Installing front license plate holder...Any no-no's???

If I had such a contraption, I would use it when I went to the local police station to get my fixit ticket signed off or when I went into the City of San Francisco and would attach it after I parked on a city street and would remove it before I got back in the car. Otherwise it would be in my trunk.

 

Wade- Most people with front license plates have them mounted low and centered. Look at this thread for examples.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144838

It looks like the factory bracket mounted to the grille.

I would just center it to get symmetric airflow.

Taz
Terry Phillips
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As I said, I would drive it down to the police station, get the ticket signed off, and not worry about air intake after that. Did you get the ticket while parked or moving? In SF, they have red light cameras, so they want every car in the city to have a front plate. They have instructed the clampers (meter maids) to look for and give tickets for front plates. Police generally will not mess with you, but I do know a fellow F-Chatter who was actually stopped and ticketed in Union Square in his Scud for no front plate.

I use toggle bolts through the grill of my BMW when we take that car into SF. Takes 1 minute to place, 2 minutes to remove.

 

This may be of interest here. Ran across this yesterday on a Corvette forum. Front plate bracket is remotely operated, folding away from locked in place to hidden beneath front bumper. Seems like it could be adapted.
Know nothing about the vendor.
Link to Corvette forum thread below, there is a link for video of it in operation in the first post.
Bill


http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-parts-for-sale-wanted/2130446-new-product-remote-control-front-license-plate-bracket-raise-or-lower-in-seconds.html

 

I do like the hide away license plate holder. It doesn't look strong enough to handle 100+ mph, but at that speed I will just tuck it under for the ride. Now if it was made of kevlar reinforced carbon fiber, i believe it would entice a few more people.

 

BTW, has anyone ever had the likeness of their license plate put on vinyl - it would look appropriate from a distance and be easy to apply/remove.

Hmm, it just might work.

 

Bob, Bill- The problem with those fold-under license plate holders is that they reduce ground clearance by quite a bit. One steep driveway or speed-bump and bye-bye license plate and whatever chunk of the front bumper/spoiler goes with it.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Greetings All from Australia
In general what are the rules in the USA for displaying number plates? In my trips around USA I noticed that most 'ordinary' cars have a front plate yet better cars rarely if ever seem to have a front plate. In Calif. I usually see a car with a rear plate from a dealer (ie the dealer's logo), or what appears to be a 'normal' plate on the rear.

I have also noticed a sticker on rear plates which seems to be the 'registration year sticker' ??

In Australia rear + front plates have been mandatory for cars for about 10 years. We have radar cameras that are relentlessly used to swell the State Government coffers. We also have a points system. Caught exceeding speed by <10kph = 1, 10-20 = 3, >30-45 = 6, above 45 licence confiscated. get 12 points in 3 years = walk for 3 months.

We are heavily policed on the roads compared to USA/CDN many trips expecially SFO and LAX to Montery have yet to see the Police. I have enjoyed driving in France/Belgium Germany with no overbearing police presence. I spent 3 weeks touring Belgium/France and saw 1 police car in Bapaume. flew to Sydney, drove back home and saw 3 cars in 450kms. They would LOVE to book a Ferrari.

 

Taz,

You are right. It would also probably look a little weird with something hanging below the front bumper as well.

I am going to take a pic of my license plate and have someone put it on vinyl. I will let everyone know when I get out of jail.

 

I did a vinyl for my front plate a couple of years ago (oddly, when I scanned it, it came out only about 3/4 of the original size...odd that.....). Then I mounted it on a piece of alu, then I drove over it a couple of times, then I put behind the passenger seat. Whenever I was questioned, I explained that it fell off and got run over, I was waiting on the dealer for a new front mount. Back in the 'pre-revenue days' that sufficed. Probably not so much now....

 

I just purchased a 550 and it is scheduled to be delivered via enclosed transport in about one week. I will need to display the dreaded front plate on the car to successly complete the required state inspection. Where did you get the plate holder that attaches to the grill ???

I really like the idea posted above of using toggle bolts to attach the plate. I am certainly going to take a serious look at using this installation technique. I currently have a 355 spider and have a front plate holder that is mounted to the grill. I'll be the first one to say that it detracts from the otherwise beautiful design of the car.

- Ed -

 

Ed- If you do a search, there are several choices. One aftermarket holder uses the threaded insert for the tow hook, and another, which Bob prototyped on FChat, uses an easily removable spring attachment mechanism. The third option is to go to Ricambi and order the OEM brackets.

Taz
Terry Phillips
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Hi Phillip,

It varies US state by US state. Some states don't require a front plate, but I believe
that MOST do - some also grant exemptions for certain models - but here in Washington
State (Seattle area) my 328 sadly is not exempt. But I keep the number plate beside the
seat and have never been pulled over for lacking it.

In many states, yes - the sticker is the registration month and year. Some states
(Virginia and New York as examples) require UGLY stickers to be put on the front
windscreen along with an annual "safety inspection" certification, in lieu of stickers
going on the numbers plate.

I wish the US used the longer skinny plates like most of the rest of the world... I just
think they look better

Jedi

 

Philip- The US is a republic, not a democracy, although the federal government is trying with all its might to change that, so there are still individual states' rights.

Here is a list of all the rear license plate-only states (19) and an attachment for anyone who wants to remember. At least until some three-fingered idiot at DOT or elsewhere shoves through something making two plates mandatory. They have already done it with seat belts and open liquor containers by blackmailing the states with threats of withholding federal highway funds.

Alabama Arizona Arkansas
Delaware Florida Georgia
Indiana Kansas Kentucky
Louisiana Michigan Mississippi
New Mexico North Carolina Oklahoma
Pennsylvania South Carolina Tennessee
West Virginia

Taz
Terry Phillips
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Thanks Taz !!!
I like the spring attached option. I'll dig for more specifics.
If that option is not viable then I'll contact the good folks at Ricambi.
Thanks again for the info.

- Ed -

 

John- Crud, are we down to only $2 back for every federal tax dollar? It was $3 here the last time I checked.

The trouble is both coasts' populations and elected representatives do not support the military, so the first thing we do when it is time to close bases is look at that kind of data. So the number of bases on the East and West Coasts has dropped like a rock, while the middle states like Texas and New Mexico have populations and elected representatives who love the military and our bases continue to live and even grow.

Plus we have two national labs here, and that helps, too. Good jobs in those, too, and they drag in $B in federal funds. I am surprised California's liberals have let Livermore live, but I guess even they are smart enough to see how much money it brings to the economy if you can just keep their weapons work very quiet. Shhh.

Try Teva's new sandals with toes. Have them on right now and they are great for driving and also very comfortable.

Taz
Terry Phillips