Michigan Authentic License Plates

[n.c.rodder]

A guy came to the NSRA booth last week and asked me if I had heard any problems with guys running Authentic License plates on their Street Rods. As of now I had not, but according to him the rodders are being stopped in the Plainwell area & being told that its illegal to run Authentic plates.

Has anybody else had or heard of this happening??

Mike

[phat rat]

What plate are you referring to as authentic? Year of manufacture or the antique plate? I run an antique plate on the cpe and been all over with no problem. Probably just an uninformed overzealous cop.

[348tripower]

A guy came to the NSRA booth last week and asked me if I had heard any problems with guys running Authentic License plates on their Street Rods. As of now I had not, but according to him the rodders are being stopped in the Plainwell area & being told that its illegal to run Authentic plates.

Has anybody else had or heard of this happening??

Mike

We had the same situation around Dexter.  Someone got to the uninformed officer and set him straight!
Don

[HotRodLadyCrusr]

Over 70,000 miles on Big Olds with a "Year of Manufacture" plate and never an issue and I've never personally heard first hand of anyone else having issues.

[purplepickup]

I run a 1931 plate on my pickup and I can't see how it can be illegal since the truck is registered thru the state of Michigan with that plate.  The Secretary of State's website says it's ok to use one too http://www.michigan.gov/documents/hplate_16252_7.pdf

[27oakland]

A guy came to the NSRA booth last week and asked me if I had heard any problems with guys running Authentic License plates on their Street Rods. As of now I had not, but according to him the rodders are being stopped in the Plainwell area & being told that its illegal to run Authentic plates.

Has anybody else had or heard of this happening??

Mike

I'm close to Plainwell and travel through there quite often on my way to Gilmore's. I have not personally had a problem in this town and I'm running a 27 plate registered through the state. Thanks for the heads up  though and I'll make sure and take it easy around Plainwell. Don't need to give them an excuse to pull me over. The car already attracts enough attention.  

[Charlie Chops 1940]

If you run into this situation politely ask him to run the plate...that should get him over his "issue". They don't always know the finer points of the law, unfortunately, they also don't seem to take kindly to being so told....

Charlie

[n.c.rodder]

Being one of the Reps for this state, I decided to do a little follow up on this today.

First I stopped at the Secretary of State. I asked if it mattered if the vehicle was a bone stock original or a modified Street Rod. I was told as long as it was 26 years and wasn't used as a daily driver, it didn't matter to them.

Then I swung over to the local State Police Post. I explained to the trooper on duty about what I had heard. He didn't think that it mattered either, but he would look it up on the vehicle code. Which he printed for me.

257.20a "Historic Vehicle" defined
Historic vehicle means a vehicle which is over 25 years old and is owned solely as a collector's item and for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades and similar uses, including mechanical testing, but is not used for general transportation.

We talked for a while and he did state that  if your driving your collector car on a regular basis and running Historic/Authentic plates than you are in violation and probably would be ticketed.

One thing I did notice while looking at all the info was the part from the SOS on Authentic License Plates. And it Reads: THE PLATE MUST DISPLAY THE CORRECT COLORS FOR THE PLATE YEAR. So for all you guys running plates your car color........You may want to rethink that?? Lets not give them a reason to stop us!!

Mike

[purplepickup]

I think an annual trip to Bonneville and other points unknown qualifies as a tour and mechanical testing don'tcha think?

[Charlie Chops 1940]

I think an annual trip to Bonneville and other points unknown qualifies as a tour and mechanical testing don'tcha think?

Works, repeatedly, for me and you and Kenny and the Rolling Bones....