Question: Reflective white paint . . .

[tekenaar]

. . . needed for restoring antique license plates' backgrounds, preferably in a rattle-can if possible. All you "painters" out there, any sources for this out there? Looked on net, but haven't really found anything so far. It has to be available somewhere out there, almost every state uses it!!

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by tekenaar . . . needed for restoring antique license plates' backgrounds, preferably in a rattle-can if possible. All you "painters" out there, any sources for this out there? Looked on net, but haven't really found anything so far. It has to be available somewhere out there, almost every state uses it!!

The effect is achieved using a product called "pearlessence" (In the plastic printing industry) and I doubt it would be available in a rattle can. It is a coarse additive that is added to the vehicle (the carrier of the pigment) and requires a coarse application process (whether nozzle or screened) to achieve maximum reflectability.

My experience comes from the printing industry only and should not be taken as the only source of information on the subject.

[Rionart]

I would suggest using 3m reflective tape to cover the whole plate, then either carefully cut out your letters and numbers, or repaint them on top of the tape...

[Lindsay]

Reflective Spray Paint by Rust Oleum - More Spray Paint at doitbest.com
Reflective Spray Paint
Rust Oleum Model: 214944
SKU: 778185 Online Price: $7.29

liquidreflector
Liquidreflector Glass Bead/ Mica Reflective Paint
$14.95 + S&H.
"Looks like the coating on older white Calif. license plates."

Paint your bike / bicycle / gear reflective!
Instructions cover the topical application of retro reflective microspheres (here on out known as glass beads). The concept is that you are essentially making your chosen item reflective via the same manner that your local Transportation Department makes painted stripes on the roadway reflective.

Article indicated that Rust Oleum paint did not have enough reflective material.

[SpringGT]

Otto,
Go straight to the source. Call the Wynne State Prison Unit in Huntsville, where all Texas plates are made. Maybe they can tell you of their source.
Bob

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by tekenaar . . . needed for restoring antique license plates' backgrounds, preferably in a rattle-can if possible. All you "painters" out there, any sources for this out there? Looked on net, but haven't really found anything so far. It has to be available somewhere out there, almost every state uses it!!

Were the originals reflective and what year did the plates become reflective? As far back as I can remember they were reflective but I'm sure you can remember when they weren't.

Harold

[baz]

Originally Posted by hrcollinsjr Were the originals reflective and what year did the plates become reflective? As far back as I can remember they were reflective but I'm sure you can remember when they weren't. Harold

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by hrcollinsjr Were the originals reflective and what year did the plates become reflective? As far back as I can remember they were reflective but I'm sure you can remember when they weren't. Harold

. . . in Texas and Michigan, I believe it was 1965 . . . my '61 TX plates are non-reflective . . . my '69s are and I remember reading this somewhere for TX plates. When I completed my Navy service at the end of March in 1966, Michigan plates had just changed to reflective plates from what I recall.

As a side note, I bought my first Opel, a '73 GT, exactly 10 years after my Navy tour ended . . . and I can also honestly say that I bought a brand new Opel which I still own!

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by SpringGT Otto, Go straight to the source. Call the Wynne State Prison Unit in Huntsville, where all Texas plates are made. Maybe they can tell you of their source. Bob

. . . great idea, Bob, thought of it too, but was saving it as a "last resort". Maybe "first resort" would've been the ticket! License plate unit is only open from 5AM - 1PM . . . wonder why that is? Will call them on Monday . . .

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by tekenaar License plate unit is only open from 5AM - 1PM . . . wonder why that is? Will call them on Monday . . .

Are those year round hours or just when it's hotter than Hades?

Harold

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by hrcollinsjr Are those year round hours or just when it's hotter than Hades? Harold

. . . hmmm, well it's a State Prison, so why would anyone care how hot it is! . . . the jailers likely have A/C, the law breakers have whatever's provided for them by the State . . .

[71opeldad]

If you purchase something other than original equipment paint don't forget to test it on something similar. Removing the test paint is not easy. Hopefully this obvious suggestion isn't offensive.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by tekenaar Originally Posted by SpringGT Otto, Go straight to the source. Call the Wynne State Prison Unit in Huntsville, where all Texas plates are made. Maybe they can tell you of their source. Bob . . . great idea, Bob, thought of it too, but was saving it as a "last resort". Maybe "first resort" would've been the ticket! License plate unit is only open from 5AM - 1PM . . . wonder why that is? Will call them on Monday . . .

Pursuant to my call to the State Prison in Huntsville and subsequent discussion with one of the managers (non-prisoner) of the License Plate Unit there, I sadly discovered that license plate backgrounds are not painted at all!

So, for the edification of everyone here, here's how it's actually done. The metal is cut to the correct size for a plate and laminated with a thin, adhesive backed, white reflective laminate from 3M and then paired and stamped/embossed with all the relevant plate info for a set of plates.

The plates pair is then passed to a "printer" where the appropriate color for that year is applied to the raised, embossed surfaces in one operation. I imagine it is pretty much the same process for all states, regardless of whether reflective background is used or not.

The point is that it is more an embossed laminate printing process opposed to a multi-coat paint process . . . back to the drawing board, I'll let you know what I come up with!

[SpringGT]

That's interesting, Otto. I never would have guessed that was the process, but I just buy my plates, put them on and never look closely at them again. They sure look painted to me.
Bob

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by tekenaar So, for the edification of everyone here, here's how it's actually done. The metal is cut to the correct size for a plate and laminated with a thin, adhesive backed, white reflective laminate from 3M and then paired and stamped/embossed with all the relevant plate info for a set of plates.

Well Otto, I had wondered about that. I'm anal enough that I remove my renewal and wheel tax stickers each year so there won't be a stack of them on the plate. I've accidentally gotten into the laminate a few times. I didn't question your post because I've never known you to be wrong.

Harold

[neuropel]

Look on the bright side Otto...it's better to find out how plates are made THIS way versus the HARD way, right!?

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by SpringGT Originally Posted by tekenaar Pursuant to my call to the State Prison in Huntsville and subsequent discussion with one of the managers (non-prisoner) of the License Plate Unit there, I sadly discovered that license plate backgrounds are not painted at all! So, for the edification of everyone here, here's how it's actually done. The metal is cut to the correct size for a plate and laminated with a thin, adhesive backed, white reflective laminate from 3M and then paired and stamped/embossed with all the relevant plate info for a set of plates. The plates pair is then passed to a "printer" where the appropriate color for that year is applied to the raised, embossed surfaces in one operation. I imagine it is pretty much the same process for all states, regardless of whether reflective background is used or not. The point is that it is more an embossed laminate printing process opposed to a multi-coat paint process . . . back to the drawing board, I'll let you know what I come up with! That's interesting, Otto. I never would have guesed that was the process, but I just buy my plates, put them on and never look closely at them again. They sure look painted to me. Bob

Don't know if it's the same in other states, but have you noticed that all the regular plates newly issued in the last few years only have the "plate number" and plate edge embossed (raised) and all the remaining plate info (year - long ago, state, motto, etc.) just "printed" on them?

Also, all the specialty plates - "personalized", "veteran" "alumni", etc. - are completely "laminate printed" for at least the last 10 years, with only raised edges for plate stiffness!

Sure am glad I kept my 1986 "old-style, embossed character, sesquicentennial" 1MALIG personalized plates . . . which have been "renewed" at least twice with the crappy looking, to my eye anyway, "printed" versions.

My "renewed" plates are still new in their paper sleeves . . . unused, one set adding weight to the rear of my Bitter, right next to the spare . . . just in case!

[tekenaar]

. . . OK, so I've been occupied with other, "more important" projects while my license refurb was put on the back-shelf for a while. I tried everything I could think of to source those laminate sheets with no luck from any source anywhere.

So, had to rethink the whole thing for some way to "duplicate" as close as possible to my original 1969 Texas plates with which my Kadett is registered. Luckily, '69 plates are a pretty basic color scheme, white background with black lettering . . . no too difficult to duplicate except for that pesky "reflective" background stuff for the purists!

Since this was one of the first few years that the state used a reflective background, I decided to simplify my restoration a bit by going with plain white as the registered number is really the important thing anyway. Now my main concern became how to make the background/base coat as "bullet proof" as possible so it wouldn't flake off again and cause rust spots like the 40-year old original "paint" did . . . not pretty to look at!

Took both plates, Texas issues front and back plates, to a local "powder-coat" and sand blast shop this morning to have them blasted to bare metal and then powder-coated on both sides with a semi-gloss white coating. When that's done, I'll paint all the embossed (raised letter) information black and everything should be good to go. Sad to say I forgot to shoot some "before" pics.

Also having the original chrome dealer license frame cleaned and re-chromed to remove 40-year surface pitting. I'll post pics when all done!

[oldopelguy]

Might try here for black reflective tape to make decals for the characters out of. Not sure if it'll be easier than paint or not, but should be a nice effect.

[MonkeyNutZ]

I've got 12 matching pairs of Ohio plates from 67-74 and none of them are reflective. I'd love to restore the two 73 pairs that I have but so far no luck on finding the paint colors nor any info if it's even legal to repaint them. Don't see why I couldn't there are places that do restorations

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by MonkeyNutZ I've got 12 matching pairs of Ohio plates from 67-74 and none of them are reflective. I'd love to restore the two 73 pairs that I have but so far no luck on finding the paint colors nor any info if it's even legal to repaint them. Don't see why I couldn't there are places that do restorations

. . . since each state has their own license plate rules, best thing I can suggest for your "plate resto" is to take them "as-is" to a powder coater in your area and have him match the plate background color as closely as possible and take care of painting the embossed contrast colors yourself . . . like what I'm doing.

As long as background color is close, you can just blame it on "old plates!"

[Greyhound]

Hey guys, first post here, but I thought you might like this link that someone recommended to me several years ago. SC just instated using YOM plates on your car so I'm thinking about going this route. Best to have the original plates in hand so you can have an actual number to use on the new plates. No chance of getting a duplicate number made up. I have the YOM plate for my '48 Dodge, but it's a NC plate so I can't use it down here. Technically, I don't think using these plates is legal in most states, but you can probably slide by.
- USA / State Plates
I know of some Datsun Roadster guys that have used the plates. Said that they're really close to the originals, but you can tell a difference

[markandson]

Don't know if you have researched it but you might want to look at MonoKote or similar products that are used for building R/C airplanes. It has a sticky back and is heat activated. I bet it is available in a reflective style.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by Greyhound Hey guys, first post here, but I thought you might like this link that someone recommended to me several years ago. SC just instated using YOM plates on your car so I'm thinking about going this route. Best to have the original plates in hand so you can have an actual number to use on the new plates. No chance of getting a duplicate number made up. I have the YOM plate for my '48 Dodge, but it's a NC plate so I can't use it down here. Technically, I don't think using these plates is legal in most states, but you can probably slide by. - USA / State Plates I know of some Datsun Roadster guys that have used the plates. Said that they're really close to the originals, but you can tell a difference

. . . you have to provide a set of original YOM Texas plates yourself - internet, swap meet, etc. You submit both YOM plates at the time of registration where they are "copied" full-size and sent in along with registration and you get your 5-year stickered tab with that plate number listed.

These 5-year tabs all expire at the same time, current tabs expire on March 2011. When you register at some point during the current 5-year period, the tabs are prorated for the time remaining. You have two other "Antique" licensing options here - state provided single "Antique" plate or apply for "personalized" plates ($40/yr additional).

Personally, I like the YOM plates route the best . . . and the initial reason for this "restoration" thread as it concerns my current '69 Kadett plates.