HAND PAINTED REGISTRATION PLATE

[mickeytwonames]

Can anyone help me please. I'm just finishing off a restoration project on a a 1950's split screen Morris Minor. It has hand painted registration plates on it (front and back) that conform to the correct legal font size and type. Will this now be an MOT failure?
Mickeytwonames

[Alec]

Hello Mickey,

I can't see any reason why if size and legibility is acceptable?

Alec

[beero]

Can you post a photo of them? Are they alloy plates with stamped letters and numbers with a handpainted black background? If so they should be okay.

[drivewasher]

Should be ok.

Out of the mot testers manual. section 6.3

VEHICLES FIRST REGISTERED BEFORE 1 JANUARY 1973
May have registration plates displaying white, grey or silver characters on a black background.

[IaininTenbury]

They sound a nice period touch and perfectly legal.
More commonly seen on comemrcal vehicles which were obviously spendign some time with a sign writer so presumably it made sense to have the registration plates done at the same time rather than buy pressed, or separate raised number ones.
Incidentally many of the original factory photos of Morris Minors from the 50s quite clearly have painted registration plates all done on the original black backing plate and in the same style - presumably one person at the factory. The Morris Motors fire engine (now at Gaydon) still has these plates.[frame][/frame]
If you're really lucky, yours may have been painted by the same person and be factory original!

[OVV753J]

I, too, would expect you to have no trouble. I have a 1965 bus with sign-written (white on black, of course!) number plates and these have never even been commented upon by MoT testers over a period of many years.

[orb596]

I own a 1936 Austin 12 as well as 2 Minors and that still has it's original hand painted numberplates front and rear. They are perfectly legal and any MOT inspector who knows his onions will pass them.

[mickeytwonames]

Many thanks - apologies for not replying earlier - Have been harvesting apples for cider making - now back on the car. The front plate is certainly factory original. Cheers to you all for your help.