Weathering Brand New Data Plates? ? ?

I am getting new Data plates for my M100 1/4 ton jeep trailer. Anyone know of a way to tone that 'brand new' look down a little so as not to stand out so much on an old surface? Doug

 

Are they stainless or alum?

 

1000 grit sand paper also works, takes the new shimmer out of it

 

The plates are aluminum with glossy black paint. they just look so out of place as they are so shiny. Doug

 

Robert DeRuyter from the Netherlands has the best trailer data plates I have seen. They are zinc as were the originals, and he can stamp your plate with the correct dies. He even has the correct rivets to attach them. I know Robert has data plates for the WWII MBT and T3 trailers, and also both the early and late plates for the post-war Bantam civilian T3-C. (Unfortunately, he does not have plates for the M416. I don't know about the M100.)

Here is his website:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~rdrnl/4UWPTrailerPlates.html

You should also look at this thread on www.g503.com for a discussion of sources for trailer data plates:

http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=77576

As for "weathering" your aluminum plate, no matter what you do it will never look like weathered zinc. (Aluminum will always be "whiter" than the grey of weathered zinc.) However, you might try 1000 grit sandpaper and some alcohol to dull the paint, or some very fine steel wool. Be very careful, you just want to take away the shine in the paint. You will ruin the paint if you try to get deep enough to dull the aluminum.

Robert Bills
'46 Bantam BT3-C #9466