My father bought "our" 02 in 1972 for my mother for Christmas, and it was "my" first car when I got my license in 1992. I wrecked the car in May of '93, and although it was repaired and is still in the family, one of my biggest regrets is not being able to drive the car with the original tag that it had--so much so that I've pondered attempting getting a vanity tag with the original numbers on it). That was the first license plate number that I memorized (I still remember it to this day), and it, the car, and the memories are very dear to me.
I said all of this more as a personal catharsis, but also to point out that sometimes the desire may be more of a way of rekindling the place and the era that the cars were new and/or remembered in. Hopefully this provides another viewpoint that some others can relate to.