Conference terri::cars_uk

    What I was also trying to say in the previous note was:
    
    What year did the registration plates change to the type we use today ?
    
    (from silver on black, to black on white/yellow)
    
    
    								Scott H.

    
    don't know exactly when they changed but it was before 1974 - I've had
    K (71/72?) and L (72/73?) plated cars with black on yellow plates.
    
    G.

    When white and yellow plates first came out in the early seventies, 
    it was legal for black/silver plates as well for a while, but
    I'm pretty sure black/silver plates are legal only on pre-'73
    registered cars.
    
    Royston
    
    

    My Dad had an L reg ('73) VX/490 with Silver on Black plates from new
    so I guess anything upto and including L reg would be OK. However they
    may have changed in January '74 so only L reg cars registered in '73 may
    be able to use Silver on Black plates. 
    
    Richard Huntley

    Hi,
    
    Please could you share how much this GT is going to cost you. From a
    person who cant get into LPDIRECT yet !!!
    
    Cheers Paul

    GT..?......Too flash for you Paul!
    

    
    I first saw the black and yellow plates on an 'F' reg car (i.e.
    1968/69).
    
    Richard

    It's getting restored to the value of two grand, and it should be ready
    for the beginning of February, (fingers crossed).
    
    The car is a year older than me, it's 21 and I'm just a slip of a lad
    at 20.
    
    BTW,  What is LPDIRECT ?
    
    
    								Scott H.
    

    I've got a wee bit more info on the Celica.
    
    Some guys in the Toyota club have done research, and found that there
    were only 500 Celica GT's made in that particular style, 238 of them in 
    '74. Today they have traced 25 Celica GT's in the whole of Scotland,
    and the guy who is restoring the one that I am buying, owns 3 of them,
    (soon to be 2)  ;-)
    
    Rare or what ?
    
    							Scott H.
    

Well, there doesn't seem to be much activity in this notes file these days, 
so I decided to add something.

No disrespect Scott, but when I read you note which said:

  "I'm soon going to be the proud owner of a 1974 Toyota Celica GT,"

My first thought was "this bloke has to be 'Automotively Challenged'". 
Is this the same model as they imported into the U.S.? if so I'm going to have
to take another look at one and see what its really like.

Anyway, regarding the licese plates. I brought a Swiss made Vauxhall back to 
England in 1969 and registered it in Oxford. I had to put the yellow and white 
plates on it at that time, it was G registered. It may be that (as stated 
elsewhere in this notesfile) different counties/boroughs/areas of the country
made the changes at different times.

nigel

    As far as I remember, any UK-registered car manufactured after <some
    date> in 1973 has to have black-on-yellow (rear) and black-on-white
    (front) reflective number-plates. Many earlier cars had and do have
    these plates, but that is and was optional. The only mandatory part is
    that after that date, the *must* have the 'new' reflective type. Note
    that this law does not apply in the Channel Islands.
    
    Laurie.

    re: a few replies back.
    
    Why should I be Automotively challenged ?
    
    As far as I know there are/were US & UK models made.
    
    
    
    								Scott H.

Sorry Scott, it just didn't seem to me that a 1974 Toyota would be something 
really great. Not really a collectable car or anything like that.
My recollection is that it was quite ugly and did not exactly 'turn heads' when
you drove past. 

As I said, I have to look around for one and see if I am mistaken. I know there
must be a few around here.

My appologies

nigel 

    It was either that or an MG, and in the end I went for the Celica
    because it was more rare than an MG and I actually wanted a car that
    would run.   ;-)
    
    
    I suppose your version of ugly differs from mine.
    
    
    								Scott H.
    

    
    	It certainly does mate, Ive seen some of your girl friends..
    
    
    
    
    
    			Your pal Woody........
    
    
    .
    

RE: .15 & .16

I did take a look at one (1974 Celica GT) and it was the model I envisioned.

I suppose from a practical standpoint the Toyota may be the best choice. If its
reliability you need because its your primary car. But the MG would have been
great, half the fun of having one is keeping it running. I own a 1967 MGB.

nigel

.17,

now, now, this is the CARS conference... chat is okay, but further examples of 
notes bordering on the naughty will be removed...

Chris.

    Getting back to the law, the strictest enforcers of the law are the MOT
    testers. They will fail your car if the plate is illegal. Ask them for
    their interpretation & they will give you chapter & verse of the
    regulations, dont rely on the police, they are generalist generalists &
    wont answer your question unless you are caught breaking the law. At
    this time you will know for sure, IF they can quote the unrepealed act to
    you.
    
    Tony.

re 18

Can I ask where you saw it ?  Was it in good nick ?  Was it a real GT, some
people have ST's badged as GT's. Looks like the same car, but less oomph !

The Toyota Club have only traced 25 of these babies (GT's that is) in Scotland.





							Scott H.

Sorry Scott I hope I didn't mislead you, but that was why I asked if it was the
same model as imported to the U.S.. I live in Colorado. There are still quite a
few around here, cars don't rust at all in this area (there are still many
1950s, 60s and 70s cars on the road with no rust). 

If you are despearate for parts I could see what I can find, but we need to
check on the exact details. I could photocopy some pages from the Chiltons 
repair manual to verify this. 

BTW what happened with the plates? Were you able to use the old style? 

There should never be any problem with parts as the guy who is restoring mine is 
Toyota crazy, he has 3 of the 25 Celica GT's in Scotland, and more ST's and a 
Supra also. The local Toyota Garage send customers to him if they don't have 
the parts in stock. And it's only his hobby !!!!

As for the number plates, it had to be pre 73 vehicles. I think I'll put them on
anyway, my car is only a year out. If I get stopped I'll plead ignorance, (it
usually works).  ;-)





							Scott H.

	Re: .20

>>   ....dont rely on the police, they are generalists....

	Hmmmmm....don't think the Traffic Police would agree there *;-)


	Kev_pedantic

    Did anyone see Ride On on Tuesday 20th, they had on of the head honchos
    from the Toyota enthusiast club talking about Japanese collectables.
    They gave the 2 most collectable cars as being the Datsun 240Z and the
    Celica TA22 GT (mine). You know how I said there were only 25 GT's in 
    Bonnie Scotland, well that's a load of pants, it was Great Britain. And
    there's more, I read the newsletter from the Enthusiast club and there
    are only *9* in G.B. not the 25 that I was told, and four of them are
    in my town.
    
    
    
    							Scott Hamilton