Michigan Historic & Authentic Plates

[67type1]

Not sure if this has been discussed before, but Michigan has the Historic & Authentic License Plates for vehicle over 26 years old.

The Historic Plates are issued by the State and have a renewal every so many years.

The Authentic's, are ones where you get your own plate (same year as vehicle). There's a one time $35 charge.

Vintage plates can be purchased on-line on various sites, swap meets or maybe you still have one laying around

Here's some of the details from the State site & the link for the application

" - 26 or more years old
- Owned solely as a collector's item
- A vehicle registered with a regular historic plate or authentic historic plate cannot be used for general transportation. The vehicle can only used for participating in historical club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, car shows, swap meets, and *similar uses."

* IMO, the "similar uses" pretty much covers everything else.

www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1585_1595_52364-205712--,00.html

[67type1]

Forgot to mention.. application is only through the mail. Secretary of State offices can't process the application.

[Ruffuss]

If you look hard enough there are car shows, cruises, tours,swap meets or parades everyday of the week all spring and summer long. You can also drive to a repair shop(stop in and say hey!) and be legal.

[poomwah]

I had thought about getting some. But I don't have another vehicle so I wouldn't be able to deal with the usage restrictions. Like if I had to pick my daughter up from school or something

[dave]

And you can get a break on the insurance too with the plates(they figure your not driving it most of the time)

[81pumagtc]

It's against the law guys.

These are supposed to be used for special events. If you were coming to a club event, and stopped off to shop at Meijer's on the way, you are breaking the law. If you were coming directly to a GoodVolks event, and directly home, you are good.

It all depends on what type of police you encounter. Most of the time, it should not be an issue.

Unfortunately, lots of guys abuse this plate (yes, we are talking about you, street rodders) and everybody suffers.

You can get regular insurance from Haggery, and lots of other places for classic cars.

I personally would not use the Historic plates on my car, because I like to drive it, and it is not a really big deal to spend $60 per year to register the car.

These are designed for the folks who have cars that see the street only a few times a year. They are designed to help the guy who legitimately does no use the car for anything other than a couple of shows a year, and they provide relief for registration costs. They do not help in any way with insurance, and they do not get a special rate other than regular collector car insurance.

They are not for use on a car that is used for pleasure every weekend, even if you can find a show or a meeting somewhere exactly where you want to go to.

Sorry.

If you want to use these plates for "general" weekend style use, to go and have an ice cream cone occasionally, you can't. That's not what they are to be used for.

You are cheating. If you get caught, and it is not pleasant if you do, you deserve it.

In my opinion, you are just cheap.


Dave
(Am I in trouble now, or what?)

[Ruffuss]

I've talked to the local policeman and he stated unless you do something STUPID! your good to go. He also says if you stop for a burger, at the store, gas station, Mothers/ Fathers/ brothers, whatever as long as it's in route to the event, your OK! Where you can get in trouble is with your Insurance Company because of lower cost rates.
That's what I've been told, be it right or wrong.

[dave]

It might be illegal but there are some grey areas too....like the state parks offer the stickers for collector and historic plates (year to year sticker).
Maybe for shows at the state parks and campgrounds, not sure.

Now I did call on this and was told that it should not be used for daily use but for special events,Now saying that... You can talk to different people at the SOS and get different answers each time.

And last year 3 of the 4 cars that I have plated never seen the light of day last year and the fourth did because I was working on it. So yep I'm cheap.

I figure it makes up for all the other vehicles that I do plate every year and do not drive most of the time.

Now all said, I agree that people should not use these plates for daily drivers.

[81pumagtc]

Again, it does all depend on the local police and enforcement.

If you get along well, it should not be a problem. Unfortunately, you might have to go to a show where there are a bunch of idiots driving around. I was at the Gilmore two years ago on a gathering night, and there were a bunch of middle-aged idiots doing burnouts and driving on the grounds like idiots.

There were a couple of police cars around after the show, and several cars were pulled over. It would suck to be painted with the same brush because there are problems with guys who are not smart enough to drive like intelligent human beings.

You just never know who is going to pull you over. Also, the SOS does believe that a show does have to be posted and advertised to be considered a legitimate show. Just saying "everybody is showing up at a restaurant" does not qualify.

Fortunately, most VW guys do drive sane, and they are not generally looked at in the same way as many street rodders and guys with fast Corvettes, but again, these registrations are really for guys who really don't drive their cars very much. They are intended to help guys who don't really drive things in their collection but a couple of times a year.

If too many people abuse the privilege, and it is a privilege, they might take it away.

Any time you start looking to justify why you can use something, you are most likely wrong.


Dave Riedle

[dubfreak1]

Mar 17, 2012 8:52:46 GMT -5 81pumagtc said:

Any time you start looking to justify why you can use something, you are most likely wrong.


Dave Riedle

Truer words were never spoken.


I have authentic plate on 4 of my cars. Alot of times the start point and end point of the trip is the same: my house. I try to run at least two tanks of gas through each car annually. So far I'm only sucessful with 2 of them. The 74 hasn't turned a wheel in years and the 70 went to the end of the block and back last year. You must certify that the car "is used only for historical club activities, parades, car shows, etc., and not for routine transportation." on the form you fill out for the Secretary of State. I specifically asked about just exercising the car to keep everything free and working correctly and was told by the person in Lansing that I talked to that it was fine to do this or to drive to a mechanical repair facility. I didn't think about asking about driving it to the gas station to fill it up! I'd guess this comes under the "etc" on the form. I'm not really excited about having authentic plates on all of my running cars, as it keeps me from driving them every day when the weather is nice. I plan to put regular registration on the next Bug I get operational, so it can be used as a "driver".

My guess is that if you cheat, you are wrecking the plan for everyone else and deserve to be busted. And you stand a chance of that happening. Beth and I went for a ride in the 74 the day that I got the registration and were promptly pulled over. Seems the tag didn't show on the officer's database. Since I had the printed copy with me is was not a problem.