South African Police. Looking for......

[Grizz1963]

Never know how to title a thread I want to try get people to look at for my own selfish reasons.

Some of you know I collect car/truck/bike license plates.

I have all sorts and some pretty nice stuff.

However, I have been looking for a vintage SAP license plate for many years.

These pics are pretty cool, they contain vintage cars....


However, I am looking for an old SAP number plate.

There has to be one somewhere. (I do not want a new reproduction)



















So if you have one to trade, sell, donate or whatever.....

Please send me a PM to let me know

Cheers.

[ZA Perana]

Actually would be quite cool to collect these old number plates. Agree, there must be some around somewhere....

[Johann66]

Actually would be quite cool to collect these old number plates. Agree, there must be some around somewhere....

I can only think of the old Government garages!

[IndianaJones]

Hi there Grizz, sorry I don't have such a license plate to barter with, but where did you find those photos?

I've recently heard the story from an old police reservist, that at the time he was stationed in Pretoria, the police had just received that new mk1 Ford Escort's, as pictured above. Apparently the keys of those cars all fitted one another, and they could and did, come out of a building, just climb into the nearest Police Escort, put their key in and took off, irrespective of if it were they one they came there with.

This is a different topic, but while discussing SAP subject matter, I've also been curious about the way the Police acquired vehicles in those days, whether they just bought in batches from the lowest bidder, irrespective of model, much like now, or where models tested and selected like the USA, does with specially built Police Interceptor packages? Who fitted the vehicles to police spec (radios, lights, perhaps oil coolers, etc?), the government garages, or were it third parties?
Another thing I've been curious about is the years change-overs occurred? The vehicles in your photos all have "SAP" license numbers, between what years where those used, they also seem to have different exterior body colours. When did the Police implement the yellow body colour vehicles?

[paulusvrotius1]

With reference to the Ford locks my first car, a Capri 3000L, was stolen and luckily recovered and all the locks were undamaged. I had a hard time convincing the cops I hadn't left the keys in it.
Also I locked my keys in the boot at work once and my mate opened it with his Beetle key which was a completely different size and style to the Ford key.
In PE the cops had Black Ford F100's in the '60's and 70's. ( Black Mariah's)

[Grizz1963]

Hi there Grizz, sorry I don't have such a license plate to barter with, but where did you find those photos?

Weirdly, they took me at least half an hour to find on Google images.

I started with simple search words, then added and edited them, till one popped up, followed by a deeper search.

I knew that they had to exist, part of my searches were Soweto Riots, Soweto Killings, SAP cars, jumper plates etc.....

I've recently heard the story from an old police reservist, that at the time he was stationed in Pretoria, the police had just received that new mk1 Ford Escort's, as pictured above. Apparently the keys of those cars all fitted one another, and they could and did, come out of a building, just climb into the nearest Police Escort, put their key in and took off, irrespective of if it were they one they came there with.

This is a different topic, but while discussing SAP subject matter, I've also been curious about the way the Police acquired vehicles in those days, whether they just bought in batches from the lowest bidder, irrespective of model, much like now, or where models tested and selected like the USA, does with specially built Police Interceptor packages? Who fitted the vehicles to police spec (radios, lights, perhaps oil coolers, etc?), the government garages, or were it third parties?
Another thing I've been curious about is the years change-overs occurred? The vehicles in your photos all have "SAP" license numbers, between what years where those used, they also seem to have different exterior body colours. When did the Police implement the yellow body colour vehicles?

I have no clear idea, but seem to remember the mid to,later 70's when the colours changed to Yellow for regular vehicles.

I think the license plates went Alpha Numeric late 70's too.


Hope that helps.

[Grizz1963]

Actually would be quite cool to collect these old number plates. Agree, there must be some around somewhere....

A weird hobby, but addictive.

I do not buy plates, I prefer to trade.

However, often pay global postage, which can get expensive

Growing up in SA where every town had its own plate, I guess that's how I started.

These days I collect specialised stuff though.

[Bokke_ond]

Hi there Grizz!

Just cruising through this forum for the first time, trying to get the grips of it & check if some topics would be interesting, to match my quest...
And while doing so, your username rang a few bells...so if I'm not mistaken & my mind isn't playing any afternoon tricks on me, I reckon we already got in touch & swapped a few intel, yet through another forum (garage journal)...

To make a long story short, I'm a born South African,eager to expand my country's, man cave number plate collection, mainly from the former 4 provinces...You were kind enough to get back to me & reply, but at that specific moment, you were dealing with some stuff in your life, that didn't allow you to devote way too much attention, to your plate collection...

The photos of your collection are impressive & mesmerising, to say the very least...and I just wish I could reach that level, both in number of samples, as in spare space, to hang & put them on display...

I flew back to SA this last October, after a 14 year break, but only for a quick short visit...and during that time, I saved a day, to go on a search hunt & cruise through some of Jo´burgs most shady junkyards, in hopes to find the holy Graal....only brought a bunch of GP'S & a couple of NW´S with me...

So here goes the million dollar question....do you still own that huge bunch of SA plates to trade....my trade list isn't that great, so would you consider selling as well?

Best regards & looking forward to hear from you sometime soon...

[Bokke_ond]

And here's a quick sneak preview, of my ever growing collection, as it presents itself nowadays...

As you can check, it's all about those elusive black on yellow tags, which are my primary focus...so if anyone out there knows of a slick way, of getting hold of some brand new plates, please share some lights, to make this scavenger hunt way much more interesting...

Beste groete vir almal

[Grizz1963]

Just saw the reply.

Life is getting more together.

I do not have SA plates to trade,