Rear license plate

[Perry]

Finally acquired and installed a rear bumper on my BT7. Problem is, previous owner drilled holes for the license plate just under the trunk opening, so with the bumper in place, you can't see the plate.
Can someone tell me how far down from the trunk opening the holes should be? Someone must have patched over what was there, and I can't find a trace.
Thanks for your help.

Perry

 

[Pete Haburt]

Perry;
The holes for my rear license plate bracket are 5" below the deck lid opening edge. The actual top plate bolts are 4 1/2" below the opening edge.
This is on a 61 BT7.
Pete H.

 

[Perry]

Thanks, Pete.

 

[Mr jaja]

Actually the rear license plate is mounted to the bumper and not to the Shroud. There is a bracket welded to the Bumper with two holes.

 

[Randy Forbes]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Mr jaja:
Actually the rear license plate is mounted to the bumper and not to the Shroud. There is a bracket welded to the Bumper with two holes.<hr></blockquote>

Actually, the earlier cars had the bracket bolted to the shroud. I had just read about this in the Moment/Anderson Restoration Guide, but I don't recall the cutoff point (book is in Toledo and I'm in Milwaukee).

So, you're both right!

 

[Mr jaja]

The only thing I can find is a change to a two Light bulb, Licensplate light in Dec 60. BN1-2 is a different world.

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi guys,

You may all be correct.
For what it's worth, a quote from Anderson-Moment;

"From the beginning of Healey production through Feb. 1966 with B.79900, Cars destined for North America had rear license plates mounted to the rear shroud under the bumper using a simple black-painted bracket that was fastened to the shroud with two bolts. The license plate was illuminated at night with a chrome & glass light that mounted to integral brackets welded inside the rear bumper. This fixture had a different internal light structure on cars to be sold in Europe.

From the beginning of convertible production, most continental-destination cars used a U- shaped black metal bracket that bolted to the light brackets inside the bumper & held the license plate above the bumper.
The same license plate light as in previous production was mounted above the plate on this bracket, illuminating the plate from above. This bracket & lighting arrangement finally was adopted for North American cars in Feb. 1966 with body No. 79900."
D

[ 02-08-2004: Message edited by: Dave Russell ]</p>

 

[Blonde Healey Girl]

"rear license plates mounted to the rear shroud under the bumper using a simple black-painted bracket that was fastened to the shroud woth two bolts. The license plate was illuminated at night with a chrome & glass light that mounted to integral brackets welded inside the rear bumper.
We have a 1961 BT-7 that has been in the family since new. It's just like Dave mentions above.
Shelly

 

[Mr jaja]

OK I take it. My is attached to the Bumper.

 

[Pete Haburt]

It is always interesting to discover all the variances of details on these cars. So many detail changes were incorporated, probably due to availability of parts at different times, it is a challenge to find out what is correct. It keeps life interesting.

Pete H