Removable Front License plate

[jhawk635]

I live in Texas and have no choice but to have a front lisence plate...at least when on the road. Does anyone have any ideas on how to make it removable or hideaway when I get to a show or event? Anyone else already done this or got any better ideas? :idea: :idea: :idea:

Thanks,

John

 

[jb73Mach]

The front license plate holder on my '73 is attached with two bolts under the bumper. Unscrew and remove the entire assembly.

 

[gewalker]

Are you required to display the plate on your bumper or can you stick it to the grill when needed and take it off when not? If so, I see some strong rare earth magnets and some plastidip (so they don't scratch anything) in your future.

 

[jhawk635]

Thanks for the ideas but I think it's solved permanently! I just talked to my local tax office and they told me that I only need the rear license plate if I register it as an antique. I also do not need an inspection sticker and the registration is $50 for 5 years. It does come with the not a daily driver requirement but that is fine with me as I don't plan to drive it daily anyway.

 

[gewalker]

VA is much the same. I kind of like my front plate bracket, and I was able to pick up a pair of '71 plates (we had front plates back then too) and restore them. VA let's you use restored vintage plates to register as a normal vehicle if you're willing to put the stickers on them (and I am). Cops here are rather aggressive about antique cars being parked places that antique cars aren't supposed to be used to go to, and I use the '71 as my daily driver.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Thanks for the ideas but I think it's solved permanently! I just talked to my local tax office and they told me that I only need the rear license plate if I register it as an antique. I also do not need an inspection sticker and the registration is $50 for 5 years. It does come with the not a daily driver requirement but that is fine with me as I don't plan to drive it daily anyway.

Yeah - that won't cut it for me... I plan on driving the crap out of mine. I thought about it for about 5 minutes... then I read the 'conditions.' I'll just be getting standard plates.

Front plates don't look all that bad on our cars anyway.

 

[jeremycfr]

I thought about it myself but the conditions basically said only to the shop and car shows. Not going to drive mine much but I don't want to be limited. Might only be a big deal if I'm pulled over or with insurance if I wrecked it.

 

[cudak888]

Front plates don't look all that bad on our cars anyway.

+1!

Though I never planned on doing so, I stuck a green 1975 New Hampshire front plate on mine (FL is a rear-tag only state). Not only does it nearly match the color of the car, but the width of the tag visually reinforces the recess between the NACA hood scoops.

That, and a period tag on the front just seems to help take the visual aspect of the car back to it's era. I never cared for those stylized model year plates or "FORD RACING/MUSTANG" novelty tags. Too kitsch.

-Kurt

 

[phagan63]

Front plates don't look all that bad on our cars anyway.

+1!

Though I never planned on doing so, I stuck a green 1975 New Hampshire front plate on mine (FL is a rear-tag only state). Not only does it nearly match the color of the car, but the width of the tag visually reinforces the recess between the NACA hood scoops.

That, and a period tag on the front just seems to help take the visual aspect of the car back to it's era. I never cared for those stylized model year plates or "FORD RACING/MUSTANG" novelty tags. Too kitsch.

-Kurt

Florida will also allow you to use a period correct FL license plate as your legal registered plate. It's a bit of a process requiring you to mail the plate as well as the application to Tallahassee, for what reason I'm not sure, and then they'll send it back to you all legal like. I have a 73 license plate, just haven't gone through the process yet.

 

[caspianwendell]

Arkansas is a rear plate only state, and they don't have driving limits on antique tags

 

[cudak888]

Florida will also allow you to use a period correct FL license plate as your legal registered plate. It's a bit of a process requiring you to mail the plate as well as the application to Tallahassee, for what reason I'm not sure, and then they'll send it back to you all legal like. I have a 73 license plate, just haven't gone through the process yet.

I already picked up a '71 tag for YOM registration. Got it in exchange for a '75 Florida tag at the local tavern - their entire men's bathroom is wallpapered in old Florida tags.

Front stays with the NH plate though; looks too good. I'll post a photo in the morning. I also have this souvenir that was in the trunk; the plate it wore in 2002 - just before the back end of the car bought it:

Again, too kitsch for the front of the car, in my opinion. I always wonder if someone might have snapped a photo of it in action though.

-Kurt

 

[gewalker]

Front plates don't look all that bad on our cars anyway.

+1000

I <3 the look of the vintage plates on my car. Doesn't hurt that the old VA plates are black on white.

 

[jhawk635]

Again, too kitsch for the front of the car, in my opinion. I always wonder if someone might have snapped a photo of it in action though.

-Kurt

Those plates do really look good and match your car. The period correct plates in Texas are also green but more boring. They also do not match my color scheme ruling them out for me. I can see how some may like the front plate, it's just not my preference and I'm not a big keep it in the era kind of guy anyway. That's what makes this so much fun as we all have really cool, yet unique vehicles.

Cheers,

John

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

here is a simple solution. Mount the bracket with all thread and wing nuts. Installation and removal requires no tools that way and with the allthread cut to the right length it should not be very visible when the plate bracket is removed.

 

[gewalker]

here is a simple solution. Mount the bracket with all thread and wing nuts. Installation and removal requires no tools that way and with the allthread cut to the right length it should not be very visible when the plate bracket is removed.

I'd probably add a bit of stick-on foam or nylon washers to buffer the bracket to the car in that case, but good call.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

You can glue whatever material you want to the bracket. For that matter you could use thumbscrews for mounting and leave nothing on the car.

like this http://www.shear-loc.com/threeeighths.htm

 

[gewalker]

You can glue whatever material you want to the bracket. For that matter you could use thumbscrews for mounting and leave nothing on the car.

like this http://www.shear-loc.com/threeeighths.htm

yeah. I was talking about putting the foam or rubber or whatever on the attachment face of the bracket rather than on the car (although the attachment point isn't a shiny bit or anything).

 

[cudak888]

Those plates do really look good and match your car.

Even so, the New Hampshire front plate suits it far too well. It's staying:

-Kurt

 

[jhawk635]

Even so, the New Hampshire front plate suits it far too well. It's staying:

-Kurt

Yours look great. It actually compliments the car. If mine matched like that I might consider it as well.