Front license without bumper holes? First prototype of a permanent mounting method !

[Stoney]

Previously, I wrote that I had added suction cups to the license plate frame, and that it made a great temporary mounting. (Temporary front plate mounting, suction cups). I was, however, concerned about longevity of the rubber, and the probable ring-shaped marks from minerals or discoloration that might occur if used long term.

I tried a prototype permanent mount today, made from wood (easy to shape for a first prototype). It worked great... very rigid mount (survived a 100 mile trip to San Francisco with no loosening). It consists of two blocks of wood, held to the frame near the bottom with one small screw and one large bolt (through the license plate) each. A long bolt is captured in each block using a counter-sink, and extends through the top row of the lower grille. The forked tabs on the frame still engage the ribs of the grille for easy centering. The bolts hit the grille horizontal rib to keep the assembly from falling downward.

From inside the engine compartment, I placed a 10" piece of wood with two holes over the bolt ends, tightening with 2 washers and thumbscrews. This squeezed the grille and held the frame firmly in the position shown, without risk of damage to visible surfaces. Nothing touches the bumper!

My next version should use black plastic or rubber-coated metal in place of the wood. I also want to make sure it fits the S6 grille (also, perhaps someone can bring over a 2002 2.7T or 3.0). The bolts may be sleeved to minimize scratches to the grille. If possible, it may not employ rear thumbscrews (the rightmost one is difficult to put on in the 4.2 due to tight space in front of the fan). My first plan was to tighten them from outside using the lower holes in the license plate, but these happen to be spaced the same distance as the ribs of the grille, so they interfere. One possibility is to mount the frame first using newly drilled holes, then mount the license plate. using the original holes.



Looks more-or-less normal from the front. But up close, you can see that it doesn't even touch the bumper. I left the suction cups on as "mini-bumpers" to minimize marks on the bumper in case I hit a pole or another car lightly with my front plate. Other soft materials would work in place of suction cups, since the suction function is not needed in this configuration.



In the picture below, you can see the cups don't touch the bumper. The lowest cup seems close to the bumper, but this is an illusion due to the curvature of the bumper (the cup is near the bottom, sort of behind the curvature).

[Ga4.2]

Why don't you take all of this effort and lobby the twits in Sacramento to modify the law to only require the rear plate. The arguments they give out to justify this doesn't hold water, i.e. they can catch more criminals and stolen vehicles with the front plate on. How far away can you read a moving license plate? And when you can't even cross over your interstates to turn around to give chase, who cares what is on your first bumper. It is a waste of resources, they can make double the plates they have now for the same money, etc. Either that or move to a state that doesn't require the first plate. I'm not getting on you Stoney, as I think the law is clearly without merit and you should have the option of not having to run them if you don't want to.

[LMGotts]

municipalities have decided to crack down (i.e. generate revenue) on this law, the effort in rigging a workable system will be much more worthwhile than lobbying Sacramento.

I can't imagine a more frustrating or potentially worthless effort. At least this project may save a few of us a few hundred bucks when visiting our favorite places...

Plus it's more fun to do it this way - there's a sense of beating a senseless system (beating senseless the system?). :-)

P.S. Stoney, I have a friend with a machine shop who could manufacture an aluminum bit if you come up with refined final wood template. He wouldn't want to make a lot of them, but would make a few. Is your system dependent in any way on the type of plate frame? E-mail for details if you're interested.

[Stoney]

[Delaware_Tom]

Obviously (with the flood of tickets generated) they are not necessary for the cameras to work. I don't see how they could be "needed" by an automated system. The plate is a handy aiming point for a cop with a radar gun, with the automated system, no one is "aiming" and it is not speed that a red light camera is trying to detect.

- Tom

[Definitely]

I'd love to work with you on getting it right for the S6 grill. Mine should be mounted with the hodd replacement this week. The new bumper is not drilled and I've been waiting for your results before giving in and getting that done. I'll let you know when I get the car back!
And thanks for all your efforts!

[Delaware_Tom]

Seems it works for approaching or receding cars. Perhaps the front plate issue has to do with jurisdictions that want a photo of the driver. Here in Delaware, they ticket the person who the car is registered to with the law allowing the assumption that the driver is that person. All they care about is a picture of the car & plate.

Intersting web site in any case.

- Tom

• Photo radar specs.

[Stoney]

[Ga4.2]