Number Plates

[Rootes75]

So, I have the original number (civilian) plates for my 1942 Commer, they are hand painted white letters on black background but are not in great condition.

My plan is to rub them down and repaint them but a couple of my friends have told me they don't think they would be road legal. I have had a google round and to be honest have found some conflicting information.

So my question is would they be legal as long as the characters are white on black background and they are of the correct heights?

[7VHU]

I’d say go ahead, you’re not manufacturing new plates.

less “legal” if in need of repainting.

Peter

[PITT24423]

I have used this company as they offer a first class service . This page Classic Car Plates (tippersvintageplates.co.uk) covers the correct plate style for the appropriate year. If you read the text next to the appropriate year it tells you the correct letter/numeral size for DVLA compliance relitve to year. 

Edited August 4, 2022 by PITT24423
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[utt61]

As long as they are accurately painted as they would have been originally, are white letters on black, and match there is no doubt about the legality on a vehicle of that age as far as I know.

[Sean N]

Bearing in mind I'm just some bloke posting on the interwebs ...

I think the regulations you need to comply with are the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations, which are available on the legislation.gov.uk site. Schedule 2 sets out the requirements for registration plates.

[MatchFuzee]

Different types of number plates described here:-

Hand Painted Plates. 

Aluminium plates are coated with a black enamel then hand painted with your registration details.  Ideal for early vehicles (pre-1950) and traction engines.

https://www.nationalnumbers.co.uk/vintage-and-black-number-plates.htm

[Dog Blamer]

Number plates were still being sign written well into the sixties. They are perfectly legal for highway use as long as the size and font conform to the rules.

Be different, nearly everyone goes down the pressed plate route.

If you want to be unusual go down the black plate with 3D white (or silver) plastic letters and numbers; very rarely seen on anything these days.

[LARD]

Some early Landrovers actually had the lower portion of the front off-side wing (beneath the marker light) pre-painted black from the factory, so that the registration number once issued could be painted on.

[Rootes75]

Well, I am sticking with the existing plates. I will rub them down and repaint the white letters. They have been on the lorry since the late 1940s so I think they should be kept.