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front plate mounting options

M-Sport fan

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#1
Besides the 'Sto N Sho', bumper removal required, welded-on threaded collar, 'tow strap' mount brackets, and 3M double-sided tape options, has anyone ever found any other NO DRILLING into the front bumper cover front license plate mounting options for our rides.

Yup, this car was originally ordered, bought and registered/titled in Pennsyltucky, by me, so no front plate, plate holder, or holes ever drilled.

But now I have 2 weeks to get the car inspected in Joyzee, so I am looking for any solutions to this problem, and may just zip tie the plate into the open part of the grille's 'cells', on the side more out of the radiator's airflow, temporarily, just to get through inspection.
(I have been informed by the MVC that they will no longer pass you with the front plate just sitting on the dash, and it MUST BE mounted to the front somehow). [:(]

Anyone??
 


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Jabbit

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#2
What I did on my other Fiesta was bought an assortment of bolts, nuts, and big washers. I lined a few washers with felt. Fed a bolt through the grill with the threads facing out. Then fed a wash through and created a sandwich on the grill. Basically from inside the grill out it goes bolt, washer, grill, washer, license plate, nut. I'll try to find a picture.
 


rallytaff

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#4
Buy some Alien tape. Strong as hell and will come off without damaging your paint.
 


LilPartyBox

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#5
I stuff mine between the dashboard and the windshield
 


NOVA_Ranger

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#6
The bumper seems like the most logical place to mount a front plate without impeding airflow to the radiator/intercooler, no? Probably splitting hairs, but my take so far (newbie) is that we need to retain as much airflow as we can get. If you don't need a front plate in the future, can't you just plug the holes?
 


OP
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M-Sport fan

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Thread Starter #7
I stuff mine between the dashboard and the windshield
Somehow, my brother got through the Joyzee inspection (and not getting stopped out on the roads) with his C6 doing just that.

I have to ask him this weekend just how he was able to do that, since the inspection stations require the plate to be somehow mounted to the front bumper of the car in order to pass.

(Maybe he just 3M doubled-sided taped it to the bumper just for inspection?? I will see him this Saturday, and will ask him.)
 


OP
M-Sport fan

M-Sport fan

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Thread Starter #8
The bumper seems like the most logical place to mount a front plate without impeding airflow to the radiator/intercooler, no? Probably splitting hairs, but my take so far (newbie) is that we need to retain as much airflow as we can get. If you don't need a front plate in the future, can't you just plug the holes?
Yes to all above, and I was just trying to NOT have to drill/rivet into the now 'clean' front bumper at all.

I do not plan on moving again in the near future, so I may just go ahead and do the standard Ford plate mount there, as much as it bothers me.

Good motivation to then spend the extra $50.00 and order the 'vanity' plates I want from the state, since if I must have an ugly front plate/mount on the car, I might as well have it say something I like. [wink]
 


Jabbit

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#10
In most states, zip ties don't pass. They aren't considered a permanent attachment. Lots of room for interpretation though.
 


OP
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M-Sport fan

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Thread Starter #11
In most states, zip ties don't pass. They aren't considered a permanent attachment. Lots of room for interpretation though.
That's why I just installed a plate mount (with hidden zip ties once the plate is mounted over them), in the center but as low as possible, using those half open 'cells' of the upper most portion of the factory grille blockage.

It is covering maybe a half inch's worth (if that) of the open cells of the lowest portion of the grille opening.

1677793313156.png

NOT a great permanent solution, but it will get me through inspection.
Now I wonder if they would (have) fail(ed) me for just using the strong 3M tape option. [dunno]
 


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LilPartyBox

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Somehow, my brother got through the Joyzee inspection (and not getting stopped out on the roads) with his C6 doing just that.

I have to ask him this weekend just how he was able to do that, since the inspection stations require the plate to be somehow mounted to the front bumper of the car in order to pass.

(Maybe he just 3M doubled-sided taped it to the bumper just for inspection?? I will see him this Saturday, and will ask him.)
Just zip tie it onto the grill for inspections. In the Miatas, my wife and son drive around with a single plate. We don't even mount on the windshield. New England cops don't seem to give a shit anymore.
 


OP
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Thread Starter #16
Just zip tie it onto the grill for inspections. In the Miatas, my wife and son drive around with a single plate. We don't even mount on the windshield. New England cops don't seem to give a shit anymore.
I just zip tied that plate mount I posted above to the grille, just to appear more solidly mounted, and 'official' to the inspection worker, and went right through. [wink] [thumb]
 


SPhilli911

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#18
If I lived in a state which did not require a front plate I certainly wouldn't put one on even for the fun of it.

I do live in a state which requires it, but have not had a front plate on a car for 15 years. I've received tickets for it but each time that happened it was because I was pulled over for something else.
 


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