The Story About John's Number Plate
Thank you for sharing the photograph (below) of yourself next to your car with the custom number plates "301 UP".
In England customized car license (or number) plates are difficult to come by (unlike in the states where you can request a number plate and if nobody has it then you merely have to pay a small charge, around $100.00 and then your plate is made up and mailed to you).
I understand that in England you have to buy a car with the plates that you want, or else negotiate and pay huge amounts of money when you are able to find someone with a set of plates that you want, and the owner agrees to transfer the plates to you. How did you get your custom "301 Up" number plate for your car?
The number plate was a gift from a sponsor. I was sponsored by British Car Auctions (BCA) for 14 years. The first car they gave me was a Granada and it had a golf tee and a ball on the boot with the wording "Bob Charles Drives to Victory with BCA". The BCA was very heavily into golf sponsorship and this was the New Zealand's ace golfer's car that he used when in England. I kept that car until they could provide a new one. You would be surprised when I was at a restaurant or pub, people would come in and just look around the room trying to catch sight of Bob Charles!
They also sponsored Nick Faldo and we became good friends. We were taking delivery of new cars, Nick and myself, at Northampton one Wednesday afternoon. The cars Vauxhall Senators were lined up together and we were to have photographs taken for the press. David Wickins, the chairman of BCA, came across to me and said "put these on your car". They were the number plates "301UP". I just looked surprised and honestly thought this was a publicity stunt. We stuck them on with sellotape for the photographs and when we were finished I took them off and handed them back to David. "Don't be silly" he said, "they are yours"! Well, that is the only time I have seen Faldo sulk. He was not pleased that David had purchased a set of plates for me, the darter, and left him, the European Golf Champion, out.
I found out later that David had received a telephone call from a man with a Volvo who had those plates. The car was worth about £1000. He asked for £250 and David paid it.
Today in Great Britain personal plates like these can fetch up to £20,000 in an auction! I doubt if I will ever part with them.
John Lowe's Car - Look at the Number Plate!
(Next Page - The John Lowe Website)