Faux Front License - inviting comment

In the past I have tryied bending my plate to fit but was ugly...tried smaller reduction similes of the license but bottom line-you really can't put numbers on the nose of a Ferrari regardless of plate size. So, to get along with the constabulary, a faux plate.

I have been considering designing a hinged front license mount for which stays retracted but can be manually activated to drop into position. So as the officer walks up to the your car you neatly pull the cable handle and the ugly plate stands properly at attention for all to see. But for normal circumstances the plate can lay unobtrusively horizontal and stay concealed as Pininfarina intended.

Perhaps I should just market such an item without pre-announcement, but thought I'd invite some down-side criticism first.

(The car show is the Ferrari P6, 1968 one-off Pininfarina design precursor of the 308 series with mid-rear V12 400hp @ 9200.)
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Sounds good mate. Would it be worthwhile to try and market? Not sure how many would be interested. Maybe make one for yourself first, then show everyone here how it works and how it looks. That may be the best way to go about it.

That Ferrari looks cool. Do you know what happened to it? Does someone own it, or is it in a museum somwhere? 400HP@9200RPM is crazy!! Thanks for sharing.

 

Dave Finn, a chopper builder here in NY, developed a similar plate for bikes- instead of hinging, it slid up and down as I recall. Dunno if he still manufactures it. I can ask him.

 

Thanks for that info. Found a picture of a Dave Finn retractable rear plate on an old school bike and it's easy to see why he went retractable.

OT - while working on that search I see that Florida is proposing PINK license plates for DUI offenders. Now that's sure going to help reduce carnage by embarrassing alcoholics into sobriety. duh MADD strikes again
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LOL! All that will do is bring attention to bikers with breast cancer sensitivities!

 

At a recent Ferrari get together I noticed that one owner had taken 4 clear suction cups put the heads through the holes in the license plate and stuck the plate to the inner side of the center windshield. Looks ok, I think it meets the requirements of the law, and easy to remove without any permanent markings or damage when the car is parked. Looked like a simple, cheap and adequate solution to me.

 

That will NOT meet the law in Oregon. In fact, it's more likely to BRING attention to your car than if it was completly missing. BTDT and as told by a couple of motorcycle cops

 

I'd buy it sight-unseen...but only if it came with the optional Ferrari attached

 

One major objection to a front tag on 3x8s is that there's no mounting holes without having to drill a stock part.

I have a custom built under bumper mount on my 328 -- but that plate is slowly folding back as I go over parking lot ramps, or pull up to those parking blocks, etc. (Makes a handy curb feeler: better the plate hits than the air dam.)

An under-bumper mount might not need the fancy cable -- just mount it on hinges. That way it can fold back when confronted with an obstruction. Or when the cooling fans need to suck in a bit more air. Or when bookin down the freeway.

(I can just picture it -- a cop sees you at speed and pulls you over for no plate. As you stop, the wind stops, and the plate drops back vertical.)

 

Can you mount it behind the front grill?
It would be "visible" from the front, but not the eyesore if it was on the front of the grill.

 

Firstly thanks again to whart for pointing me to Dave Finn...which opened my mind to vertical travel vs a swivel hinge.

Secondly, about the car pix I posted in beginning this thread. Pinninfarina project cars for Ferrari carried the designations P1, P2, P3, etc. P6 the one which inspired the timeless 308 styling. What does that have to do with a front license plate? nothing

Thirdly, I've been laying on the icy ground in front of my car and found my left radiator fan isn't rotating freely and needs attention. What does that have to do with a front license plate? nothing

Fourthly, there IS PLENTY OF ROOM and no obstructions behind the bumper and up into the hood area for a license to hide vertically yet drop down for complete visibility. So now I'm on a hunt for linear actuators, slides, gas actuators, general hardware which meets criteria including price and availability. I are an engineer...now to prove it with design.

Fifthly, several possibilities DO exist for easy bracket mount for the apparati.

Sixthly...I will look into moving the bumper back 1 1/2 inches to enhance styling. Sure love the Euro look of body colored bumpers with minimal protrusion. What does that have to do with a front license plate? Best if this fits all variations.

Seventhly. I'm pumped about fourthly. Gonna start a new thread in the 308 forum area to gain necessary info about bumpers differences. If I do this, I want a general one bracket fits all approach. Color me excited.

 

In Street Rodder magazine, I've seen a vacuum-operated license plate holder. Hook into the vacuum lines on your engine. When the engine is off, the plate is retracted. Fire it up and the plate folds down. It could easily get a cockpit-mounted on/off switch.

Edit: I just did a search and it now comes with an on/off switch

http://www.tperformance.com/street_rod_store/lighting/retract-a-plate/

 

Lack of progress report:
1) First it was Dave Finn and now it's Dan Fink. Called Dave and he said the motorcycle retracting system was a one off but was too complicated so he is prototyping another. He wouldn't tell me anything about it 'because he got it patented!?!'. If you know anything about patents, the info becomes public and looses secrecy. I did a patent search and nada. I gather he didn't want to talk because he couldn't afford a patent.
2) Retract-A-Plate vacuum device is made by Dave Finn - I'm getting catalog cuz you can't tell anything about it with web images...it's a flip up sells at about $160.
3) I am currently looking for a 12v 6" linear actuator to do the job but they are $150+
4) I'm blown away by the number of other auto enthusiast groups with the same 'front license' frustration, even truckers, MB guys, street rodders...

 

Pop rivet it to the hood, If Jim G. can do P4 that's good enough for me!

Actually I use zip ties around town ....cut 'em for shows.

Hard to put anywhaere on a 308 without blocking air.....I have done clamp straps horizontal to grill bars with a front 90 deg tab down for plate...

Clamps bar ...no drilling.........