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Sept 3, 2015 20:40:47 GMT
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Hi folks, Wouldnt normally make a thread like this but does anyone know if there is anywhere that does original 80s font reflective plates? There are hundreds of places doing the usual black and silver and raised digit reflective or reflective pressed but i've never been able to find anywhere selling new plates as per that early 80s style. A-La :  Any info is appreciated. Cheers! |
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Sept 3, 2015 22:32:01 GMT
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Had mine done by DMB...  |
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MK2VR6
Posted a lot
Mk2 Golf GTi 90 Spec
Posts: 3,328
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Sept 3, 2015 23:03:30 GMT
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Tippers plates have been mentioned on here a few times, if that helps. Supposed to be good quality.
I'll be honest though, I'm yet to see a modern 'old school' style number plate which looks just right. The fonts used just don't seem...quite the same. Maybe I'm just too fussy.
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Something like this?  I'll have to look up which website I got them from but they are very, very close to the original 80s font used on plates. Certainly close enough to satisfy my pedantic needs. Great price and very fast turnaround too. I'll find the details and let you know. |
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Here you go: www.a1showplates.com/creator.htmlYou have to select the font choice of 'Euro Style' and, ideally, for the true authentic 80s look, select the border in black. As said, it's not identical to the Serck font, but it's pretty damn close.  |
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Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
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If you're wanting ones identical to your photo, it won't be serck font. The reason you can't get your font anymore is simply because it was superceeded by Charles Write font. I havnt seen it available anywhere.  |
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MK2VR6
Posted a lot
Mk2 Golf GTi 90 Spec
Posts: 3,328
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Sept 5, 2015 21:38:12 GMT
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If you're wanting ones identical to your photo, it won't be serck font. The reason you can't get your font anymore is simply because it was superceeded by Charles Write font. I havnt seen it available anywhere. MM didn't say it was Serck font, but was as close as he could find. The plate on the Escort above looks good and I really like the font. The main difference which jumps out at me though is the font is smaller than the originals - the font on them pretty much filled the plate. Not the best photo, but you get the idea.  |
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Sept 5, 2015 21:41:13 GMT
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Framptons?
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Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
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If you're wanting ones identical to your photo, it won't be serck font. The reason you can't get your font anymore is simply because it was superceeded by Charles Write font. I havnt seen it available anywhere. MM didn't say it was Serck font, but was as close as he could find. The plate on the Escort above looks good and I really like the font. The main difference which jumps out at me though is the font is smaller than the originals - the font on them pretty much filled the plate. Not the best photo, but you get the idea. Yes I know, mainly because I've used the plates MM posted myself. What I wanted to make the OP aware of is that he's looking for the font which came after the serck font. The letters are similar to today's but much wider. I think we can all agree that the serck or serck style font looks much better but bares less similarity to today's font. |
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If you're wanting ones identical to your photo, it won't be serck font. The reason you can't get your font anymore is simply because it was superceeded by Charles Write font. I havnt seen it available anywhere. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the original image AtomicRooster posted is the Charles Wright font, whereas the modern plates are in New Charles Wright font, which is narrower. |
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dbdb
Part of things
Posts: 821
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Sept 6, 2015 11:31:32 GMT
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I agree BenzBoy, the photo in the first post is very likely Charles Wright. Charles Wright font was introduced in the 1930s - and updated in 2001 to comply with the new regulations on registration plates.
The plate in the photo of the Ford Orion looks authentic to me. I would be happy with it.
As far as I am aware, there was no 'official' font prior to 2001 - any font could be used, provided it conformed to the regulations. This led to more flexibility in style and consequently, there was quite a bit of variation between cars. Some fonts were much more common on some marques than others, as a consequence of where their dealers bought the registration plates from and who manufactured them.
A few cars used the Serck font, but it was never particularly common, at least not up here (I imagine there could well be regional variations). I remember Serck 'plates being more common in the late 1970s and early 1980s - and had almost died out by the late 1980s. They were often pressed metal plates, rather than the reflective plastic type - though both were available, the pressed metal Serck plates were far more common than plastic Serck plates, which I remember as being fairly rare. Serck plates seemed to much more commonly fitted to Fords than anything else - though that may simply mean that a major Ford fleet supplier fitted them in my region.
Austin Rover dealers often seemed to fit registration plates whose letters were more curved than Charles Wright - this is especially apparent on the font's numbers. I am not sure what this font is called, but I have seen it described as 'Bestplate' or 'Best Plate' on the internet. I have seen it written online that the font was especially popular on Jersey - which does chime with my own recollection.
Jaguars also regularly had this more curved font fitted. I guess this is not surprising, since Jaguar had only just emerged from the BL empire back then - and their dealers often also sold Austin Rovers, a hangover from the old BL days and Jaguar-Rover-Triumph. I believe the plates were made by Unipart.
My own car has these 'plates. The plates seen on my car below are the original dealer fitments, used by the dealer from the 1980s into the mid 1990s at least. The garage (Arthur Royle) had a very longstanding but now demolished Jaguar dealership in Prestbury, Cheshire which sold my car new - and also an Austin Rover dealership in Alderley Edge, Cheshire. Both used the same registration plates.
[img src=" " alt=" "]
Here is the same font used on another Jaguar which is on its original dealer plates - and sold in a different part of the country. 
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Last Edit: Sept 6, 2015 11:44:07 GMT by dbdb
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Sept 6, 2015 11:56:18 GMT
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Sept 6, 2015 19:35:44 GMT
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My Orion come with original plates... I just had new done when I rebuilt it so there good copies... Front plate was maybe the wrong one to post as I had a 3/4 size plate done...   |
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dbdb
Part of things
Posts: 821
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Sept 6, 2015 19:54:13 GMT
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The rear one on the Orion looks very authentic. It does look original to me.
What do the company you bought them from call them? - Do you have a link to them on their site?
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Last Edit: Sept 6, 2015 19:56:49 GMT by dbdb
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MK2VR6
Posted a lot
Mk2 Golf GTi 90 Spec
Posts: 3,328
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Sept 6, 2015 20:05:23 GMT
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The rear plate on the Onion above looks bob on. The letters and numbers fill the plate properly as well, with virtually no yellow border around them. I, too would be interested in finding out who the supplier is - pm if you prefer.
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Sept 6, 2015 22:05:08 GMT
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He said DMB just up there!
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dbdb
Part of things
Posts: 821
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Sept 6, 2015 22:20:32 GMT
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He said DMB just up there! I realise that, but I couldn't find the old style font ones on their site - just the newer type.  |
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