Authentic year license plate's ? Michigan

[Yooper74]

I'd like to run a 1974 Michigan license plate on my bronco. Michigan allows this but it comes with a bunch of stipulations regarding how you can use the vehicle. Things like only at car shows, parades, tours, etc

I plan on driving my bronco as often as possible. Has anyone registered to run a plate like this in Michigan and if so do you get hassled about proper driving purposes?

here are the michigan rules

https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-96435_1595_52364-205712--,00.html

 

[1buckeyefan1]

I'd like to run a 1974 Michigan license plate on my bronco. Michigan allows this but it comes with a bunch of stipulations regarding how you can use the vehicle. Things like only at car shows, parades, tours, etc

I plan on driving my bronco as often as possible. Has anyone registered to run a plate like this in Michigan and if so do you get hassled about proper driving purposes?

here are the michigan rules

https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-96435_1595_52364-205712--,00.html

Ohio has similar rules.. and the hassle usually comes from your local enforcement. It's probably pretty YMMV depending if you're in a rural vs. urban, how often you're driving around and how lax they are in enforcing it. For us, you can pay $50 for a 25yr 'historical' plate and then you can run a 74 plate in its place.. but as with everything, be prepared with an excuse that 'you're running into town for gas' when you get pulled over

My buddy has run his historical plates for 25yrs now and hasn't gotten question yet. But it's not his daily driver either. If you pass by the same cop daily, you're probably going to get eventually pulled over.

 

[hankjr]

Howdy. i put my own spin on this topic for NH Z(not endorsed by DMV). the same is generally true here about YOM. but you must be registered as antique first and then given a second registration linking antique plate to YOM (i might not be 100% accurate here). i dint want the constraints of antique plates, so i got a set of 71 plates from Ebay and then got the matching vanity plate. If i get pulled over, i will explain i was just at a coffee and cars or a photo shoot over the weekend and forgot to swap the plates back. if the cop runs them they will come back with the same license plate. my YOM just wont have the current year registration sticker on it. those will be on the actual plates under my seat....

Hank

 

[RM70]

I'd like to run a 1974 Michigan license plate on my bronco. Michigan allows this but it comes with a bunch of stipulations regarding how you can use the vehicle. Things like only at car shows, parades, tours, etc

I plan on driving my bronco as often as possible. Has anyone registered to run a plate like this in Michigan and if so do you get hassled about proper driving purposes?

here are the michigan rules

https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-96435_1595_52364-205712--,00.html

Alabama has very similar rules and I daily drove my 67 mustang for about 5 years with one on and no issues. I ended up swapping it out after one of the cops at the college I was attending decided to be a jerk and said he would give me a ticket next time he saw me.

 

[PickleJar]

Second on Ohio. I have experience with historic plates and time period correct and it hasn’t been an issue. I don’t go to shows much but I drove a lot in good weather. Not my bronco yet, but my 67 Firebird. No one is going to stop you. I guess if they do then you’ll have to slow down your driving but I have never had a problem in 10 years. If they stop you they probably just want to talk to you about your cool ride...

 

[Timstrk]

This doesn't help your situation but SC treats it like any other personalized plate. Currently running three letter/three number plates in a new series so you just have to be far enough down the alphabet that they haven't issued your plate yet. I have one and the number was supposed to be pulled and not re issued. That didn't work. Went to re register this year and DMV lady says "this isn't a BMW is it?" Nope. They got a new plate. Good luck. I like the option.

 

[sanndmann3]

I have the '75 MI plate on my Bronco but I rarely drive it on the street. Mostly over at SLSD for 3 or 4 weekends a year. Our group has been going duning for 20+ years and treat it as a club function.
I'd say the more you drive it the more likely for trouble...
Of course, all of August isn't a problem because they waive the rule for Dream Cruise.

 

[uncletom]

Here in Michigan August is "open" for cars with vintage plates, not just for the "Dream Cruise". it's statewide. I have never worried about using my Bronco all summer. Technically we are supposed to be going to an event, or testing. It's not supposed to be used for "daily driving". I've had the vintage plate on my Bronco for 20 years. The State Police followed me home one night. They wondered what kind of plate I had. They looked at my registration and were satisfied.

 

[uncletom]

Yooper. Do you have that plate? I believe it would be a '73 plate with a '74 sticker in the corner. Most will have the '75 sticker over the '74, and getting technical it should be a passenger car plate not a commercial plate. I've seen both and it doesn't really matter I suppose. I doubt the SOS cares.
Mine is a '76. So I have the Bicentenial plate.

 

[73azbronco]

I think only rule in AZ is it has to be the year of the plate to use it.

I have a real copper AZ plate from the 20's, I want to use it because it's numbers are AZ73.

 

[Jdgephar]

I just put the vintage plate in the front. I have the standard plate on the back. My BIL has the vintage one registered on his, but he barely drives it, and only locally. I drive mine all time, all over the place. The $12 to renew every year is nothing, compared to $200+ on my F150...

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

 

[brewchief]

I run the historical plate in MI, never been hassled but it doesn't see that much street time, I have asked a cop or two about it and non of them seemed to care. Most of my street use is from the campgrounds to the dunes at silver lake.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

 

[bronkenn]

I used a couple in Michigan for years and now in Ohio and have never had a problem. I guess if you had a cop with an attitude you could come up with an excuse.

 

[Yooper74]

I dont have the plate yet. I've been scouring online to find one. Lots of 73 plates out there but I have not seen any 74's. (possibly due to what was mentioned above about the stickers)

Part of my desire is probably a little dumb but given where the plate bracket is on the tailgate I just think the old plate would look better than a new style one. Heck even the old plain blue ones that the state got rid of a while back would look better.

I wasnt really thinking about it when I got the rig painted but I may have had that all closed up and moved the plate down to the bumper if I did it again.

 

[brewchief]

I found some 74 plates years back planning to run one on mine but I think they may be truck plates, not sure if they can be used or not.
I had the old dark blue and yellow historical plate for years until a cop around silver lake began hassling people running them( he even confiscated one although it wasn't legal for him to do so)
I switched back to a regular plate that year to avoid issues, problem cop got handled and when I went back to a historical plate they wouldn't let me use the dark blue/yellow one and I got stuck with the new style one.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[Yooper74]

Those are great. They would look way better

I've seen some pictures on line of the dark blue and yellow one's that say 'great lakes state' or something on them. Really neat. be fun to run.

 

[rydog1130]

I read through the thread and every thing seems accurate. I run vintage plates on my bronco. I drive mine quite a bit on public roads and have not had an issue. My excuse will be i just tuned or worked on something and am out taking it for a drive. I think there's 2 ways to plate it, historical and vintage. I can't remember which is which but one requires your plates to match the year of your vehicle. If you need plates they recommend having a set so you know someone else hasn't registered that plate. I found a set on eBay for $30. Good luck!

 

[uncletom]

Take a look at ebay. There are several sets of plates for just a few bucks. Someone even has new 74 tabs for sale, (if you find a set you like that don't have the right year tabs). You only need one plate for the rear to be legal, however if you really want to be correct in 1974 we did have them on front and back.

 

[Willowrun]

Run them

I have at least 10 vehicles registered with year of make license plates in MI. I live a mile from the sheriff's office and drive by it on almost every drive I take in the summer. I've never been pulled over. I don't daily drive any of these vehicles (all trucks/suv's) but if I'm headed out for an errand I'm for sure driving something that is fun to drive which means it has a YOM plate.
I have a contact in MI that I buy all of my vintage license plates from. Call him, tell him what you need, and he'll ship the mint condition plates and correct year stickers to you for less than $50. I just sent him money today for an '89 Dodge. Message me and I'll give you his info.
Other thing to remember is most insurance companies will give you a significant reduction in rates if you tell (and prove to them) you are registering the vehicle as historic with a YOM plate. Most of my old trucks are less than $150 a year to insure with agreed value policies.

 

[Yooper74]

Never thought about the insurance aspect of it. Good point.