Re-Painting Original License Plates….

[MichaelPawelek]

Years ago Texas allowed YOM plates on vehicles if they were restored and approved. You can still use them under a grandfather clause if they are renewed on time every renewal cycle. Unfortunately adding newer YOM plates are no longer allowed.

Some 30+ years ago I found some plates at a junk shop, cleaned them up and re-painted them by spraying the background first then after drying hand painting the letters and numbers and they came out good enough to be approved. They now look not so great.

On a forum post somewhere I cannot find a person mentioned they spray the letter/number color first, let dry and then spray the background color. After drying they then gently sand the background color off the letters and numbers revealing the correct color below.

Anyone tried this and are the results better than hand painting the letters and numbers? Any advice or hints appreciated!

[Erik Johnson]

My dad paints the license plate and then has a very talented professional sign-painter and pin striper do the numbers and lettering.

[Nunsio1]

Professional auto painter’s that I know have told me… paint the background color first , then put the color of the numbers in a flat pan and lower the plate just touching the face of the numbers and remove it, probably will take a few try’s to get it right.

[speedytinc]

Professional auto painter’s that I know have told me… paint the background color first , then put the color of the numbers in a flat pan and lower the plate just touching the face of the numbers and remove it, probably will take a few try’s to get it right.

Hard rubber roller works also.

[CudaMan]

Steve Jelf did his Kansas plate using silk screen equipment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jb8IvCaGdc

[John Codman]

My home state of Massachusetts does not allow YOM plates to be restored. I have no idea why. I now live in Florida and the powers that be do allow plate restoration, but the restored plate must be submitted for approval prior to being installed on the car. I have had a plate at a restorer named Darryl for about two years. I doubt that I will ever see it again. Be careful.
Just a heads up:

[John Codman]

My home state of Massachusetts does not allow YOM plates to be restored. I have no idea why. I now live in Florida and the powers that be do allow plate restoration, but the restored plate must be submitted for approval prior to being installed on the car.
Just a heads up: I have had a plate at a restorer named Korrie for about two years. I doubt that I will ever see it again. Be careful.

[Professor Fate]

We have used a very talented guy in Ohio. Usually comes in at about $60 per plate and perfectly painted. Look for Mr. Styles....

[ivaldes1]

Steve Jelf was a professional sign painter. His youtube video on restoring a license plate is as good as it gets, the attention to detail and craftsmanship is off the charts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jb8IvCaGdc

[Rich Bingham]

The method Steve used in his video is how the plates were lettered originally. Alas, a screen print setup is probably too much ado for most of us who want to refurbish a couple of plates.

[MichaelPawelek]

Amazon sells these hard rollers but I have no idea if they hold paint well.
https://www.amazon.com/hard-rubber-roll ... ber+roller

[Steve Jelf]

My home state of Massachusetts does not allow YOM plates to be restored.

And other states require that they must be restored. Both are ridiculous. How do they know whether a plate is restored or NOS? They don't.

I wish I could rememeber the name of the plate restorer I've seen at Chickasha. One I do remember is https://www.finishyourplates.com/