Orange California area

[fireZ]

I was wondering if any of the other members on this site have ever been at swap meets in the L.A .Orance County have ever seen any old  license plate frames from Selman Chevrolet? I have a 68 Z from the dealership and when I purchased the car it had a license plate frame that was broken into  pieces down inside the left quarter panel. the dealership is in Orange california today still but do not have any for sale or available.I would be more than happy to pay anyone that was able to locate me one or two of them. I am also wondering if the dealership installed thier nameplates on the rear panel back.

[420GOAT]

you might want to try pomona swapmeet this weekend............sunday right off the 10 freeway and past the 210....starts at 5 am

[fireZ]

I would but I live in Canada. If anyone is going I would appreciate if you could take a look for me. Thanks Paul

[CNorton]

I've lived in Southern California for 45 years and, thankfully, I can't recall many, if any, dealerships that riveted a dealer nameplate onto a new car in this area.  Even in the early 1960s the most common form of dealer designation was the license plate frame.  That practice was practically universal in the mid-west as I recall.  The presence of a permanently attached name plate on a new or used car would just about break the deal for me, at least.  You'll eventually find a plate frame.  They were used by just about every dealership.

[lakeholme]

Riveted dealer nameplates were common in the Southeast US in the 60s.  My 68 --originally from Florida-- has five small holes and I hunted for a nameplate.  Finally spoke with the General Manager of the dealership and he said, "We haven't had those for 30 years!  Wish I had some though.  Now they are a collector's item!"  

I also remember my father telling my great uncle who managed the Chevy dealership in my hometown, when we bought the 61 Impala that I eventually drove in high school, "Don't let anyone punch holes in it!"  When I bought my first car as an adult in 72, my great uncle remembered and did not glue one of those plastic plates on it.   

 Next time I have it painted, I'm just going to plug the holes.  It's not actually the way it came from the factory, anyway.

Good luck in your search! 

[fireZ]

Is anyone going to Pomona this weekend that could take a look?

[CNorton]

fireZ,

I hope that you can find someone young enough and eager enough to represent you at Pomona.  About fifteen years ago I realized that the environment at the Fairgrounds on Swap Meet Sunday isn't a friendly to senior citizens.  There is little or no organization of vendors and the chances of wandering up and down the aisles and tripping over one item as small as a license plate frame are very remote.  It has been over twenty years since I could manage to cover the entire seller's area in one long day of steady walking.  On the other hand, I would be willing to bet that there will be at least one Selman Chevrolet frame there (somewhere).  Good luck.

c

[fireZ]

Yes I guess I am hoping someone has one hanging on their garage wall or is young a eager at a swap meet. I will wait and see what happens.

[wtexz10]

About 3 years ago, I dropped by the dealership that originally sold my car, which is still owned by the same family.  These folks are friends of mine so I spoke to the owner about the possiblilty of getting an original dealer emblem that was used in the 60's.  We went upstairs above their parts department and low and behold a full box of the brand new shiney dealer emblems.  I was given a couple to take.  One is tucked away and the other I removed the metal studs on the back and glued a small magnetic strip to it.  Now when I'm at car shows I place in on the rear panel for display, and remove it when I drive off.

Sometimes you just have to talk to the right person.

Good luck,
Kris

[fireZ]

You did talk to the right person,I have phoned the dealership and they have nothing left from the 60s

[Bernie]

I have a 67 camaro pace car that was purchased from Selman Chevrolet in Aug of 67. I was trying to get the license frames also, I talked to the manager  with the same result that you got only she said that she would look at some of the used cars that come in to see if they had them on their plates, Two weeks later I had a set of the old frames and a set of the new frames. Thought that this might help.