FORD VS. NON-FORD PLATES
New rate structure began 1921, based on vehicle make, model and horsepower.
Bismarck Tribune, May 20, 1921: "To the end that proper tags are placed
upon the proper cars we have assigned particular numbers to Fords...The
following numbered tags shall be found on Ford cars only: 1,000 to 19,999
inclusive; all the forty and fifty thousand; and all the eighty thousands.
Mixed tags will undoubtedly have to be issued in the ninety thousands."
Morning Pioneer, February 7, 1922: "49,694 is the highest number of cars
of any one make [Ford] registered last year."
1921 ALL OTHER CARS FORD CARS
1 - 999 1000 - 19999
20000 - 39999 40000 - 59999
60000 - 79098 80000 - 86771
(40,098) (45,772)
Grand Forks Herald, January 12, 1922: "One make of cars [Fords] has been
awarded license numbers beginning at 45000. A big car, wearing a number
above 44999 thus immediately becomes an object of suspicion. A similar
numbering was attempted last year, but due to misunderstanding in the
making of the plates, it was not carried into effect as planned."
Hope Pioneer, July 27, 1922: "The latest tabulation of the state motor
vehicle licensing department shows a total of 90,702 auto tags issued so
far this year...Fords number 51,496, other makes 39,206.
1922 ALL OTHER CARS FORD CARS
1 - 42-736 45-000 - 98-576
(42,736) (53,577)
The 1923 number assignments are unknown, but the break point is likely
to have been in the 45-000 to 50-000 range, based on surrounding years.
1923 Known plates: 40-625, 44-438, 45-112, 45-775, 46-541, 46-865,
48-063, 48-165, 48-336, 49-904.
In 1924, numbers 1 to 49-999 were assigned to non-Fords while 50-000 to
115-000 were assigned to Fords. By July 30, 1924, the Ford block had
been exhausted, so the Highway Commission reassigned numbers 45-000 to
49-999 for issuance to Fords. These may also have been exhausted,
since plates in the 115-001 - 116-999 block have been seen.
Bismarck Tribune, December 19, 1923: "Ford numbers will begin with
50,000, while numbers of other cars will be from one to 49,999."
1924 ALL OTHER CARS FORD CARS
1 - 43-584 50-000 - 115-000
45-000 - 48-546
(43,584) (68,548)
In 1925 and 1926, Ford plates began at #1 and featured an "F" prefix,
while non-Ford plates began at #1 with no letter prefix.
The Ford/non-Ford distinction was completely eliminated in 1927.
