These days, personal number plates are enjoyed by people from all walks of life, but there was a time when a private number plate was usually an indication of wealth or fame. Millionaires and celebrities drove around, or were driven, in their Rolls-Royces sporting elite personalised plates while working class people were lucky if they could afford a car at all.
In the 1960s, when Britain was actually fashionable for a few moments, celebrities didn't get much bigger than The Beatles. Even now, six decades on, the influence of four young men from Liverpool is evident in rock and pop music around the world. The Beatles inspired countless copycat bands during the "Merseybeat" craze of the 60s, and echoes of their musical style became prominent again when much of 1990s Britpop paid obvious tribute to the music of 30 years before. In the case of Manchester superstars Oasis, the openly acknowledged influence of The Beatles sometimes sailed hazardously close to tribute band waters.
As one might expect when four young men suddenly become wealthy, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr enjoyed their share of nice cars, ranging from luxury limousines and Italian sportscars to customised Minis and even standard family saloons. What they didn't have, for the most part, was personal number plates.
You might think that fact would throw quite a spanner in the works of our plans to write an article on The Beatles' number plates. Not at all: we'll just shift the focus a little. So, as World Beatles Day (June 25th) approaches, we take a look at some of the cars owned by the Fab Four, along with the number plates displayed upon them.
The cars
As a fair chunk of time has passed since the 1960s, it can be tricky to establish facts. With a band as popular as The Beatles, a great deal of their history has been documented and examined in great detail. On the downside, their fame has meant that mythology sometimes muddies the waters of real history.
The list that follows does not try to include every single car owned by every Beatle, nor does it necessarily present the cars in perfect chronological order. We also concentrate mostly on cars Beatles members owned before the band's de facto break up in 1970.
John Lennon
John Lennon was the band's rhythm guitarist, occasional harmonica player and one of the lead vocalists - or, as John once described himself, "rhythm guitar and mouth organ". With Paul McCartney, he was also part of the legendary songwriting partnership that was credited with most of The Beatles' song compositions.
John's first car is widely believed to have been a second-hand maroon and black Rolls-Royce that he bought in mid-1964. He evidently liked the car as, by the end of the same year, he had placed an order for a new Rolls.
His new Rolls-Royce was a black Phantom V with the registration number FJB 111C. This car was later repainted yellow with psychedelic designs, although it kept the same FJB 111C registration. The psychedelic incarnation of this Phantom appeared in The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour movie and became arguably the most iconic of all the Beatles' cars.
John's first Ferrari, ordered in early 1965, was a blue Ferrari 330 GT, registration number DUL 4C. As with many Beatles "facts", different sources tell different stories. According to some versions, this rather than the used Rolls-Royce described above, was John's first car. We're going with the Rolls-as-first-car-theory, purely because he supposedly bought that in 1964, even though he couldn't drive it himself, and the Ferrari purchase didn't happen until the following year.
John acquired another Rolls-Royce Phantom V, registration EUC 100C, in 1968. This one started life in two-tone black-over-green, but John had it resprayed white.
In late 1965, The Beatles' each took possession of a Mini. Most accounts say that the cars were gifts from manager Brian Epstein, but conflicting versions report that the band members bought the cars at cost price from Brydor, a car dealership co-owned by Epstein. Either way, three of the cars were customised by coach-builder Harold Radford according to each Beatle's requirements. John's Mini, registration LGF 696D, was black with tinted windows and black wheels and bumpers. It seems that John may have had the colour changed subsequently, as images taken from footage shot by John and wife Yoko Ono show the LGF 696D registration plates on a green Mini with a cream roof (still with its Webasto sunroof).
One of John's cars, an ISO Rivolta Fidia (215 ECD), was only the second of these rare cars ever made, and the first as a right-hand drive. At the time it was one of the fastest cars available.
At the other end of the motoring spectrum we find Lennon's modest Austin Maxi, registration, YLA 888G. John bought this as a family runabout in 1969. John, wife Yoko Ono and Julian, John's son from his first marriage, were involved in an accident in this car. Both John and Yoko received nasty cuts requiring stitches at a hospital
John Lennon was a fan of Mercedes-Benz cars. His first was a blue 230sl, registered as GGP 196C. Later he bought a Mercedes-Benz W100 600 Pullman (BPH 600H), reportedly from Woking Motors. When John moved to the USA in 1971, he sold this car to George Harrison.
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney was the other half of one of the world's most famous songwriting duos. He was also The Beatles' other lead vocalist, bass player, guitar player and occasional piano player.
When it came to cars, of course, Paul owned one of the famous Beatle Minis. His, like the others, was modified by coachbuilder Radford. The finished vehicle had Sage Green paint, driving lamps mounted in the grille, a sunroof, Aston Martin taillights, electric windows, a custom wooden dashboard, a central armrest, leather upholstery and a 1275 Cooper S engine. The registration number of Paul's Mini was GGJ 382C.
Before The Beatles embarked upon their world tour in 1964, Paul ordered a new Aston Martin DB5. The Sierra Blue car was delivered to McCartney's accountants in September of that year with the registration BYY 379B. (A 2017 Bonhams' auction record shows that the car was subsequently changed to CLX 654B, but gives no indication of when that occurred.) Some years later, the DB5 was acquired by DJ Chris Evans, who assigned the number plate 64 MAC. A later owner carried out an extensive restoration and, in the process, changed the car's paintwork to the same Silver Birch colour as the DB5 driven by James Bond in Goldfinger and other movies.
Rather more famous is McCartney's Aston Martin DB6 (LLO 840D). Legend has it that Paul wrote 'Hey, Jude', (originally titled 'Hey Jules.') in this car. The song was composed in 1968 for Julian Lennon during the difficult period during which his parents' marriage was ending.
Another sports car brand favoured by Paul McCartney was Lamborghini: he owned at least two. The first was a Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 bearing the registration number SLF 406F, which boasted a maximum speed of 167mph. Paul's second Lamborghini, an Espada Series 2, registration PAD 445 was substantially rebuilt after Paul's wife Linda left the brake off, allowing the car to roll into a lake. It was subsequently sold.
George Harrison
The Beatles' lead guitarist and occasional songwriter/lead vocalist was widely regarded as "the quiet one". He also had a reputation for being the most financially astute. George may have seemed quiet and reserved at times, but there was nothing conservative or timid about his taste in cars.
George was another Aston Martin fan and, like Paul, he owned a DB5. George's DB5 was manufactured in late 1964 and was registered with the number KMT 499C. At the same time, George owned a Mini that displayed the number KMT 498C, sequentially just one digit away.
The same year, George Harrison ordered a Jaguar E-Type coupe, registration 499 HLX and, the following year, a green Ferrari 275 GTB registration HJB 88D.
George Harrison received his Beatles Mini, LGF 695D, in 1965. When George acquired it, the car was black; however, he later had it repainted with red psychedelic designs. Like John Lennon's psychedelic Rolls-Royce, Harrison's Mini appeared in the Magical Mystery Tour movie. Alert readers may have noticed that the registration number on George's Mini was sequentially just one digit different to the LGF 696D plate on John Lennon's Mini. Curiously, this is the second instance of sequential registrations that we've encountered associated with George's cars.
The purchase of a short wheelbase, white Mercedes-Benz 600 marked Harrison's first association with the brand. Reportedly, this was the car that impressed John Lennon so much that he ordered his own Merc. Rather than join the waiting list for a Rolls-Royce, George bought this ex-demonstrator Mercedes with the registration number OLA 600E.
In 1969, Harrison bought another Ferrari, a dark blue Ferrari 365 GTC. Legend has it that George wrote 'Here comes the sun' in this Ferrari. It was clearly an inspirational car, as George's friend Eric Clapton claimed that it was seeing George's 365 GTC that kick-started his own famous love for the Italian brand.
In 1970, the year the band went their separate ways, George bought two more Mercedes cars: a red Mercedes 250 CE pillarless coupe, which he acquired from his dad, and a white Mercedes 6.3L 300 SEL registration number APB 580H. The latter was the car in which George, and his then wife Pattie Boyd, had a serious accident. George got away with cuts and bruises, but Pattie suffered a serious concussion and broken ribs.
George Harrison's other well-known Mercedes was the W100 600 Pullman OLA 600E, mentioned above, that he bought from John Lennon when Lennon relocated to America.
Other notable cars owned by George Harrison include a yellow Ferrari Dino GTS, a gold Porsche 911 Turbo, a Porsche 924 Carrera GT, a Black Porsche 928S, a black Mercedes 500 SEL and a Mercedes AMG 560E.
George was the only Beatle who seemed to pay much attention to the actual number plates on his cars. As well as the possibly-coincidental sequential numbers we saw above, George owned the two most probable candidates for private number plates. He owned a black 3.3 Porsche 930 turbo that was registered with the number YOU 5, and a McLaren F1 with the registration M7 AUM. George placed a special order for the McLaren. It arrived with the chassis number 025, Dark Purple Pearl paintwork and satin black wheels. The AUM in the car's registration is reference to the sacred syllable "Aum" or "Om" which Hindus believe is the fundamental vibration of the universe. George had a longstanding interest in Indian culture, and was a devotee of Hinduism and the Hare Krishna tradition.
Ringo Starr
The Beatles drummer and occasional vocalist, Ringo was christened Richard Starkey. As a drummer, Ringo has been surprisingly controversial. At various times he has been both praised as influential and criticised for perceived limitations. There is a common myth that, when asked if Ringo was the best drummer in the world, John Lennon replied, "Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in The Beatles." And it is indeed a myth: there is no valid source for the attribution. Indeed, the quip has been traced to comedian Jasper Carrott whose office claimed it as a 1983 gag. Subsequent research revealed an even earlier version broadcast by the BBC in 1981, attributed to writer Geoffrey Perkins. In fact, Lennon's opinion of Ringo was very different.
Ringo is a damn good drummer. He is not technically good, but I think Ringo's drumming is underrated the same way Paul's bass playing is underrated ... I think Paul and Ringo stand up with any of the rock musicians.
When it comes to cars, Ringo didn't really seem to share his bandmates' enthusiasm. Nevertheless, he did own some very interesting vehicles.
In 1964, Ringo bought a Facel Vega II. With only 180 of the model ever built, this was a pretty esoteric choice. The version Ringo bought at the Earl's Court Motor Show's Facel Vega stand had a huge 6.7 litre engine and was registered with the number EPH 48.
Of course, Ringo received his own Beatle Mini (LLO 836D). Ringo's Mini was unusual in that its modifications involved two top coachbuilders: Harold Radford and Hooper & Co. Once again, sharp-eyed readers may have noticed that the LLO 836D registration of Ringo's Mini is a close series-neighbour to the number on Paul McCartney's Aston Martin DB6 (LLO 840D)
In 1969, Ringo bought a Mercedes Benz 280SE coupe for use as a family car; however, the car was badly damaged in an accident. Despite a fairly spectacular crash at a traffic roundabout, Ringo and his future wife, actress Barbara Bach, were not seriously injured. As for the Mercedes, Ringo had it crushed and compressed into a cube, and then installed at his home as a novel piece of "art".
One of the most famous Beatles plates isn't a Beatle's plate
Photo: Peter Gent
The cover of The Beatles' eleventh studio album, Abbey Road, has become iconic. Fans and tourists from around the world make the pilgrimage to the famous street in northwest London to have their photos taken on the zebra crossing once walked by the band members. The 1969 album cover shows The Beatles crossing the road in single file: white-suited Lennon at the front, followed in turn by Ringo, a barefoot Paul McCartney and, lastly, full denim clad George Harrison. Behind the band, a VW Beetle displaying the rear number plate LMW 281F is parked at the left side of the road. (We featured this VW in issue 22 of our magazine, The World of Personal Numberplates.)
To many of us, this is an inconsequential background detail. To Beatles fans it is yet another source of mystery, myth and mayhem. If you doubt the fans' capacity to make theoretical mountains out of random observational molehills, just google "Paul is dead rumour". Or consider the fact that people even did research to discover the identity of the man in the background of the photo (his name was Paul Cole).
The VW was purchased some years later by music shop proprietor Peter Gent (who provided the photograph above). Mr Gent sold the car at auction in 1986.
The Beetle has since reportedly been displayed at VW Autostadt, Wolfsburg Museum in Germany. According to those reports, the museum plaque states:
Starting in 1962 John Lennon and Paul McCartney conquered the world with the music of the Beatles. They unleashed enthusiasm that continues unabated to this day. In 1967, John Lennon ordered this 1300 Beetle, license number LMW 281F and used it for daily transportation. In 1969 this particular Beetle became world-famous when it appeared on the cover of the Abbey Road album...
However, many more sources say that it wasn't a Beatle's Beetle, but simply a parked car owned by an Abbey Road resident. While the owner may have enjoyed the fact that their car was featured on an iconic music album cover, they were probably less delighted when the VW's number plates were repeatedly stolen by memorabilia hunters.
