Rear number plate mount

cameron02 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 05:29 PM

I am about to make a mount for my rear number plate and was wondering how you folks out there did it. Did you buy one, get one from a donor car, make one or just screw the plate direct to the body?

400TT · #2 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 05:38 PM

You have a few options:

1. You can buy or make a mount that fits & secures under the number plate light like this: Number Plate Mounting Bracket

2. You can drill straight through the boot lid and just bolt it on.

3. You can put some nutcerts in and have a captive thread for the number plate.

I like the idea of using a mount under the number plate light as it doesn't permanently mark the body in case the car gets fitted with different style/size number plates. e.g. if it gets sold interstate to say QLD and the new owner fits US sized plates.

See what other ideas come up.

stephen low · #3 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 06:15 PM

Cameron

I have just made my plates in advance of rego. Just used 2mm mild steel plate and sprayed them black, having previously made up a cardboard then light gauge steel template to copy. You are welcome to borrow these if you like.

I'll take a couple of pics of both frames and add into my gallery.

Rear plate is held captive under the standard mini boot light which is bolted through to the inside of the boot at present.

Bent the steel so as not to hit the fibreglass as it protrudes downwards and out of the cavity the light tends to nestle within. Then bent the mounting arms back towards the bodywork to enable the plate to sit above and clear of the fibreglass and more or less in the same plane as the boot at that point.

Learnt you need slimline plates though to make it fit on the boot, on a GForce anyway. So I now have these on order.

For the front I've managed to use my tranny oil cooler attachment locations to add a frame that angles the plate downward between the bottom of the upper mouth and at the top of the lower spoiler mouth.

This location has minimised disturbance to cooling air flow to both radiators and has hidden the braided line connection into my tranny cooler, that I wasn't too pleased with anyway.

I'll try and get pics up tonight.

Let me know if you want to borrow my templates, you can then have a look at what I did as well.

Cheers

Aussie Mike · #4 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 06:56 PM

The mounting holes on most number plates are common distances apart. You'll see most plates have a range of holes accross the top and bottom to take into account different mouting systems but they usually follow the same pattern even on different width plates.

I did the nutserts into the boot lid and then spaced the plate off the paint work with some nylon washers. I'm fairly confident I could unbolt my slimline 5character plate and put a full size 6 character plate with the same bolts.

Cheers

400TT · #5 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

I did the nutserts into the boot lid and then spaced the plate off the paint work with some nylon washers. I'm fairly confident I could unbolt my slimline 5character plate and put a full size 6 character plate with the same bolts.

Yeah, that's what we did on our first Cobra. But not all plate mounting holes are the same, most are though. An exception is you can't fit on a US sized plate, which could be a bummer for an owner in say QLD. But really it's not a huge problem.

We also bent the plate to fit the profile on the boot lid as well.

cameron02 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 08:22 PM

Wow!

We sure do get fast responses on this site. Thanks heaps guys. Your answers were exaclty what I was after as I currently have standard plates but will be changing to slimline.

At this stage the nutserts are my prefered option.

Aussie Mike · #7 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 08:24 PM

Good point Craig, I put a curve in my plate to make it better follow the shape of the boot lid too.

Here it is ready to go 4 wheel driving

Cheers

stephen low · #8 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 08:41 PM

Cameron

Mike's plates are slimline and for me to changeover my custom plates to slimeline versions has just cost approx. $124.

If I'd known when I was getting them originally I would have ordered slim from the start and saved about $100 now - bugga!

The Snake bite version is what I have fabricated as I don't want other holes in the boot over what the standard fixtures need.

Means you must be ready for the road, is that right?

Cheers

400TT · #9 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

Good point Craig, I put a curve in my plate to make it better follow the shape of the boot lid too.

Yep, that's a nice neat installation.

A lot better idea than just screwing directly into the fibreglass.

cameron02 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-11-2007, 10:54 PM

Hi Stephen,

The car has been registered for a while now but I have not been driving it. Taking my time doing little extra bits. But its time to get a move on. Auto elec comes over tomorrow to finish off a couple of problems then I pull every thing off and take it to the painters.

Just wanted to get the plate mount sorted before It gets paint.