Number Plates

[Ianftr8]

I have to buy some new number plates for my car, and was thinking that it would be nice to have a plate made like the modern day ones with a logo for the supplying dealer.

This would be "Rover, Triumph British Leyland Ltd, Lode Lane, Solihull"

Does any one have any ideas as to the design or type face that would have been used at this time (December 1979)?

Cheers
Ian

Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC
Triumph Courier
Triumph owner for 31 years

[Neil_W]

Have a look at this set of posts - I got a set made up - he can inprint any logo / garage you want.

I had my original number plates copied as they were becoming de laminated after 30 years - he put dealers name / Unipart etc on the plates.

http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com/topic.a ... BER,PLATES

[supercass]

It is highly likely that your original plate would have been made up in the Old Charles Wright font. The current legislation in the U.K. surrounding the supply of number plate is tricky. I think the following is correct, but no doubt someone will advise if it isn't.

In the U.K. any number plate that is made up bearing numbers that could be used on a car must be made by an approved supplier and have the name of the supplier and postcode on the plate. It must also bear a BSA mark. So you could have a plate saying PRIVATE made up in any font / style you wish, but ULG 6V for example would have to be made up in accordance with the legislation.

If you have a pre 1973 vehicle you may use the Old Charles Wright font on a reflective or black and white plate if you so wish.

Any vehicle registered from 1973 onwards has to have reflective plates and any new plates made up must be made up according to current legislation, that is made up in the New Charles Wright font, even though this wasn't in use at the time the car was registered. The New Charles Wright is compressed horizontally to allow room for the Euro flag or similar. Strictly speaking only the name and postcode of the plate supplier together with the BSA mark can be added to the plate.

Thus in your case I believe to comply with the law you would have to use a non original New Charles Wright font, display a BSA mark and name and postcode of plate supplier. Any other material is not allowed.

However you do not have to replace your existing plates if they do not comply with this legislation provided they are legible and not of an unusual font.

Consequently it seems that if you were just to quietly replace your plates with plates made up in a style that would have been used when the car was new no one would be any the wiser even though technically you would not be complying with the legislation However as the plate would have to be manufactured by an approved supplier who has to comply with current legislation it may be difficult to get these made up by a U.K. supplier. I'm not sure how tightly regualted this is though.

Some suppliers have the plates made up elsewhere in the EEC, often the ROI where the manufacture does not have to comply with U.K. legislation. Those who are after originality may well take this route. I'm guessing that if the U.K. authorities were to prevent this it would amount to a trade embargo contrary to EEC guidelines.

I have to say that I do think the later font looks odd and out of place on a 1980's car.

Wouldn't your plates normally bear the supplying franchise name rather than the manufacturer? I believe they would have been called B.L. cars at this time although my original plates go into some detail with the dealers name and phone number followed by Austin Morris MG Rover Triumph!

supercass

[Ianftr8]

Thanks Chaps,

Neil thats what I was looking for, I'll have to come up with a design.

Supercass, I'll look for the old font and all I need next is a useable BL or Triumph logo.
My car in effect did not have a supplying dealer other that Triumph to Triumph, it was built at Canley and sold up to the body and assembly department up in Liverpool.It was then kept for about 18 months and sold out by auction.
I'm thinking of doing something like Neil has with a dealer style type plate.

Cheers
Ian

Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC
Triumph Courier
Triumph owner for 31 years

[rgsSpider]

I've got a laurel wreath logo made in Illustrator if you need it. Or can supply as jpeg or PDF or whatever you need.

Randy

1980 TR7 <font color="red">Spider!</font id="red">
http://rgstr7spider.tumblr.com/

[Ianftr8]

That's great Randy,

If you could send it in Jpeg form that would be brilliant

Cheers
Ian

Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC
Triumph Courier
Triumph owner for 31 years

[TR Tony]

I got a set of the old style plates with the individual raised letters/numbers made up for my TR8, I ordered them from a guy who is at most of the big car shows.

Look really good & "period" on the car. They do not have the makers details but they do have the BS mark. No adverse comments from my MOT man ....

Tony

<font size="1">1981 TR7 FHC Cavalry Blue
1980 TR7V8 DHC Jaguar Regency Red - sadly sold!
1977 TR8 FHC EFI Factory development car Inca Yellow</font id="size1">

[johnrobertson2]

Superb, i've been looking for an answer to this for ages as our 7 has one of the larger rear number plates with original font and we really wanted a normal sized front one to match (our front one is cracked)