Welcome to the Back Bumper The Back Bumper is the online collecting home of Jon Upton, ALPCA member 7135. Welcome to plate collectors, car buffs, and general fans of transportation in Ontario.

YOM Pairs for Classic Cars! Looking for vintage Year of Manufacture (YOM) plates that can be registered to your classic auto? Look no further. No guesswork here-- Numbers are guaranteed to be clear. Click here to view my current stock. Or see my trade list if you want to view my miscellaneous collectible plates available.

Merrickville Cruise & Shop! I was selling plates at the 2010 Merrickville Cruise and Shop on Sunday July 11, 2010, in Merrickville, Ontario. If you stopped by and had questions, then you've reached the right place. Click the big '37 plate above to view many quality YOM plate choices.

I Buy License Plates! Got a collection of plates to sell? Let me know and send a pic or two. I'll buy collections of plates, large or small, if they contain years or types I need. I will pick them up in person if possible, or reimburse your for all postage costs.

Upcoming Plate Swap Meet       3rd year at new location! St. Andrew's Church, Grimsby, Ontario. Saturday October 30, 2010, 8am - 12pm. $10 for a table, $5 without, kids & spouses free. Exit 71 from the QEW at Christie Street. Go south on Christie to Elm, then right on Elm. Hall is 5 blocks along Elm. Click here for a map.

Collection Showcase A new one for my wall: A weird Ontario test plate-- a trailer base with what looks like a character spacing test. Click here to zoom in. The OPP has finally come out with distinctive plates, as shown in this picture taken by Bob Gammon of Windsor. Too bad the guy with the idea didn't initially get credit. Click here to enlarge image. This rubber plate pre-dates the 1911 porcelain issue. They were issued without dates from 1905-1910.  A very unusual 1945 prototype. It has a green background with white numbers; this colour combination was not used on any Ontario plate in this era. One of the most unusual plates I have.Click to enlarge.

Wanted: Sault Ste. Marie Plates I am actively collecting small license plates from the city of Sault Ste. Marie. There are many years that I still need, from the old brass ones of the 1930s to the 1970s and up. Let me know if you have any... I'll pay well for them.

My 2 Cents A blog that's older than the term "blogging" itself. Updated about monthly, sometimes more often. Read about the latest swap meet, plates in the news, and general commentary. Sometimes it's right, sometimes it's wrong, usually it's grammatically correct, but it's always engaging. Click here for the latest column.