Ways to mount front License plate on BE

[Bruce_B]

Just took the fender off my BE and like the look. Only question now is how to mount the front license plate.
Originally there was a front plinth that held the plate.

Questions: Where to find them them? and
Has anyone come up with another way of mounting
the front plate?

Thanks...........

 

[spritenut]

Austin Healey Spares has the front plate plinths.
https://www.ahspares.co.uk

 

[john_j]

If you cut 2 pieces of ali sheet in the shape sketched on the attachment, drill 3 holes and bend at along the dotted lines.

You'll have to work out the exact sizes and angles.

 

[bugimike]

My solution was to bend two "L" brackets to the correct angle (less than 90*)

 

[Bruce_B]

Mike,

Got any side shots of that mounting? Not quite sure how you attached everything.

Hold it...just copied the picture and enlarged it. Looks like you mounted the long side of the 'L' to the car body and the license plate to the short end.

How tough is it now to open and close the bonnet?

 

[Glen_B]

Skip the front plate. Seven years without one so far and not even a nod from the local cops. If the red-light camera happens to catch me, they'll know who to look for. Up to now, they're too busy looking over the "cute little car" to notice the missing front plate and I've been eye-balled MANY times.

Glen Byrns

 

[jlaird]

Heh, you could tell em you thought it was optional.

 

[Sarastro]

Actually, in California, it was indeed optional for many years, even though two plates were issued for each car. There was no law requiring that a car have both plates mounted. I drove a car for about 10 years without a front plate, and never had a problem. One more little oddity about living in this state.

I seem to remember reading that the law was changed a few years ago to require both plates, but I still see cars with only one now and then.

 

[Guest]

Heh, you could tell em you thought it was optional.

I didn't even think about this when I did all that metal and 'glass work on the front end. I don't plan on staying in Indiana either. A license plate bracket will ruin the look I wanted.

I got away without a front plate when I lived in Washington State for 5 years. In Hawaii, I never ran the thing for 10 years (and I had straight pipes on a nose-to-the-ground Paxton blown Mustang with no mufflers and they never pulled me over for that, so go figure). If there's anything good about Indiana, it's a one plate state.

In Illinois, they will hit you if that plate isn't there.

Ask some of the street rodders and classic car owners around your area if the police check for it. Look around and see who is not running one and perhaps ask them about the issue. An option is to carry it with you and stick it by the windshield. That's what the military guys at the gate used to tell me, 'cos I hated that front plate.

 

[bugimike]

Mike,

How tough is it now to open and close the bonnet?

Aye, there's the rub!! I converted to a front-flip bonnet! (never liked crawling into a "cave" to work on it, hehe!) /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

 

[jlaird]

I still think I would just tell em that it was optional.

 

[drooartz]

I've gotten a ticket here in Utah for no front plate (on a previous Suzuki Sidekick I had) -- Utah is a 2-plate state and they will ticket you for it. Tunebug is missing his front bumper and plate right now, but once the new engine is in, it will go back on. Besides, I like the look with the bumper in place.