Quote:
Originally Posted by chiwanga
I like to pair license plate frames of the original selling dealer with my cars. Most of my cars are original California cars. I need a STAHL motors Monterey And as many Mercedes Benz of Hollywood frames as I can get. I would also go for anything interesting like Mercedes Benz of San Francisco or most any S. Cal dealer. I want frames from the 1970's and 1980's. No modern stuff. Must be in decent to excellent condition.
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It won't be easy, but would be well worth it.
That will be challenging. Many disappear by the time the car is first taken to a different dealer or independent for service, or by owners who put personal or custom frames on, or don't like any at all. It is true of all cars, also.
Try and get the period correct ones if you can, they change over time. I used to have a few but lost them when I moved from SF, (where until a couple of years ago, the MB dealer there was were called European Motors, LTD, so get the right ones.)
The nicest ones I have seen were the blue on chrome ones from Beverly Hills Ltd. (with the old script, to about 1998 or so) I had a pair but don't know what happened to them.
RAB Motors in Marin County goes back to the 1960s, and WI Simonson in Santa Monica has good ones too.
The older you go back the harder it is to find good ones in nice shape.
The ones from Von Housen Motors in Sacramento go all the way back to the 60's but are rare. About a year ago it became Mercedes of Sacramento.
Auto Steigler in Encino and Jim Slemons (now called Fletcher Jones) in Newport Beach date from the mid 60's, and the MB dealer in Santa Barbara used to be called Gregg Motors in the 70;s and 80s. Another possibility.
Perhaps a phone call to parts depts, at dealer where you are interested,
might with luck, net you a pair that gathered dust on their shelves. If you are a fanatic, an actual visit there would clear it once and for all. You never know.....
Very occasionally they can be found in junkyards, or on ebay.
They are a rare, correct finishing touch and I always appreciate seeing them.
After some difficulty I finally went to Calstar in Glendale and obtained a decent pair of them. Fortunately, it was past the time they used black plastic ones with Mercedes/Volvo on them, and returned to the Chrome Mercedes ones.
Don't give up the hunt. If you wish, I will keep an eye out for you.
Good luck with the chase, and post updates of what you did and found.