Maintaining Original No. Plates

[shane_r]

I am wondering if there is a way that i can maintain the original Victorian number plates. The car has not been registered since 1983 and when i purchased the vehicle, the plates where still bolted to the bars. Vic roads have told me that the only way i can retain the original numbers is to order personalised plates which as you know are costly, particularly when the car will be a daily driver and it is hard to justify such an expence, except i am fussy on originality.

Also, I have been given a brand new horn button that is a little different than the one already on the car and many that i have sighted on FC's. The button is the identical design to the original, except the background behind the lion is blue instead of gold. Can anybody tell me what this is off, as i am unsure.

Just one more question, The vehicle has never been fitted with seatbelts, typical country car. Reluctantly it would be a safer option to fit them as the car will be driven considerably. Where would the best place buy old lap sash belts and what would be a resonable price to pay for them?

I would be grateful if someone could answer my questions, and apoligize for writing a thesis.

Cheers

Shane...

[RET]

That horn button is just old rubbish.  Send it to me and I'll dispose of it thoughtfully

Seriously though, they were originally blue, but the ravages of sun and time fades the blue colour out.  A good, deep blue coloured one can be quite hard to find.  Sounds like you've been quite lucky to be given one!

Can't help you with the Vic rego question, but there has been some talk about seat-belts recently in either the Repro or Trade links areas.

cheers
RET

[fe2ek]

Klippan seatbelts available for about $80.00 from Bursons,thats for the rear,They have fronts but dont know the price.You will have to make plates for the floor and you will need to buy extra nuts as you only get the bolts in the kits.

Cheers geoff

[meeky]

Shane,

Unfortunately, VICROADS is correct - in the most part.

If the car has been unregistered, which yours obviously has, then you will have to apply for personalised plates of the same number. There is no guarantee, however, that the plates will be available since the 3 letter 3 digit combination is one of the standard options that they offer anyway.

If you do decide that you are prepared to pay for the personalised plates, you will get the current pressed aluminium version in the old format with VIC at the top. My suggestion is to not even mention that you have the original plates, get the new ones, and then either fit the old ones to your FC when it is registered or transfer them to your own car if you want to use them straight away.

Hope that's a help.

[mcl1959]

Shane, buying and using old seat belts is just a tad risky unless you personally know the vehicle they came off.
Swap meets are the best places to find them.
Go for the HK T G range which use an attractive buckle.

Ken

[Martin]

Shane,

I was under the impression that it was illegal to fit 2nd hand seat belts (I'm pretty sure it is in SA, anyway).  The logic being that the belts may have already been placed under stress in a prang which may weaken them/make them unsafe.  That's why you can't buy old belts from wreckers.

My thoughts are:  if you're worried about safety, get new ones.

Martin