This is a great board with some really generous people. After just one post am almost half done with this project. The original post said this: Franks Place, my watering hole in Beijing is decorated in more or less an American sports bar motif (two big screens, etc). Along the ceiling there are license plates collected from patrons over the years. One per state. Franks was the first non-hotel foreign bar opened in Beijing, in 1989, business license #1. Within a few months it will be forced to move due to redevelopment at the site they've been in for 15 years. Their collection is pretty good but has some holes in it. What I'd like to do is collect the missing states (and the provinces if you Canadians are game) so when they set back up at the new location it will be complete. I'm sure it will be the only complete set in China. Here are the missing states: Alabama, DC (not technically a state), Kansas, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont. (They also have Guam, but not Puerto Rico or American Virgin Islands if you're in the territories) And missing Canadian provinces: Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan. Their plate for NW Territories is shaped like a bear, pretty cool. Type of plate (truck, antique, etc) doesn't matter, vanity not important (their Idaho plate is "HEMI RT" so I gave them CA plate "GS 24S" off my dual quad Riv to compensate), nor age. What's hanging is mostly from the 80s and 90s which fits with when they've been in business. Please PM me if interested in donating to this. I'll send you a USA mailing address and ensure no duplicates to waste your time. Your license plate could be hanging at a popular bar in Beijing for you to come visit someday, perhaps the 2008 Olympics. If I'm around you'll get paid back handsomely in free food and drink. I'm on their Board of Governers, so easy for me to say that. Thanks in advance for any help with this small project. Thanks to generous donations by Buick Doctor, Topless64-455, 64Skybird, Steve Craig, and 71buickfreak I'm already half done. New list: Alabama, DC (not technically a state), Kansas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island. And missing Canadian provinces: Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan. Almost there, just need a small little more help. Thanks in advance. Actually I can't believe with all the talk about the MASSHOLES still don't have that one. It's now on the top of my list. And a nudge to the fastest Buick in Kansas too. I know you guys are out there.
Looks like they've got WA. I've got the Collector plate that I put on my 71 GS455 when it turned 30 still too, among other plates.
Mike, I'm still trying to get a Saskatchewan plate for you. If succesfull, I'll send it with the Nunavut plate I've already got for you. :TU:
I can't thank you guys enough. If I can accomplish this and get all the states and provinces it will be great. I wish I was doing it for myself in the garage but I'm not. It would be so great to do this as an individual... But that's another thing I suppose.
Mike, you should post some photos of the bar. I'd love to see what it looks like (as well as some of the cars etc in the area) Todd
John & Greg, thank you for your kind offers. I have promises on ND and Saskatchewan, but will keep you in mind if they don't come through!! I think I'm still looking for: Alabama, DC, Kansas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island. Canadian provinces: Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island. Thanks! Todd, here's a pic of the bar. People arriving for the Polar Classic Golf Tournament last Feb. We took two large coaches (busses) to the course.
And one inside the bar. You can see some of the plates along the ceiling. They go all the way around the ceiling in the front room there. I don't know if you can make it out, HEMI RT from Idaho is up there next to HOT TUNA from Illinois that one of my buddies chipped in.
I'm kind of running out of time to pick up over Christmas vacation. I'm still looking for: Alabama, DC, Kansas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island. Canadian provinces: Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!
Thanks Joe! I seemed to remember that you said maybe so I wasn't sure. You've been one extremely generous person with this thing. I can't thank you enough. You've gotten them from all over the place, not just local. That's amazing. Whoever reads this.. Buick Doctor is a great guy. I'm still a little bit baffled about why the ones still missing seemed like they should be easy on this board, and all ones that seemed to me that they'd be hard were quick. The other surprise was how the Canadians jumped right in. Thanks to all you guys that helped so far:Buick Doctor, Topless64-455, 64Skybird, Steve Craig, 71buickfreak, and if I forgot someone please accept my apology.
Mike, I haven't been able to get one from Saskatchewan as yet. I see that John W has offered one to you. Probably a good idea if you take him up on it, I have been on the road for the past week and a half, going out again tomorrow. I can drop off the Nunavut plate at your buddy's place over the holidays, as I will be travelling thru Chicago area at that time.
License plates Mike, how's the license plate collection going??? Did you get the Nunavut plate I dropped off in Palatine?? If you still need a Saskatchewan plate, I still might be able to get one.
Mike, My girlfriend is with SIA Singapore Airlines, this summer we will make a little detour, coming from Singapore, visiting Beijing. We will stay at the SIA crew stop-over hotel, the 5 star Crowne Plaza Beijing. Please give me the address for your bar, I hope you are prepared to meet a big loud Dutchman..... :TU: I can bring you a Dutch plate from one of my former Buicks.
Tom, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I didn't get the Nunavut plate from Steve yet, but did get quite a few others before Christmas. I must have made a mistake with a several people on his house number. It's 47, and a couple of people that used 41 got them returned. I did receive Manitoba and New Brunswick, Alabama, North & S Dakota, Utah, Vermont. Don't remember any others; I've turned those over to Russell at Franks already. Thanks again to all who provided them, and my apologies to anybody who got them returned. UPS in particular is picky about this, they left notices at Steve's house (which is the only house number in the 40s) that parcels had a wrong address and they were returning them. Why don't the goofballs just leave it?? US postal service did. Erik... Sent you a PM.
Nunavut plate Mike, here is what it looks like, not the one I sent you. Yours is in better condition. :TU: Only want the best I could get hanging in Frank's Place :laugh:
Where is Nunavut???? Here is a map showing its location in Canada, mostly due north of Manitoba, where I live.
