Once commonplace, a great many cars had rear license plates that could be swung downward, as the fuel filler pipe was concealed behind them. When you finished refueling & let the plate go, it returned to it's flush-mounted position, obviously so it could be read when the car was in motion.

But there was a GM car that the rear plate would (by design) swing downward while the car was in motion. What, when & why did this occur?

My guess: full-size station wagons. When the tailgate was in the down position, the plate would swing down so it still could be read.

Early '60s Corvair, since it was a rear-engined car.

Old Corvette to allow the exhuast to flow?

Is this the 69 License plate bracket that was on some Chevys and Pontiacs?

GM is selling OEM Replacements

Fits many Chevrolets and Pontiacs from 1969 to 1969

Brand: GM Performance Parts

Auto Part #: 3945756

Original GM quality! Technically correct. EDP coated black as original.

Edited April 27, 201213 yr by dfelt

My guess: full-size station wagons. When the tailgate was in the down position, the plate would swing down so it still could be read.

The judges are going to give it to you, ROg, as you got the concept quite right... tho this is the car pic I saw that sparked the question :

Wow! Even I didn't know that about the '59 El Camino.

This was a feature I wish the last of the B-bod wagons had. I must have ran around 100 trips with the tailgate down before I realized that one could not read the rear plate like that.

My previously owned B-wags had them in the bumper.

Edited April 28, 201213 yr by SAmadei

Looks like the wagons DID have the same feature (the emblem is below the stainless trim instead of within it) :

The 'regular' passenger cars had a recessed rear plate :

Meanwhile, this '59 has a hinged motor :

Edited April 28, 201213 yr by balthazar

Like that boat...

Some Sweet rides no doubt!

My guess: full-size station wagons. When the tailgate was in the down position, the plate would swing down so it still could be read.

The judges are going to give it to you, ROg, as you got the concept quite right... tho this is the car pic I saw that sparked the question :

Wow, that was just a lucky guess. Didn't even think of the El Camino.

Didn't some of the '40s-50s vintage wagons also have tailights that swung down when the tailgate was open (along w/ the license plate)? I think I've seen pics of something like that..

Pretty cool the things I learn here about the car industry.

Didn't some of the '40s-50s vintage wagons also have tailights that swung down when the tailgate was open (along w/ the license plate)? I think I've seen pics of something like that..

Nothing is ringing a bell with me on that- would like to see some pics if you remember what it/they were.

Tails on the tailgate is unusual for that period.

I love detail stuff like this...

Edited April 30, 201213 yr by balthazar

Didn't some of the '40s-50s vintage wagons also have tailights that swung down when the tailgate was open (along w/ the license plate)? I think I've seen pics of something like that..

Nothing is ringing a bell with me on that- would like to see some pics if you remember what it/they were.

Tails on the tailgate is unusual for that period.

I love detail stuff like this...

Not a GM, but the '49-51 Ford wagons appear to work that way...

Hard to see in this ad, but the tailight is hanging down under the open tailgate...

Here's another pic like that..

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Looks like teh '49 Chevy wagon may have worked the same way, note the location of the taillight

Edited April 30, 201213 yr by Cubical-aka-Moltar

Its amazing that 1949 GM and Ford came up with this, but 1990's GM and 1980's Ford didn't. That's design by committee right there.

Its amazing that 1949 GM and Ford came up with this, but 1990's GM and 1980's Ford didn't. That's design by committee right there.

I'd imagine something like that wouldn't be legal by the '80s-90s..

That taillight design is so similar, it makes me think the Chevy and Ford wagon bodies were contracted out to the same company...

And on Balthy's '59 wagon photo, do Eye Spy a period Pep Boys accessory... a fake exhaust hole low on the quarter panel?

On the '49s, I wonder why they mounted the taillight like that instead of vertical lights on the ends of the rear quarter panels...they are wide enough.

Its amazing that 1949 GM and Ford came up with this, but 1990's GM and 1980's Ford didn't. That's design by committee right there.

I'd imagine something like that wouldn't be legal by the '80s-90s..

I'm not talking about the light, per se, but the swivel up license plate. Both the '80s Crown Vic wagons and the '91-on B-bodies wagons have the fold down tailgate with the license plate on it... how is that a legal solution, knowing full well that people use the wagons with the tailgates down?

Its amazing that 1949 GM and Ford came up with this, but 1990's GM and 1980's Ford didn't. That's design by committee right there.

I'd imagine something like that wouldn't be legal by the '80s-90s..

I'm not talking about the light, per se, but the swivel up license plate. Both the '80s Crown Vic wagons and the '91-on B-bodies wagons have the fold down tailgate with the license plate on it... how is that a legal solution, knowing full well that people use the wagons with the tailgates down?

Is it legal to drive a wagon w/ the taillgate down?

Wow, OK; the Ford has a rod that pivots the assembly down. That is pretty cool. Looks like the Chevy just hangs out.

Guess I also learned that tailgate lamps were more common than I thought. Still learnin'....

>>"And on Balthy's '59 wagon photo, do Eye Spy a period Pep Boys accessory... a fake exhaust hole low on the quarter panel? "<<

ocn- I've seen those on numerous C-59 Imps, I seem to recall it was either factory or dealer installed. Sometimes they're doubled-up:

Is it legal to drive a wagon w/ the taillgate down?

No less so than to drive a pickup with the tailgate down.

If you drive a vehicle that has its plate disappear with the tailgate down, I'm sure it would give the police a reason to hassle you. But you can get equipment tickets on brand new, unmodified OEM cars, too, if a cop is in a bad enough mood.

So far, I never got pulled over for it, but I don't like such grey areas.

Closest I ever came to driving like that was driving my Jeep w/ the rear window fipped up when I bought a ladder.

I've driven with tailgates down numerous times. Tho on both trucks the plate was in the bumper, the plate is not easy to see at all with longer loads.

I never worry about those things & have never been stopped for it.