License Plates

[Alastair Brown]

I have an R registered car. I would like to put the registration on a white sick on strip on top of the nose cone, instead of the ugly white plastic board that is bolted underneath the grill.

 

Is this legal, provided the correct fonts, character sizes, spacings and background are used?

 

If so, does anyone know where I can get such a thing made?

 

Alastair

[stevefoster]

I am not sure about the legality... Something about visibility from angles.

You can always say that the last proper plate was too low to the ground and shattered lots by bumps and stones.. some truth in this maybe. This will not be a defense in the eyes of the law of course.

 

You make them up yourself. The spacer kit comes with it. Available from virtually any local motor factor. About £10 a plate.

 

 

[Andrew Russell]

Steve is correct....the legislation is quite complicated and it is very unlikely that you would be challenged by the Police, unless there were loads of other problems with your car and this might just be added to his 'hit list'.

 

I've used a stick on plate for the last 5 years and never had a problem with the Law or at MOT time.

 

I'd go for it....

 

Andrew

[mark.hall]

I would concur with Andrew. I've used stick on plates for about 4 years with never so much as a second glance from plod or MOT inspector. If you are anywhere near Devon or Cornwall, then place called Trago Mills (a large "sell everything cheap" emporium for west country folk) sell the blanks for under 2 quid, and letters at 10p each IIRC. I recently bought three sets of replacement "parts" for my car, so I can now jet wash with inpunity. Mind you, I haven't lost one yet, and don't look likely to, it's just that a thread on here recently suggested that they might become illegal to use or sell in the near future, and, like a good boy scout, I want to be prepared.

[John Whyman]

No problems with mine either. Just make sure that if you have a personal plate that the spacing is absolutley correct and not ambiguous. Also make sure you have white background, black letters straight on to yellow or blue may look different, but asks for a closer inspection by Mr Plod. My friendly local plod says that he would rather see good made up stickies on cars than bits of taped up or not taped plastic low down, where a shattered plate can cause accidents and damage from flying plastic. (This is probably his own personal opinion), but who am i to argue!!

 

[Richard_E]

Can anybody email some photos of the position of the plate as i am going to give this a go. It must improve the areodymanics as well.

 

Your time is appreciated in advance. Cheers.

[Petrolhead]

Complicated subject. have a look at the relevant threads on:

4/5/2000

18/10/2000

10/1/2000

[Bob Corb]

The other advantage of these stick on plates is that the car has no obvious vertical surface at the front which the cops use to bounce their laser speed guns off. So whilst they are scanning about trying to get a lock on you, you can slow down as applicable!!

 

BC

[V7 SLR]

With a normal plate you benefit from a small low pressure area directly behind the plate which must go some way towards achieving ground effects. wink.gif

 

God, I'm bored. Does it show?

[Maccers]

Kind of a realted subject. I have had to stick the plastic number plate on with some strong double sided carpet tape. Two weeks later and it falls off.

 

I don't really want to drill holes in the nose cone to bolt it, so I have been running around with the front plate in the boot in case I get stopped, "It just fell off, Officer".....

 

What else can I use to stick the plate on with?

 

RM.

[clivemac]

you could use proper double sided tape from your local bodyshop thay would proberly give it to you free of charge ; failing that use windscreen bonding from your local speicialist.

 

Clive

[Reg]

Halfords sell some double sided tape that is intended for body trim. If you make sure everything's very clean with thinners before sticking it seems to work very well.

 

Reg Marjason

C7 SEV

[allegro]

I used double sided foam strip. Like tessa tape but sticky both sides. This helps with the vibration which goes somewhere towards them falling off in the first place. I've not had a problem since.

You can buy it at woolys or any DIY shop.

 

Andy Mac

 

 

[Drumster]

I deliberated about this for some time and in the end decided to go for a'stick-on' plate on top of the nose, if for no other reason than I think the 7 looks much better for it. Just MHO. Not been stopped by Mr Plod so far.

 

Chris Alston

 

Se7ening - it's all miles and smile.gifsmile.gifsmile.gif

[Jonathan Ratty]

I have had a stick-on plate for two years now, and have never had any problems with MOTs, Police etc. I did find a white reflective stick-on at my local motor factor in Elephant & Castle that came with a BS number printed on it. Whether this makes it any more 'official' I don't know, but I certainly have not had any problems. I even shortened it by a couple of inches to make it fit the nose better! I recommend the 'soapy water' trick when fitting - it avoids bubbles & wrinkles.

 

Jonathan

[JampJ]

VELCRO works really well,mine's still on after two years,no probs!

CHEERS C7 POW.

PS.I use it on the rear plate too.

[Simos]

I've had a stickon plate for 8 years or so, only once been challenged by plod (years ago) who was pissed off on a terrorist checkpoint in the City. Still let me go though. Rattled on about his terrorist cams (view from front) checking license plates etc. In the interests of not getting nicked I didn't engage him in conversation about the likelyhood of terrorists using a 7 !! (lightweight bomb maybe ?)

 

Have to disagree about the ground effect, my untutored reaction is it would only be true if you could continue the low pressure the length of the car (with a skirt). I suspect the turbulence caused just creates a cancelling (or worse) area of high pressure just behind the area of low pressure (behind the plate).

 

Cheers, Simon.

[Eric McLoughlin]

Does a conventional front plate not create additional aerodynamic drag? Has anyone ever checked to see if conventional plates slow the car down? The reason I'm asking is because I have a spare which has stick-on numbers across the top of the nose cone.