ZV registrations - what do you think ?

Silvera

What do you guys think of ZV 'vintage' registrations ?

Would you prefer :

- an old style original reg ?
- a 'year' reg (e.g. 68-KK-xxx)?
- or do you not mind either way once the car is in good condition ?

ZV registration used to have a maximum of 6-digits (e.g. ZV xxxx) like old style plates, but new ZV regs have 7-digits like the one pictured below. Some would say these look less 'authentic' than the original ZV issue (i.e. max of 6-digits).
Others say they are better than a 'year' reg on an old car.

Opinions ?

Silvera

......... incidentially I think the plates on the Merc pictured above, i.e. small digits, look terrible on an older car. However, I realise that they are often the only style of silver-on-black plates readily available, so owners have to 'make do' with them.

shagman

Yeah you're..... right they should be smaller digits and black letters on a black background..............the perfect camera proof plate

stratos

My personal preference is for the zv plate and old style reg if possible. To my mind nothing looks worse than say a lovley old Tr3 with the year plates. Especially on the old salloons Cortina's,Corsairs,Oxford Wolseleys, etc.

Silvera

My first preference would be for an original Irish reg - then ZV plate, then 'year' reg.

A 'year' reg doesn't look quite so bad when it is made up on old style plates (i.e. with large digits) like in the pic below.

I have come across many people who actually opt for a 'year' reg (e.g. 67-D-xxx ) rather than a 'ZV' plate !

Silvera

a new ZV reg.........

Alfasudcrazy

My Daimler is getting 75 KY XXX plates - white background with black digits - is this a good idea in your opinion?

Silvera

White plates with black digits (only) would not be in keeping with that year of vehicle - Irish vehicles of that period would have either had silver-on-black plates OR black-on-white (front) and black-on-red (rear).

Technically speaking, vehicles registered after 1/1/91 are supposed to display Euro plates when you opt for a 'year' reg.
(However, as you car does not have to go through the NCT, and I doubt any Garda would bother stopping a classic car for displaying 'old style' plates, it's not really an issue in your case).

If you do go for a 'year' reg, you can change it to a ZV reg later if you wish.

Either way, I would go for silver-on-black pressed plates (with large digits) on a 1975 car (see pic below). You can buy them from stg£22.99 per pair (see my 'Specialist & Suppliers' thread), they are historically the most accurate - and look the best !

(I have seen a Mini Estate around my area with a 79KE reg on the plate style pictured below and it just looks right on the car).


Personally, I would opt for ZV plates.

(I also know of a guy in Meath who makes these plates, if you want his contact details just PM me)

Paul (MN)

Silvera,

I know you are a number plate nut.
Do you by any chance have a "silver a" in your number plate?

an authentic silver "a" on black!

Silvera

sorry, I don't understand the question

I just like to see cars with correct - well-made! - plates (old or new!)

Paul (MN)

I just thought your "name" was pronounced "Silvairah"
but is it a coincident that you are going on about silver writing and your name is "silver" "a"

I could be wrong of course!

commuterised

My other half has a lovely escort mexico with ZV plates and I think it would ruin the look of the car if he had the year on instead of ZV.
It's a white numberplate with black letters.

Dirty-Old-Man

wouldn't it be nice if, instead of adding a number after the ZV (ZV 12345) they instead put a letter with it (ZVA 123) and kept to a 6 character plate?

corktina

absolutely...all my cars have modern series plates because ZV xxxxx looks awful....I would gladly pay a premium price for a number in the original series if this was possible......

(My pet hate is people using the log books of long-scrapped cars for their imported cars...it is tax evasion...it is illegal...they do not have valid insurance....)

hi5

I think the year number plate looks better on old american cars as they actually describe the car,eg, 65 Mustang,57 chevy.

Historicaly correct for a 75 car should be black on red and black on white.
If that red Jag was mine I would have a zv plate on red and black,maybe even distress the plates a bit to age them;)

Can you still buy the aluminimum red reflective plates with large black plastic digits???

Abelloid

Dirty-Old-Man wrote: »

wouldn't it be nice if, instead of adding a number after the ZV (ZV 12345) they instead put a letter with it (ZVA 123) and kept to a 6 character plate?

Yeah, I'd go for that too, really don't like the 5 digit ZV plates.

Silvera

I agree.

There was no proper thought, IMHO, put into the 'Vintage Registration System' (i.e. ZV plates) when they were initially issued in 1992.

The IVVCC had lobbied for a reg number system for vintage and veteran vehicles as they disliked modern 'year' plates on such vehicles.

However, we now have a system that issues seven-digit ZV numbers which are not in keeping with the old series (pre-1986) Irish system ...which always had a maximum of six digits.
We also have the situation where really old vehicles have six or seven digit ZV plates, and more modern vehicles have been issued with six digit ZV plates?!?

IMO, the system should have been set up to issue low numbers to (for example) pre-1930 vehicles, and higher ZV plates to post-1930 vehicles.

What I would now suggest to replace/expand the ZV system is -

- 'ZVA 123' etc. system for c.1970-on vehicles
- '123 ZV' plates for pre 1930 vehicles
- '1234 ZV' plates for post 1930 vehicles.

I do not believe that old-series plates will be re-issued. And perhaps that is for the best as it would perhaps lessen the authenticity/value of surviving Irish vehicles with their original plates.

Let the debate begin!

corktina

Silvera wrote: »

I agree.

I do not believe that old-series plates will be re-issued. And perhaps that is for the best as it would perhaps lessen the authenticity/value of surviving Irish vehicles with their original plates.

QUOTE]

as does the misuse of old log books as stated earleir....this is my principle objection to this practise...

DarenO

i'd have a preference for a ZVA series, i for one wouldn't like to see my dad's old Spitfire (KZI 766) or Cortina Lotus (HEI 674) going around if they weren't the originals

Darren

Wishbone Ash

corktina wrote: »

as does the misuse of old log books as stated earleir....this is my principle objection to this practise...

Yes, there seems to be a suspicious number of VW Beetles in VGC going around at the moment on 'original' Irish plates!

Abelloid

Maybe it's because they're relatively easy to restore and maintain?

Not sure what you're suggesting here

Blue850

corktina wrote: »

Silvera wrote: »

I agree.

I do not believe that old-series plates will be re-issued. And perhaps that is for the best as it would perhaps lessen the authenticity/value of surviving Irish vehicles with their original plates.

QUOTE]

as does the misuse of old log books as stated earleir....this is my principle objection to this practise...

Why couldn't unused plates from 1986 be used before the 87 xx stlye was issued. Galway was up to ***GZM , so start of at 1 HZM etc.

Anan1

Blue850 wrote: »

corktina wrote: »

Why couldn't unused plates from 1986 be used before the 87 xx stlye was issued. Galway was up to ***GZM , so start of at 1 HZM etc.

Are you sure they didn't run out some time in 86? I thought that was why some 1986 cars came with SI **** plates.

Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Yes, there seems to be a suspicious number of VW Beetles in VGC going around at the moment on 'original' Irish plates!

JustinOval wrote: »

Maybe it's because they're relatively easy to restore and maintain?

Not sure what you're suggesting here

A few years ago many of the Beetles on the road were imports. Now nearly every one I see has an original Irish plate. There are suspicions that some owners are sourcing their models abroad and utilising the registration from an unusable Irish model. They are then purporting that the car is a original Irish model when it's not.

Blue850 wrote:

Why couldn't unused plates from 1986 be used before the 87 xx stlye was issued. Galway was up to ***GZM , so start of at 1 HZM etc.

Anan1 wrote: »

Are you sure they didn't run out some time in 86? I thought that was why some 1986 cars came with SI **** plates.

'SI' would have been the last series in Dublin only.

corktina

somewhat more than suspcicions...I hope the Customs are taking careful note of what cars come through the ferryports and ask where they all went to.....

andreas_220D

corktina wrote: »

somewhat more than suspcicions...I hope the Customs are taking careful note of what cars come through the ferryports and ask where they all went to.....

Brought 3 cars through the ferryports. The officers only had a quick look at my passport, that's all. No notes being taken, no questions being asked. When registering the car, noone ever bothered to check the VIN etc.

corktina

its all on computer and cctv though if they care to check.....

cantdecide

I really don't fancy the ZV plates but I'm not sure how I feel aboaut the 72 C xxxx plates either but I was 5 when the plates changed over and therefore I have no idea how they worked before. But wouldn't it be more pleasing to the eye to have a ZV plate to have it configured to read 'ZV1 2345' instead of 'ZV 12345' ?

Abelloid

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

A few years ago many of the Beetles on the road were imports. Now nearly every one I see has an original Irish plate. There are suspicions that some owners are sourcing their models abroad and utilising the registration from an unusable Irish model. They are then purporting that the car is a original Irish model when it's not.

But what are the suspicions based on?
Beetles are probably the most common classic in the country, is it inconceivable that many of these that have been forgotten are now being restored and driven again?

Coxy_VW

corktina wrote: »

somewhat more than suspcicions...I hope the Customs are taking careful note of what cars come through the ferryports and ask where they all went to.....

Come on then, dish the dirt!

corktina

probably said far too much for some folk....but avoiding VRT means we all have to pay a bit more somewhere doesnt it?

corktina

JustinOval wrote: »

But what are the suspicions based on?
Beetles are probably the most common classic in the country, is it inconceivable that many of these that have been forgotten are now being restored and driven again?

no...but its much more likely theyve been brought in from Brazil.......:cool:

Coxy_VW

corktina wrote: »

no...but its much more likely theyve been brought in from Brazil.......:cool:

I'm afraid I have to agree with Justin on this one. I know that some were restored using Brazilian parts (bodies incl) but if you check with Martin Murray he'll happily tell you that many forgotten cars are now being restored........some never before on the VW scene and others that were first restored in the 90's.
Maybe I'm wrong but I'm just going on what info I have.

hi5

Isnt this the same as the earlier discussion on land rover chassis,the beetle body unbolts from the floorpan,so a new body can use the old chassis no. and reg from the donor car.
but i know where your coming from,I recently saw a nice mk11 escort at a show on original irish plates but all the glass was inscribed with the original UK registration:eek:

MercMad

Yeah I'd say that a lot of that goes on, but with the VW having unbolted the body, its very easy to then use the new engine and suspension and refurb the original Irish reg'd chassis !

Very tempting, but its expensive to actually go out and find a donor who's owner isn't clued in !

cxcully

The DS is on "69 G ---" plates but I am considering whacking out for the silver on black ACE plates in "ZV" format and reversing it with a space in the middle.....123 4ZV rather than ZV 1234.Echoes of the old style I suppose.....
There should be a law against white plastic year plates on classics.

Abelloid

This thread is getting stranger, you can't just make up a number that looks nice can you?

MercMad

JustinOval wrote: »

This thread is getting stranger, you can't just make up a number that looks nice can you?

ehhhh NO !!

And there are laws about spacing and font size too, but these are probably not applicable here !

PanhardPL

Anan1 wrote: »

Blue850 wrote: »

Are you sure they didn't run out some time in 86? I thought that was why some 1986 cars came with SI **** plates.

SI.... ran from 1/86 - 4/86

ZG.... ran from 4/86 - 7/86

ZS.... ran from 7/86 - 12/86 with ZS 8709 being the last number to be issued in Dublin.

corktina

damn...nearly 1300 more ZS numbers available then.....what a shame to throw ahistorical system out like that

green-blood

So long as its not bein driven around for years on english plates dont really mind if its Zv or a year plate.....

As for the beetles and range rovers.... on pre 77 plates.... tut tut

Its perfectly legal, to rebuild an old chassis to modern standards, nothing wrong with that, its a bit sad to see a Mexican import beetle, usuallyin silver, with that lovely blackpadded dash and modern steering wheel/swith gear driven around on an originial irish plate... of course it (they - I know 2) could have been built up from a 70s chassis but ALLEGEDLY the chassis number and log book may have been lets call it "recylced" so as to allow for cheap tax/no VRT/classic insurance....

ditto the lovely Range Rover vogue in blackrock on a 72WW plate

green-blood

MercMad

Yeah I know that 72WW RR, I know the guy who owns it, but it DOES have a 72 chassis !

Now that I think about it I have seenn loads of similar spec VW's, and naively figured the were Emillio's fully restored ones !

Dusty1609

hi5 wrote: »

Isnt this the same as the earlier discussion on land rover chassis,the beetle body unbolts from the floorpan,so a new body can use the old chassis no. and reg from the donor car.
but i know where your coming from,I recently saw a nice mk11 escort at a show on original irish plates but all the glass was inscribed with the original UK registration:eek:

Maybe all his Glass got smashed and he had to replace it with a second-hand set from the UK :rolleyes:

macplaxton

I'm looking at the "You decide" post and I thinking "Why?"

If I'm going to have a 1972, I'll buy a 1972 car that looks like a 1972 car. If I do what's been done to those two cars, even (allegedly) retaining original chassis, I'd look like a right tax-dodger anyway.

MercMad wrote: »

DOES have a 72 chassis!

On the RR I wonder how much chassis is original? I suppose if you repair it and say retain at least 50% of it, it's still half original. If you replace it with a new one that is to original design then I suppose it's not original but 1972 reproduction. If a land-rover has a modified chassis whether new or old, it isn't really original. But that's me just spitting hairs over coil spring and PAS conversions.:rolleyes::D

Blue850

Dusty1609 wrote: »

Maybe all his Glass got smashed and he had to replace it with a second-hand set from the UK :rolleyes:

I know someone with an genuine Irish reg Triumph 2000 who had to exactly that, it was vandalised when he got it, he had to replace all the glass from a UK reg scrapper and its all etched with the UK reg.

Blitzkrieger

I wouldn't really see the format of the plate altering the look of the car so much as the style. I think a silver on black year plate would look pretty much the same as silver on black zv plate. I chose a year plate for a number of reasons - one of them being a hope on cutting down on the number of "What year is she?" questions.

corktina

bear in mind too that should they bring more attractive series of numbers into use, that you CAN change a modern series number but you CANNOT change a ZV........costs €50 to change btw...

E92

I think a pre 87 car should be on 'originial' Irish plates.

I used to be a fan of the 54-C-xxx thing, but I don't like that at all now, it simply doesn't look right on a classic car, and worse still is the ZV xxxx, it looks wrong once you go beyond 4 digits.

Why don't they let you reuse the old number plate combinations like say UZG 42, 912 DZF etc, like they do let you in Germany, America etc(i.e where the number plate is transferrable from car to car)?

corktina

....and make some dosh for the us too via taxation......

G Luxel

just looking at the beetle pictures on this page. Its a new car on a used chassis. But I think the number plates should be period style ie 70s or 80s. Are there names for the styles used since I904?