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MG Midget and Sprite General - Number plates

I have a 1978 midget that needs the number plates replacing badly. I know it's only trivial but I thought I would ask you experts out there.
Do I replace with original type ie. Black raised plastic digits on pressed plates and yes I have managed to find a company that does them. Or do I just go for the flat acrylic ones as used today?
Your comments will be gratefully received as a newcomer in the classic car restoration world.
Regards
Stu
Sr Guest

Just go for whichever you want to pay for :)

So long as they are legal, then, that's all that matters really.

OR - you can contact Topsigns, and get ones with the Midget50 logo on them - which are really rather pretty :) Especially if you're coming on 12 June .....
rachmacb

Personally, I'd go for raised digits. I don't think the new font looks right on an old car.
Dave O'Neill 2


Welcome Stu, hope you're having fun with your new Midget. Just about everything I know about Midgets I learned here, there's an unbelievable amount of expertise and experience around.

You'll find that the majority people on this forum are far from purists, and much more interested in keeping their cars on the road, making them go faster and in generally enjoying them rather than concours-type restorations. Not that there's anything wrong with concours of course, I think most would say 'it's your car, do what you like with it!'

but if you want opinions, like Dave, I'd go for the raised digits.

Have fun
Mark
MarkH1

Hi Stu, welcome, I'm a bit confused about your description of the number plates but as we've recently had two verrry long threads about number plates and you've got a company to do it I'll leave that there

>>classic car restoration<< are you rebuilding for show or to drive? - I can offer a little advice either way, loads more if it's for regular use or as a daily
Nigel Atkins

Stu,

As Nigel says there have been two long threads on here about reg. plates. Any vehicle registered after 1/1/73 must have reflective number plates. see MOT testers manual on VOSA website.

Mike
M J Pearson

Mike I think Stu means reflective backing but the plastic digits is a bit confusing on a '78 car but there might be more to I got caught out last time thinking the R was a K as it wasn't clear in the photo :)
Nigel Atkins

Nigel and Mike,
you both mentioned that there are two long threads about this recently, but doing a BBS search on "number plates" (in all topics) only returns the following little threads:

http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=thread&subject=70&thread=2011041020550229839

http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=71412491004047&mode=thread&subject=70&thread=2011042917410222258

and this one we're in right now.


I also looked in the archive, in the "Midget and Sprite General" section, and there are 197 threads that come up (sadly, this web site does not allow you to search in a specific year, sharply reducing its usefulness for popular topics).

So, instead, could maybe one of you supply a link to the two threads that you're thinking of?

Norm
Norm Kerr

There is a way to do the year as well - when you go into the search ...... I guess that my little "guide to the dreaded archives" is now in the archive itself :)!!!!

I would actually suspect that the most recent one is still at the bottom of the live page, but, since I got lambasted for pointing out the archives .....;)

Seriously - get whatever one you want - since it will be yellow with the black raised letters and numbers I suspect anyway, so will be legal I'm sure. The BEST answer to the question is - speak to the garage that does the MOT for you, and see what is allowed in that area - some MOT inspectors have their own little issues ...!

As I said previously though - so long as it's legal - get whichever sort makes you happy ;)

Don't forget to come to Midget50 ............!!!!!
rachmacb

Norm, the thread title and original subject was not UK number plates

I'll look later to find them (can't now)

What is it you want to know?
Nigel Atkins

One of the threads was the 'hi-jacked' "garage find", which is still live.
Dave O'Neill 2

Norm, Dave, I've had a chance to find both threads and all the info and links

the 1/1/73 regulations most know about but the up to 2001 and after 2001 a lot don't know about or get confused

there's lots of info but one leaflet (that's not so easy to find) explains it well where as other info is incomplete so causes confusion (in my opinion)

what exactly is it you want to know?
Nigel Atkins

Hi
regarding number plates, I'm good (don't live in the UK), I was just trying to help out the original poster.

When I try to search the archive, I can either search all years, or browse an entire year (what the heck use is that?), but can not search a specific year. I have tried every way that I can think of.

I remember Rachel's post a few months ago, describing it, but what I remember of it doesn't work for me.

Norm "drifting off topic" Kerr
Norm Kerr

Lol Norm that's more than I do - perhaps after midget50 and MGLive I'll do it again and see if I can resolve the year thing :)
rachmacb

UK number plates I have quite a bit of info on but using the Search facility has me beat

Stu seems sorted for now anyway
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 18/05/2011 and 19/05/2011

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