YoM plates not being listed on the title as the license plate means you better have a registration handy if and when your "interacting" with the lawman. Like others have stated I'm convinced that DOL has no idea what they are doing with the YoM and each instance is almost a One-Off, they just like taking my $54 for the process.

Good luck on the retitle,
BC K

I was there on Friday for my inspection. Don't be surprised if the Captain of the region comes down to talk to you. He is currently building a Factory 5 MK IV. He's a great guy and loves Cobra's.

Inspection as WSP Bellevue went well. Trooper spent some time on the phone. Apparently this was the first one for her. She noted "Custom Vehicle under New Law" on the form??? Alpine Licensing in Issaquah retitled my Superformance MKIII as
Mod-Yr - 1965
Make - Kit
Body - 65 Cobra

The VIN from Superformance is SPO2743 but the Washington Licensing computer system won't alow "Oh" in the VIN so it's now a SP02743 "Zero"

Temporary collector plates were issued with the instructions to tape to the inside of the rear window as I was leaving. Still looking for window.

Now to check with insurance company to see if changes are necessary.

Does anyone know if Vanityy plates are available for "Collector Vehicles"?

To be Vane or Not to be Vane?
 

Congrates on the retitle success!

If I remember correctly I asked DOL many years ago when I got my Collector Plates, and they said, "Yes you can put Vanity plates on...but why?" Vanity plates will have a yearly tab renewal and I believe an extra $40 to keep being vane every year too. With your Vanity I do not believe it still be a Collector Vehicle and of course with Vanity you will need to put a plate on the front.

Not requiring a front plate is a big reason I purchased Collector Plates (I was already titled as 1966) years ago, plus the avoiding the cost and hassle of yearly tab renewals. Now with Year of Manufacture plates, which I changed over to about two weeks ago. I can still legally run with no plate on front messing up the "Down-to-Business" Cobra look from the front.

I try to be humble not vane, and being a Motor-Head since High School in the 1970's I think YoM looks way cool in MHO. :)

Cheers,
BC Kevin

Thanks,

Now for insurance. If I change insurance to read 1965, then depreciation sets in for a 30+ year old car replacement value. I looked at collector car insurance but cost is $2200+ per year. Insurance company will continue with insurance on 2008 Superformance but I run the risk of not having insurance a verification card that exactly matches registration.

I'll risk that given the insurance and title have the same VIN.

They put “KIT” for the make on my title and the WSP put FORD for the make. I am talking with the DMV now to get it corrected to FORD. They have said no, but I am pushing it and asked to talk with someone at Olympia.

DOL should not be listing make as kit. Kit statute says year is manufacture, not what the car resembles. If anything Make should either be 'custom' or what the car resembles i.e. Cobra, Ford, Shelby, etc. The whole point of 5585 was to get us out from under kit statutes. Try to get DOL to accept 'custom' if they won't go for Ford. I would try to talk to Bob Randolph at DOL. He seems more reasonable.

My collector is listed as a FORD also. The application uses a drop down and the table it draws from has no option for AC or SHELBY or OTHER. So, FORD was okay with me as long as I got my collector status. At least it has a FORD engine.

The only choice for plates for a collector vehicle is a new COLLECTOR VEHICLE plate or a vintage plate issued in the year the vehicle replicates.

Bruce

The guy I bought my '38 Chevy from was running a vanity plate. It is like a regular plate as to registration cost every year plus $50 for the vanity plate. You do have to run one front and back. I changed it over to a '38 restored plate to save all costs. As to insurance I mentioned on a previous thread on this subject. I was paying about $1 thousand a year on the Cobra (might have been more, I can't recall) through USAA. After re-registering as a '66 Cobra went to Grundy (one one of, if not the biggest collector insurer) and got full coverage and an agreed replacement value of $45 thousand for just under $300 a year. I also have my Chevy and Harley insured with them. I got full coverage on all three for under $600 a year with agreed full payout values of $45; $50 and $30 thousand. Check them out, they have one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings and have been around forever.

I just finished changing my 1965 KIT Cobra to a 1965 Ford Cobra at the DOL in my county. The WSP had Ford Cobra on the inspection but when it was first re-titled the DOL put the make as "Kit". I asked them to change it to Ford and they did. No charge. I needed a copy of the WSP inspection. I don't know why they needed me to have the inspection slip as they had it online.