The Amazing License Plate Collection of Paul Franke

By chance, I recently happened to meet a fellow San Diegan, Paul Franke, who has in his garage a collection of 22,000 license plates. Of course, I was interested in seeing that, and he was kind enough to invite me over and spend an afternoon showing it to me.

I hadn't realized how popular license plate collecting is. The Automobile License Plate Collectors Association has almost 3000 members, and it holds an annual national convention, as well as smaller regional ones. But even within this large community of collectors, Paul's collection of 22,000 plates is very impressive.

Guinness lists the largest collection of license plates in the world as being that of Péter and Tamás Kenyeres who have 11,345 plates. Seeing that, I wondered if Paul actually had the true world record. But no, he assures me that Guinness is wrong. While his collection is undeniably large, he doubts it's even the biggest in San Diego County, and this BBC article indicates there's a collector in Florida with over 50,000 plates.



Paul stores his license plates thematically. Along one wall (above left) he has boxes of plates arranged by state. (He long ago acquired plates from every state.) On another wall (above right) he has boxes of plates with more random themes. For instance, he has a box of error plates. Can you spot the errors in the examples below?

(scroll to the bottom of this post for the answers)

More in extended >>

Posted By: Alex - Thu May 02, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Motor Vehicles, Collectors

Professor Burt, Endurance Pianist

"Lady nurse in attendance shaves him every day."



Source.



Source.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 16, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Eccentrics, Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, Human Marvels, Motor Vehicles, Music, 1920s

1968 Seatbelt PSA

Nice to see that despite being horribly scarred for life, she has maintained her mascara, eyeliner and lashes.

Source.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Mar 22, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Accidents, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Motor Vehicles, PSA’s, 1960s, Face and Facial Expressions

The Seat That Burns

Concerned by an increasing number of attacks on cab drivers, Parisian taxi drivers in 1987 began outfitting their cars with a device called "le siege qui brule" ('the seat that burns'), which could electrify unruly passengers with 52,000 volts.


As far as I can tell, the devices were outlawed a few months after their introduction.

Hazleton Standard-Speaker - Oct 23, 1987

Posted By: Alex - Mon Mar 18, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Crime, Motor Vehicles, 1980s

The Unimog

This one has been turned into a camper.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Feb 16, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Motor Vehicles

Follies of the Madmen #407

"Murray Westgate portrays an Esso service station dealer who asks a woman driver if she wants Esso Extra gasoline, but she only wants her windows cleaned."

Not sure if Murray peeved attitude conveys the right message. Also, perhaps a bit too much thrilling window-scrubbing action?

Posted By: Paul - Mon Jan 21, 2019 - Comments (4)
Category: Business, Advertising, Corporate Mascots, Icons and Spokesbeings, Motor Vehicles, 1960s

Heavy Metal High Rise Track

Only in America.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Dec 20, 2018 - Comments (1)
Category: Buildings and Other Structures, Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Entertainment, Motor Vehicles

Follies of the Madmen #391

You have to be tripping on LSD to appreciate us.

Original ad here.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Oct 23, 2018 - Comments (4)
Category: Business, Advertising, Motor Vehicles, Surrealism, 1950s

The Heaven Pacers Hot Rod Club

Oakland, Calif.--A "Hot Rod" racing club here is believed to be the only organization of its kind in the country which combines auto racing with the practice of Christianity. Known as the Heaven Pacers of the East Bay, the club's 20 active members consider their racing fraternity as a missionary field. Members attend a brief non-denominational service before every race that is held on Sundays, in addition to praying individually during a race. Here. Don Marker, past president of the club, kneels in prayer before his "hot rod." The Heaven Pacers have as their motto this verse from I Corinthians: "Know ye not that they which run in the race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain." (9:24) To join the club, applicants must "know the lord as your own personal saviour," and own or be able to build a "hot rod."

Source.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Sep 27, 2018 - Comments (1)
Category: Motor Vehicles, Religion, 1950s

Stretch limo snowcat

Currently for sale on Craigslist Vancouver. They're asking $6000 for it.

Posted By: Alex - Sat Sep 15, 2018 - Comments ()
Category: Motor Vehicles, Cars