License Plate Re-furb?

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TxGasser

Banned
Joined
Jun 19, 2008
Messages
14
Location
San Antonio, Texas, USA
I have a set of Texas truck license plates that have never been issued!
I have sandblasted and painted them the correct color for that year!
What i'm looking for is someone who does license plates to help me with
how to do the lettering?



Thanks,
Charlie!
 
You'll have to experiment with it before you use it on your plate, but I have had success apllying paint to the high spots such as number/letters with an ink roller. Like I said though, experiment first to make sure it would work for you. Other than masking off the areas you don't want paintted the second color, that's the only method I know besides hand lettering. MAybe some others can provide some better techniques.
 
I covered every thing with tape and then used a sharp exacto knife to cut around the letters and numbers. If you go slow and have a steady hand it will look good. I was kind of in a hurry but im satisfied.
 
A freind of mine just did this recently. He used a roller to go over the tops of the numbers. I don't think he was too patient with it and the results were so-so, lots of tiny bubbles in the paint.
I wonder how well one of those hard bristled stencil type brushes might work? With that you dip the end in paint and then kind of lightly 'stab' up and down on to whatever you want to paint. It is so much strokes of the brush so much as little dabs.

Just a thought.

Jay
 
Just mask the letters over and use a good quality spray paint. I just did the numbers on a 51 Tennessee plate a couple of weeks ago by hand using a descent indoor/outdoor semi gloss white. I'm happy with it. I'd be even happier if mine was in good condition and didn't need refurbishing. Nice ones fetch upwards of $200 in Tennessee. That's the year UT won the National College Football Championship.

Thunder1
 
I redid my black and yellow California plates. I first spray painted the base black, then went over the top of the letter with a brush. Steady hand works well, plus you don't ge the edges too sharp. which would not look natural. The original letters are not that well defined and they are rolled.
 
Plate repair

I was in same spot and talked with a couple af plate vendors at the swap meets. Most actually reverse the process. Clean plate down to bare metal or paintable condition. Spray paint the letters in the correct colors. Then put 2-3 coats of clear on the letters, spray the plate the correct color. Then use 200 and up grade sandpaper to sand plate color off of the letters. The clear should protect lettering
Unless you get in a hurry. Then clear the whole plate.
 
Like Old Iron said this is an old thread but .........

I was in same spot and talked with a couple af plate vendors at the swap meets. Most actually reverse the process. Clean plate down to bare metal or paintable condition. Spray paint the letters in the correct colors. Then put 2-3 coats of clear on the letters, spray the plate the correct color. Then use 200 and up grade sandpaper to sand plate color off of the letters. The clear should protect lettering
Unless you get in a hurry. Then clear the whole plate.

....49bourbon's method produces the best results of any method I've tried. :cool:
 
For what it's worth! I bought a fairly rough set of plates for my 64' SS. I preened the dents as best I could. Then, primed and painted them black ( correct for the year). I then had a friend that does vinyl signs cut the numbers and letters. He did an outstanding job! With that being said, he told me that there isn't a font made that matches the numbers on Va license plates. There is a picture of my car in the introduce yourself section ( another newbie from va).
 
For what it's worth, in some States or Provinces it's illegal to "tamper" with license plates. In fact I think it's probably most states and provinces. I'm not saying not to restore your plate, but be careful if you're doing something like vinyl, as that can make it more obvious that it's been redone. If you happen upon a cop that knows something, it will be easier for them to notice it. I think it's actually a jailable offence...
 
I thought this rather amusing....lol

If you happen upon a cop that knows something, it will be easier for them to notice it.

As a cop I consider myself one that knows something or two....LOL....don't know why I found this so amusing!!! :D [cl[cl....I'm still laughing...
 

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