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Erni902
21-07-2012, 07:11 PM
Right then, now I have my FMIC fitted I am toying with the idea of side mounting my numberplate as the majority of the intercooler is blocked by the numberplate!

I have attached a couple of pics of some ideas Ive tried and am after opinions on where looks best to fit it.

Also does anyone know if there are any rules and regs/laws etc that state the maximum angle of the numberplate. i.e if I bolt straight onto the side of the bumper (just above the front fogs) this will be at too much of an angle and will not sit flat to the front.

Pics:

56372

56373

The mounts I have made behind the numberplate come from a donor bumper that I have b@st@rdised.

Any and all opinions welcome.

p.s I know the original mount looks crap but I have a cunning idea to chop it up and replace the bumper mesh.

Kryton
21-07-2012, 07:15 PM
Side mounts are normally on the other side but I have no idea about angles etc. As long as the plate itself is legal & the angle is not too extreme I can't see any issues. My ex's old mans e-type had one on the bonnet & it was impossible to see unless standing almost on top of it so don't see why this would be any different.

ANTHONY
21-07-2012, 07:19 PM
You have to be able to read the whole plate from the front of the car & certain angles

Erni902
21-07-2012, 07:28 PM
Right then, I hear you Chris, I had a look and only found two pics on here of side mounted plates and one was on the drivers side and one on the passengers, so here are a few more pics:

56374
56375
56376
56377

Lower down on the bumper or higher up?

Any comments?

Kryton
21-07-2012, 07:32 PM
I think you will get away with any of them. I personally would go for the height of pic 1&2 but angle of pic 4. I'm guessing your fog lights have been removed?

Erni902
21-07-2012, 07:35 PM
Is that the height of pic 1&2 of post No.1 or post No.4 mate?

Erni902
21-07-2012, 07:40 PM
Like this?

56378

P.s. yes I have removed the front fogs

Kryton
21-07-2012, 07:42 PM
Yup. Thats where I would go for :)

BraindG
21-07-2012, 07:43 PM
Why not get a long plate, then get the correct bracket for it and leave it in the middle?

Erni902
21-07-2012, 07:46 PM
Yeah looking at all the pics next to each other (well close enough together) I totally agree.

This is an awkward place with regards to brackets etc but I have a whole spare bumper (plus whatever I can pilfer from the old mans garage while he's away) so I dare say I will come up with something.

Cheers for the input guys :2thumbsup

Erni902
21-07-2012, 07:48 PM
Why not get a long plate, then get the correct bracket for it and leave it in the middle?

Ive toyed with the idea a while back as there was a set of uk plates in the boot when I bought it but I fitted it and after a few days removed it as I really didnt like it.

Kryton
21-07-2012, 07:51 PM
If you get a proper mount for a long number plate to make it fit, go for an Evo GSR (260) one or Alfa 156. I am not keen on long plates myself but they are ideal mounts if you do

Davezj
21-07-2012, 08:17 PM
personally i don't like the side mount number plate at all, i think it looks terrible.

i prefer the center mount option. in the standard jap format, purely from a looks perspective and i understand what you trying to achieve buy side mounting the number plate. as we have discussed many time before but never came up with a perfect looks and air flow result, it is always a compromise and you will have to go air flow or looks way.
but this is a purely personal choice and we all have different opinions.

if you do go down the side mount route, are you doing anything with the ugly cutout in the bumper under where the original plate went and are you cutting the large plastic blockage to the air flow that is the nuber plate backing plastic, e.g. cut it off and replace the mesh grill as it would now be the wrong shape for the bumper.

you might get some ideas from here as there are picture of what other have done.

http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?63243-front-bumper-number-plate-recess-cover&highlight=bumper+cover

there are some good links to other thread as well. jesus ninja's bumper mod is a good one to look at as it is effectively doing what you are thinking about. but i believe did a bonnet mount vinyl number plate

Erni902
21-07-2012, 09:00 PM
Completely understand what you are saying Dave with regards to the compromise. Personally I tend to focus my efforts on the performance and maintenance of the vehicle rather than the looks. Id rather have a healthy car with good performance that looks like a bag of sh!t than to have a gleeming motor to look at that goes like a bag of sh!t. (hence why every panel on my car needs a respray)

As you say we are all different and tbh I too prefer the import plate in the centre, it just covers a lot of the IC. I dont hate the side mounted idea therefore I think I can live with it.

Also, yes I will be cutting off the overhang of the standard mount and using a doner bumper to tidy it up and then some sort of subtle mesh

Kryton
21-07-2012, 09:02 PM
Completely understand what you are saying Dave with regards to the compromise. Personally I tend to focus my efforts on the performance and maintenance of the vehicle rather than the looks. Id rather have a healthy car with good performance that looks like a bag of sh!t than to have a gleeming motor to look at that goes like a bag of sh!t. (hence why every panel on my car needs a respray)

As you say we are all different and tbh I too prefer the import plate in the centre, it just covers a lot of the IC. I dont hate the side mounted idea therefore I think I can live with it.

Also, yes I will be cutting off the overhang of the standard mount and using a doner bumper to tidy it up and then some sort of subtle mesh

Seem like you're on the same wavelength as me :( Let me know if you ever get round to getting a full respray, might get a discount for 2x /haz

Erni902
21-07-2012, 09:13 PM
Will do mate, I know a guy who is very good friends with the second most highly decorated and qualified bodyshop type people in the country. I have seen his work and you wouldn't believe how professional the finish is! I have a meticulous eye at times but even up close and in varying lights the most wacky body modifications look like they were factory fitted when he has finished with them! Truly amazing guy but as with anything you get what you pay for and his rates are quite high.

Anyway ill stop waffling as I have a dirty greasy kebab and a few more tinnies to get down my neck

Davezj
21-07-2012, 09:23 PM
I am with you with regards to the mechanical sorted and bodywork naff than the other way round. which why my car looks so bad.

keep us posted on what you descide on.
i was thinking of the stanard uk long plate slightly angled down to push more air into the intercooler with the plastic number plate backing plastic removed and new mesh, this way you will cover the ugly recess in the bumper with the new longer nuber plate and still get rid of the big blockage infront of the intercooler.

Erni902
21-07-2012, 09:39 PM
Dave that is an ideal solution. I just wish I liked the long numberplate enough lol

Davezj
21-07-2012, 09:57 PM
i know, it is not a nice thing to look at, every time i try it with a mock up number plate i think it looks so much nice with the standard jap plate.

i might just try it and see if i can live with it.
you can get angled bracket from ebay for not much money, then it is jsut a cut for the number plate plastic bit and the new mesh. you would not even have to do anything with the cut edge of the bumper as it will be hidden by the new long plate.

jjayokocha
22-07-2012, 10:42 AM
I have my plate on the ds of the bumper, but over enough to allow to see the full fog light and still give the ic full view of the road

Davezj
22-07-2012, 02:30 PM
Pics are good to show this.

jjayokocha
22-07-2012, 03:23 PM
Dont mind the state of the front bumper

56392

WOODY72
22-07-2012, 04:50 PM
Gotta be said, i think the import No plates spoil the look of the front of the car totally. Looks like it's just been bunged on there. Sorry, my opinion. :huh:

John TheAntique
22-07-2012, 08:22 PM
I've had this one on for 3 years with no problem and gone through many ANPRs.

Davezj
22-07-2012, 10:53 PM
i have considered the scaled down UK plate and i do think as long as it is scaled correctly it looks like a full size uk plate.

i could use a the same sort of plate as you but i was going to make the top at the same height as the top of the bumper then use an angled bracket to tilt it back at the bottom to make the over all frontal area as small as possible.

mabe something to think about.

aboo
22-07-2012, 11:02 PM
I've had this one on for 3 years with no problem and gone through many ANPRs.I do like that plate John. What are the dimensions?

John TheAntique
23-07-2012, 09:08 AM
It's the same size as the recess, made to measure! W13" (33cm) H4 1/2" (12cm)

elnevio
23-07-2012, 04:49 PM
Or get a registration with just five characters... :sunny:

Gingerfish
24-07-2012, 05:53 PM
Or get a registration with just five characters... :sunny:

/yes

Pugme
25-07-2012, 09:12 AM
i was gonna say go on the dvla site and buy a plate with either 2*1's or one number then it can legally fit in the recess with legal letters and spacing.

i also had my plate cut height wise so i have 5mm only top and bottom of my letters

Gingerfish
25-07-2012, 11:34 AM
Here you are Rikki, try this:
http://www.newreg.co.uk/search/search_results/homepage/text/newSearch/none/none/P5-RYK/1/index.html

£142 for a private plate!

Erni902
26-08-2012, 05:45 PM
Right finally got round to possible brackets and whilst searching for JDM mounts on ebay I suddenly had a brain wave!

I have a donor bumper to play around with and I have also removed the fog lights from my car. I removed the metal fog light mounting bracket from the bumper and chopped and bent this into the shape required. After playing with ideas on the donor bumper, I have now successfully mounted the number plate in roughly the same position as the pic in post #7.

I will add pics of the bracket I've made/modified and another of how the plate looks when fitted later on once I have chopped the original mount off and replaced the standard mesh with some I have bought especially. This is my mission for tonight.

Erni902
26-08-2012, 10:08 PM
Right I've butchered the front bumper by chopping off the overhang of the number plate recess and replaced the lower grill with some black mesh, bolted it back together and it looks like this:

57343

At the moment the middle of the bumper looks a bit of a state as Ive just attached the bottom of the recess to the top as it looked a little better (not much but still) This will probably stay like this for a long while as looks are not my main concern but still its one job done but another created :)

Oh and here is the modified fog light bracket bent to my specifications :) :

57344