To add to the debate! Mine being earlier than the Gaydon car R1010 (now Calne! Atwell Wilson Motor Museum) has exactly the same layout of badge with the type approval and serial number after "R" stamped into the plate. It looks like later cars had the type approval number etched onto the badge and only the serial number after the "R" was stamped.
I have agonised long and hard if I should have my car's plate restored, and indeed took it to and engraver friend of mine for evaluation. He said that the plate was chemically etched so that the fixed details were in relief and that the plate could be cleaned, polished and the etched relief portions repainted in black before lacquering the whole thing.
From the pictures of the eBay item it appears that the letters are not in relief but silk screened on to a brass plate and then lacquered.
I imagine that in the final days of manufacturing somewhere locked away in a safe were several un-used unstamped name plates and that one day these may resurface. Clearly ERA didnt just order these plates 10 at a time. The earlier ones are probably different because the type approval number had not been confirmed. Once confirmed no doubt a few 100 plates were ordered.
The number that appears on this badge is nonsense as we all know the last British spec car built wa R1103 and if it were for a japaneese car it would be RJ138. Anyone know if the RJ plates have a type approval number?
My belief is that the eBay item is a replica and not a very accurate one at that, therefore it has not been correctly described and is going to make the purchaser very unhappy!
ERA ID plate 1138
Re: ERA ID plate 1138
I have today spoken with an engraver and he says he can create a plate for me for a relatively small amout of money.
The text will be engraved & black filled as per the better of the pics i added previously.
I think i'm going this route and will let you know how it turnes out.
I know that some owners have lost their id tags during restorations so this might be helpful to those owners.
The text will be engraved & black filled as per the better of the pics i added previously.
I think i'm going this route and will let you know how it turnes out.
I know that some owners have lost their id tags during restorations so this might be helpful to those owners.
Re: ERA ID plate 1138
Hmmm, ended at £122 which was a bit rich for me.
Maybe if i owned the car it came off i'd have stretched to it.
Maybe if i owned the car it came off i'd have stretched to it.
Re: ERA ID plate 1138
Someone is going to be very unhappy with their purchase - just hope it is not on Christmas Day!!
When a sale like this goes through I always check after a few days for feedback on the sellers profile - funnily enough this guy has positive feedback on the other ERA badge he sold even though he claimed the seller didnt pay and that was why it had been re-listed!
When a sale like this goes through I always check after a few days for feedback on the sellers profile - funnily enough this guy has positive feedback on the other ERA badge he sold even though he claimed the seller didnt pay and that was why it had been re-listed!
Re: ERA ID plate 1138
probably as the buyer could have been related 
Japanese ones needed compliance and type approval over there, hence the differences, mainly front arches, Will have a look at whats on the plat and the vin when I get a moment in day light.
Japanese ones have a different model number and partial VIN they are XL12T or something from memory, when I used to seek them out in Japan.
Paul
Japanese ones needed compliance and type approval over there, hence the differences, mainly front arches, Will have a look at whats on the plat and the vin when I get a moment in day light.
Japanese ones have a different model number and partial VIN they are XL12T or something from memory, when I used to seek them out in Japan.
Paul