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Numberplate fonts for 'old' cars


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Does anyone have a recommendation for a font suitable for pre-1963 British numberplates?

 

I know the typefaces weren't tightly regulated at this time, but none of the standard 'Word' fonts looks appropriate.

What do other modellers use?

 

Cheers,

Bill.

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Remember these would most likely  have been hand -painted by a sign writer , you know before the computer destroyed the craftsmanship and creativity in the sign industry.

The sign writers of the day would have their own stylized fonts and 'signature' work.

Too perfect ,as done by the soul draining computer , may look out of place.

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This mob still make the old letters on plate type, it was the same lettering in black on the yellow or white plates too until the sticky letters under perspex took over in the eighties.

http://www.acepeakplates.com/vintage-adverts/

There's also the pressed plate type mentioned earlier, but both types used similar letterforms or typefaces.

 

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4 hours ago, krow113 said:

Remember these would most likely  have been hand -painted by a sign writer

No they wouldn't.  The majority of plates were either standard sticky letters on a standard sticky panel, or pressed / cast using standard letters, or built up using standard 3D letters attached to a standard plate, or made that cunning way with the multiple reflective lines curved to form letters.  Most of these methods are described in what willie fixit has linked to, which also makes it clear that hand-painted plates lasted only up to about 1919, during which time cars were still rare enough for people to point at them as they went past.

 

From memory there were at least four fonts in common usage.  None is needed now, as none is quite the same as the current style, so it's unlikely there are electronic versions around.  Scanning from adverts such as the ones above seems your best bet, alas.

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Okay fill yer boots.

What you say makes absolutely no sense to me.

The OP is asking about pre-1963 , pretty sure there were no 'sticky letters' which are actually called self adhesive vinyl copy.at that point. The earliest examples being die-cut.

I've never heard of any of the methods you describe!

I am actually thinking of race car decoration, I see that the OP is asking about licence plates and the link provides the relevant info. I would be a little wary of the links info as well. its a private site for making money , not a reference site by any means. Check with the relevant gov departments if possible.

Your problem is more along the lines of the difficulty in recreating the stamped letters , the metal plate being cast with the numbers or stamped out of sheet metal. This means the letters are raised and then prolly screened for the color.

When I did my bobber plate I used thin brass sheet and tried to emboss the letters and was not able to without having to make a lot of tooling . I did manage to do the border edge and used vinyl letters to simulate the raised lettering.

licence1_zpsifsjszep.jpg

lplate5_zpspxfmuvc5.jpg

The info on 1940's California license plate dimensions and materials was provided by an ex California Highway Patrolman from Highway Dept files. So I'm sure you can find info for the period you need. It seems materials , manufacturing procedure etc changed over the decades being looked at here. "Pre-'63" may not be enough to fine tune the info you need.

Also British vehicles carried a 'registration' number  AND  a licence plate , looking at bikes we see the reggy number on the fender , the plate displayed to the rear of the vehicle.

Dig a little deeper.

Edited by krow113
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