Michigan deuce owners!

[liljohn]

Any of you have regular plates on your deuce (not antique?) If so how much do they cost? I have antique plates on mine right now but was considering getting rid of them to ease on the use restrictions. Mine's titled as a stake truck, if that makes any difference...

 

[67Beast]

I have antique plates on mine an nobody ever bothers me with them. I drive mine all the time in and around town. Cops usually just wave as I past. I do live out in the country though. Heck I figure because it's restored that everywhere I go is a display.

 

[liljohn]

Yeah we never get hassled just driving ours, but now that its mine rather than my dad's, I'm planning on actually using it to move stuff from time to time. My brother did that once and got pulled over. The cop let him off but made it clear just how much he could get fined if he did it again.

I've got a cargo cover on the way so granted they won't necessarily KNOW I've got stuff in the back, but I'm still happier playing it safe rather than sorry.

 

[bigbee]

Mine's a tractor

It goes by weight. When I got plates for my deuce tractor last week, lady at SOS said it would cost $280. I think, it was close to that 'cause I just knew it was WAY too much for my budget compared to the $30 for 10 years. Your cargo truck would be about $320 I think. PM Rockcrawlerboy. He's got standard plates on his M35.

I'm sure if I was to haul a commercial trailer with pallets of stuff I'd be in trouble, but for what I have it works fine.

 

[liljohn]

RE: Mine

Hmmm... it may be worth it, though. Being in the military I move a lot. I also get paid by weight to move my own stuff. A deuce can haul a lot of stuff. Shoot even with my little Ford Escape and a smallish trailer, I made over $1500 just going from Grand Rapids to Dayton. And that was just one trip with not much stuff. Getting married in December means my "stuff" is increasing greatly every day. A move cross-country with a wholy furnished apartment would pay amazingly well.

 

[ojsdna744]

My brother owns a farm, I skated the issue and went with farm plates! A bit on the shady side, but I thought it was the best alternative. I was scared of the restrictions of the historical plate. Now if I'm stacked 13 ft. high with bales of hay, or hauling 5 tons of rock down the road I'm just as carefree as when I'm hauling a truck load of veterans in a parade! If he does move, as he's planning, I'll probably pony up for the regular plates simply so I don't worry about it.

Not trying to volunteer anyone, but Ida34 is wealth of knowledge in this area. A few PMs back and forth with him is what I did when I was at the plating stage! (Sorry to drag you in Ida, but you really did help me out!)

 

[marksgarage2]

I put regular nj plates on my deuce 2 years ago. I never get stopped or even looked at by police. 75.00 a year.

 

[OpieNoTool]

i have mine insured commercial plpd $250 a year for insurance, and when that luck day comes around once a year when u get to drive a half hour, then stand in line an hour, and deal with the very lovely ladies at the seceraty of state (choke, choke!!!) it cost me $283.59 to put plates on it. next year im switching mine to farm plates i think its $65 a year with no restricions as long as you stay in this state, as long as you can prove that you use it for agricaltural purposes not only personal, i just tell them i use it for hauling hay. hope this helps

 

[ida34]

My brother owns a farm, I skated the issue and went with farm plates! A bit on the shady side, but I thought it was the best alternative. I was scared of the restrictions of the historical plate. Now if I'm stacked 13 ft. high with bales of hay, or hauling 5 tons of rock down the road I'm just as carefree as when I'm hauling a truck load of veterans in a parade! If he does move, as he's planning, I'll probably pony up for the regular plates simply so I don't worry about it.

Not trying to volunteer anyone, but Ida34 is wealth of knowledge in this area. A few PMs back and forth with him is what I did when I was at the plating stage! (Sorry to drag you in Ida, but you really did help me out!)

I am glad my info helped you out. I know a little about sos stuff but mostly I know the law enforcement stuff. If I don't know the answer I can look it up when I get back to work. PM me with any questions and I can try to answer. As far as the antique plates, I have them on my deuce and do use it once in a while for hauling. Mostly I use it for shows and just general driving around on the weekends. The sos standards are kind of vague. Basically they say you can't use if for regular use and they do give examples of what you can use it for (parades, shows) but they add in an ETC to the end. I take that to mean occasional use and I can argue that the etc part covers occasional use. As long as I don't see someone driving it everyday hauling stuff or driving the antique plated vehicle every day then I say no problem. You are really bound by the local police and judge or magistrate and how they see it. I see it as I have said above.

 

[DaveP]

In Michigan the farm plate cost $14.oo per tare wt ton.

 

[FSBruva]

I got a SOS employee to see my side of the story, and have it registered as a regular pickup.... but a very heavy pickup, 13,350 lbs. I don't think they necessarily know about the third axle I have on the road, but it's $148 a year for me, no restrictions - it's just a huge a$$ pickup to them.

Matt

 

[colyork]

But what about insections,Here in Maine as long as you have antique plates no inspection. Not that I would drive an unsafe truck,but that is just another think that we have to deal with here.( we would have to go to a commercle inspector)

 

[mhassett]

I live in New Orleans, LA area and have reqular plates on my M35 and M275. Cost is $83/year for each one. I have commercial insurance with Progressive that costs $1,000/per year per truck. I did not go antique route due to the trouble with hauling something, other people driving the trucks, and the mileage issue. The insurance is expensive, but if I have any problem, I know that I am covered.

 

[liljohn]

Michigan does not have inspections (yet, anyways).