Jalopnik: License Plates

Top Gear Fan Pays $19,358 For "Stig" License Plate

Ray Wert — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:40:00 EDT

You've got to be creative to see "The Stig" in it, but a license plate reading "THE 571G" went to a fan of UK driving show Top Gear at a DVLA auction in the UK for a price of just under $20,000 (£10,690). The UK motoring site Pistonheads claims the winning buyer was Rick Fusari, owner of the Greenford Motors car dealership in West London. Fusari snagged the plate from 11 other Top Gear fan-boys bidding on the vanity plate and now has the dilemma on which of his two Ferraris to place the plate. Either way, we're hoping he doesn't buy a white helmet to go along with it.

Andy Rooney Bitches, Moans About State Slogans On License Plates, Being Old

Mark Arnold — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:20:00 EDT

Last night's bitch-fest by Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes' starts with his inability to discern the difference between cars and then as usual, inexplicably moves towards something only quasi-tangentially related. In this case, license plates and state slogans. Although there's no real point he's driving at, it's funny in that "Oh, Grandpa, you're so old" kind of way. Especially when he explains he's unable to figure out what one of the "cars he's seen on the road" is — and up goes a picture of a Fiat Bravo, which, as you well know, is a car not found on U.S. roads. Oh, Grandpa...you're so old. Isn't it about time you retired to the back porch already? [60 Minutes]

Buy Your Own Authentic European Vanity Tag

Travis Hudson — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:40:00 EDT

A young chap is selling completely authentic European customized license plates. You can get any combination you like pressed into the plate of your country of choice — and even add authentic registration stickers. We'd probably avoid purchasing one if you do actually live in a European country, since it's completely illegal. Even the product description seems a bit shady, involving the store owner "knowing a guy."

Well I know this guy that has this plate making machine, uses original plates, has authentic registration stickers, and with one phone call can make up a few for you!

Each license plate is available for $40, and you can even purchase a mounting bracket to slap it on your vehicle. The available countries include Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. [Product Page via BoJ]

North Carolina DMV Discovers Internet, Is Not Amused

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EDT

Acronyms and turns-of-phrase penned for expediency on the World Wide Web are so commonplace now they're practically real words on their own. With usage so ubiquitous, it's hard to believe it took until now for the North Carolina DMV to be alerted to the fact the acronym "WTF" actually meant something — and that something is plastered across up to 10,000 automobiles in the tar heel state.

The Department was alerted by a 60-year-old woman whose grandkids clued her into the hidden no-no word on her plate (probably while snickering uncontrollably). She, in turn, ruined everybody's fun by telling the DMV. Letters have gone out to all WTF plate-holders and a free replacement is being made available. (Thanks wookie1901) [WXII12]

Lewis Hamilton Buys "LEW 1S" License Plate For $392,000

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:20:00 EDT

Doing his best impersonation of a UAE oil sheik, Mercedes-Benz F1 racer Lewis Hamilton has picked up the very vain "LEW 1S" vanity plate for a smooth £200,000, or about $392,000. This, of course, leads us to believe Hamilton is 11 years old and still likes to write his name on desks, in bathroom stalls, and onto tree trunks. Then again, we don't drive F1 cars for a living and get paid $27.8 million a year to do it, so what do we know? Considering Hamilton is living every 11-year-old boy's dream anyway, why not buy ridiculous things with your piles of loot? More importantly, what car is it going on?

While we can't nail it down specifically, the license plate will likely be going onto a Mercedes SUV, which tops out at around $111,900 for the 2008 G55 AMG. Thus Mr. Hamilton will have hung a very expensive plate on a pauper's car. Hey, maybe it would have made more sense to buy a new Porsche Carrera GT to replace the one his dad took one off into foul territory. Ah, the rough life of an F1 superstar. [ITV.com

Once You Go...Gimp?

Ray Wert — Thu, 29 May 2008 10:40:00 EDT

Oh, how ironically un-PC of them. We especially love the license plate. (Hat tip to LLKoolKenny!)

Ana Really Likes Her Lexus LS400

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:40:00 EDT

You really have to wonder about the person sitting on the other side of the DMV table when this proposal for a custom plate slide across the desk to them. Hmm. ANASLEX, nothing wrong there, right? Nothing could possibly be misconstrued as incredibly ~~hilarious~~ offensive here. Nope. Maybe the disturbing number of car sex stories lately has gotten to us, but we think Ana might want to reconsider this one. (Thanks Ken and thank you state of Ohio)

Map Of USA Made of States' License Plates

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:30:00 EST

Here's some art which brings up a "why haven't I seen that before" thought. License plates, cut into the shapes of each state, arranged into the shape of the United States. Neat. Is it cool enough to fork over prices starting at $1,895, depends on if you've got spare scratch laying around. Of course if you've got a set of fifty plates, a template of the US (a map comes to mind) and a plasma cutter laying around, you can make your own for probably a lot less. Still a clever idea we wouldn't mind having on the wall of our garage. [License Plate Art]

Delaware License Plate Goes for $675K, All Of Middle East Giggles

Matthew DeBord — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:15:00 EST

Oh, how they must be laughing at us in the United Arab Emirates, where high-rollers bid in the multi-millions for low-digit license plates. Our big counter-news from the land of liberty is that a collector from Delaware just coughed up a measly $675,000 at auction for that state's plate number "6."

This a legit antique plate, by the way, one that can still be slapped on a car and counted as a legal license number, complete with yearly registration sticker. That's what ups the value of these classic black-and-white collectibles. According to the report in The News Journal, a "dead" Del. plate number "6" went for $1,100. Just for the record, the same family, the Fuscos, that bought number "6" also owns number "9" ($185,000—these people are whacked, even if as they claimed in another report that they're beating the S&P 500). No info on the whereabouts of numbers 1-5, but we're thinking a vault in the Persian Gulf—or else moldering in the Wilmington basement of an interwebs-deprived retiree named Gus. [The News Journal]

Ten Page Gallery of Internet-Themed Vanity Plates

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:30:00 EST

We can't tell which is more sad, the ten pages of vanity plates all referencing some form of geekdom and Internet speak; or the fact that we could interpret almost all of them right away. For reasons unknowable, the Internet License Plate Gallery offers a compendium of the what the world's nerds consider appropriate for their tags and worth the additional cost or registration. If you fall into this variety of the w3bz0r35 133t, you can submit your very own version of automotive-brand girl repellent for all the world to enjoy. Some of our favorites are...

1) WEBGUY 5 2) I NET DEV 3) WEB CZAR 4) WEBZAR 5) PENTIUM 6) UNIX WIZ 7) WEB HEAD 8) LOL LOL 9) THENERD 10) HTML HLP

"GET OSAMA" Man Wants 9/11 Vanity Plates

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 08:30:00 EST

The guy from NY that wanted the "GET OSAMA" vanity plates to go along with his American Flag Aerostar minivan has decided to push for a 9/11 vanity plate for New York (surprisingly, one of the states not to have one). The main hold up exists in the fact that the previous governor, Pataki, stopped all vanity license plates in 2006 after the threat of lawsuits over pro-life messages.

According to the sponsor of the bill, "License plates are an important visual reminder that we lost lives our citizens and we need to think about that and not forget." I guess I agree, since I'm always moved to remember citrus by the Red Grapefruit plate put forward by the Texas Citrus Growers Association. [Gothamist]

In God We Trust, In Indiana We Sue

Murilee Martin — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:30:54 EDT

Indiana has all sorts of specialty license plates available at extra cost; you can show you're against stuff (breast cancer, child abuse) or for stuff (the environment). But there's one specialty plate you can get at no extra cost: the one with a snazzy IN GOD WE TRUST logo on it, for which even the normal $15 specialty-plate administrative fee is waived. Whoa, hold on a second there, says construction worker Mark Studler and the Indiana ACLU, who filed suit on the issue last week. Seems there's this pesky separation-of-church-and-state thing in some dusty old piece of paper somewhere in DC, and maybe it even applies to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. – Murilee Martin

In Indiana, a fight over 'In God We Trust' license plates [Los Angeles Times]

Related:
Ohio Child Molesters May Get Custom Plates [internal]

Enter Sandman: The Metallica License Plate Rules!

Ray Wert — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 08:27:34 EDT

The LA area spawned the metallic metal band, so we guess it makes sense you'd find this here. Also yes, we'd have to agree — it's probably the most metal license plate we've yet to see out of LA, or any other area for that matter. At least until someone comes up with a MegadetH one. It's just too bad it's on a Passat. Somehow I think when Hetfield was going on about heading off to never-neverland, I don't think he was hoping for it to happen in a VW. – Ray Wert

Coolest Personalized License Plate of the Day [LAist via Digg]

Call The Feds, We've Got An Older-Model Lincoln: Traffic Stop In Detroit Nets FBI Attention

Ray Wert — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 16:23:22 EDT

Normally when a traffic stop in Detroit merits federal involvement, its the Justice Department getting on the City of Detroit 5-0 over potential indiscretions or some kind of attempt at a claim of mis- management. But hey, maybe the City's cleaned up its act after the Super Bowl and All Star Game turned the worlds eye with a laser-like focus on the City — because today, the FBI's getting involved because the Detroit City Police have actually done something positive for a change, pulling over a older-model Lincoln at 3 AM today after he ran a red light on Woodward Avenue south of West Chicago Blvd. Spokespo-po James "no relation to Terry" Tate confirmed the Detroit police had contacted the FBI for assistance after the motorist was found carrying maps and five out-of-state license plates and driver's licenses in his vehicle. Of course, he could have just been a collector of license plates and been carrying ID's for his buddies at the bar — but whatever — Detroit Police, 1. Terrorists, 0.

Man found with license plates, IDs detained [Freep]

Nader? I Don't Even Know Her!: Corvair-Loving Iowan Must Give up "F Nader"

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 12:00:41 EDT

Our tabloid-y bretheren at Sploid bring us the story of a Corvair-loving Iowan who's been muzzled by the man. It seems the "F Nader" plate on one of his beloved whippities has tapped a wellspring of righteous indignation in one of his fellow motorists, who wonders how to explain the plate to his kids (their apparently having learned the alphabet from the little-known TV spinoff "Sesa-f***-me Street"). The motorist ratted out the guy's secret f-bomb to the Iowa Department of Transportation, which is taking back the plate sporting the man's personal message to the author of "Unsafe at Any Speed." Sounds like a job for the ACLU.

"F Nader" [Sploid]

Related:
More on license plates [internal]

I'm Tellin' All Y'All, It's Sabotage: Brit Footballers Suffer Plate Vandalism

Davey G. Johnson — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 14:43:32 EST

Players for the UK's Motherwell football team have been suffering the ignominy of having their plates swapped while they play their matches, with one player becoming what we infer to be a "shitter" while another ended up as a "b**bag," an epithet we can't quite figure out. Figure there's a vowel in there, which narrows it down to a, e, i, o, u or sometimes y, and then you've got 20.5 consonants to choose from. Any across-the-pond readers wanna help us out with this one?

Players Hit by Rude Reg Prankster [The Daily Record, UK]

Related:
Go Ahead and Plate it Your Way [Internal]

What Would Jalopnik Do?

Ray Wert — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 11:19:24 EST

We had some really funny and some really not-so-funny responses to our question, "What Would Jalopnik Readers Create On A Plate?" Sifting through the e-mailed responses has made us giggle more than once. In fact, it's been so enjoyable, we are thinking of printing cute little wrist bracelets. I can see it now...little kiddies on the playground asking their schoolmates "What does W.W.J.R.C.O.A.P mean?" Then instead of forking it over, we'd watch the little tike beat the crap out of them in response. Here are the responses we've received so far:

Jalopnik License Plate Contest Gallery 1 [Flickr.com]
Jalopnik License Plate Contest Gallery 2 [Flickr.com]

Related:
Go Ahead And Plate It Your Way [internal]

Go Ahead And Plate It Your Way

Ray Wert — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 11:55:18 EST

Acme Labs, the purveyors of fine freeware on the interwebs since 1991, has a neat little license plate graphic generator online. What's different about this fun little time-suck is that it allows you to choose not only the State, but also the year. That means that you can finally get a picture of that 1991 Ohio license plate that tells the whole world how you think "BUCKEYE" should really be spelled. Or you can use any old state and any old buggery joke. Actually, that's brilliant. Send in a license plate graphic you make off using the app (you have to attach the actual *.jpg for the plate, and not a link to the site) and the best and funniest will be posted here tomorrow. Send your name, your site if you have one, and attached graphic to tips@jalopnik.com

ACME License Maker [Acme Laboratories] —thanks to JRX for the tip!

I'll Trade You My "Jumpy" "Mickey Mouse" For Your "Navel"-less 1910 Michigan

Ray Wert — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 08:48:25 EST

Everyone knows cars are collectible. In fact, they are second to none, despite our love of all things you can categorize, number and store...baseball cards, barbie dolls, comic books...lingerie. I even had a really sweet signed 1968 Topps Don Wert card (not that it was THAT difficult). But who knew that license plates could be springing up a collectible industry all its own?

Not only does it exist, but the license plate collectible industry has spawned its own glossary, with terms like:

· jumpy — Referring to an error plate where one or more of the numbers in the plate are misaligned.

· navel / dimple — The slightly debossed rectangular area on a license plate, designated for affixing a date or month sticker.

· "Mickey Mouse" / booster — A non-official license plate, usually a front plate, issued for advertising purposes.

In addition to the very robust glossary, the collector site pl8s.com also has a killer list of pictures of plates from all over the world. I'm kinda thinking that they are becoming the Beckett of the plate collecting industry.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out that there are a number of regional plate-collecting organizations, the largest of course is the Michigan License Plate Collectors Association. But hold on. It looks like Michigan wasn't the first local government to issue license plates. They were the second, issuing their inaugural plate in 1910. The first? France in 1905.

Damn those frogs. Ooh...do you need to get a license plate on a trojan rabbit?

FIVE THINGS: About license plates [Freep]

Dueling Digicam Dualities: Spay or Neuter Your Mercedes?

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 20:15:58 EST

Somehow we're betting that this person...

...Doesn't live in this house.

Related:
Let That Be a Lesson: Revenge [Internal]