Custom Plates
The “First” Custom Plate – FANGIO
To commemorate the visit to Adelaide of Juan Manuel Fangio for the first Grand Prix in 1985 the first ever Custom type plate was issued by the Motor Registration Department- SA “FANGIO”.
The plate was registered on the Mercedes-Benz that chauffeured the World Champion around Adelaide for a couple of weeks in the lead up to and during the Adelaide Grand Prix. Special legislation was passed to allow this plate to be used on his car and it featured in the local press at the time.
Two plates for the car were initially made, with one ultimately sent to the Fangio museum in Fangio’s birthplace, Balcarce in Argentina. The second plate was retained by the SA government. However, there was an error in measuring the plate for the car, and a further plate was made up to fit to the Mercedes to correct this error. This third plate was subsequently forgotten, and has been relocated by historicplates.com.au.
Does anyone know of the whereabouts of the (second) & last FANGIO “Government Plate”?.....historicplates.com.au would like to hear from you.
As you can see from the picture, the plate was manufactured for Fangio's Mercedes in the same style as the 1985 The Great Plate Auction "classic name" plates, being a perspex back with reflective white background and black text. This style of plate is no longer available, making this a rare plate indeed.
www.historicplates.com.au proudly hold the rights to this very interesting SA plate, FANGIO. Sorry......it's not for sale.