42 replies to this topic

[cosmicegg]

A 3/4 does look good, but imo, not worth the hassle or risk.

Risk is a personal think chris but i've had a 3/4 plate for the 6 years and 66k i've had the car, been on many of the same roads as you and never been tugged for it.

Fair point. I think my main issue is that I've not really had much of an issue with either the VX or the Elise full size plate. In fact I went through more front plates with my old Mini - which is not only low, but the bit that holds it on basically makes the middle a prime suspect for snapping it in half when anything hits it!
I actually ended up with an alloy plate behind it to stop large stones smashing it to bits!

All that said, we have pulled the front plate off the VX 3 or 4 times (including small clam damage first time around)

Chris

[Big Steve]

What's the pathological aversion to full size and stuck on where it's supposed to be? Do you all off road?

Mine's never come off...

As I said above --mine got broken on a hump, which was in a park and ride car park.

The type of hump that has a a longish lead in before the top of the hump itself, so the number plate hits the hump before the wheels start to rise up the slope.----if you see what I mean .

I do. It's a bad hump.

Personally I can't stand the feeling of "will I be nabbed?" every time I go for an MOT or see a policeman, so I stick with the full size and glue it on as high as the mount will allow.

But I do see your point. As ever, I have nothing useful to add, though.

[techieboy]

Not sure if mine was 3/4 or smaller, but had the car for 1 week and someone reported me to the police. Had a not very nice letter warning me of fines!

Both of my nearest neighbours are policeman. Not an issue at all for either of them. Although one of them does keep coming over and looking suspiciously at the 888's.

Has anyone ever had their number plate recess smoothed over, revove the 'V' and relocate the numberplate in the mesh? I can't imagine it takes up much more room for air flow to the rad than the badge and 'V'. Might look pretty cool too.

Would look about 3 million miles away from cool.

You'd be surprised just how much difference removing obstructions to the incoming air makes. I reckon my car instantly ran 5°C cooler for not having the V and the stupid badge plinth. The V minus the badge plinth is now back on and I think the average running temps have maybe gone up a degree or two. I think Winstar might even have some numbers on how much airflow the grille itself blocks.

[jbudgie]

Not sure if mine was 3/4 or smaller, but had the car for 1 week and someone reported me to the police. Had a not very nice letter warning me of fines!

Both of my nearest neighbours are policeman. Not an issue at all for either of them. Although one of them does keep coming over and looking suspiciously at the 888's.

Has anyone ever had their number plate recess smoothed over, revove the 'V' and relocate the numberplate in the mesh? I can't imagine it takes up much more room for air flow to the rad than the badge and 'V'. Might look pretty cool too.

Would look about 3 million miles away from cool.

You'd be surprised just how much difference removing obstructions to the incoming air makes. I reckon my car instantly ran 5°C cooler for not having the V and the stupid badge plinth. The V minus the badge plinth is now back on and I think the average running temps have maybe gone up a degree or two. I think Winstar might even have some numbers on how much airflow the grille itself blocks.

Too right , I would hate to put it on the grill.

[jbudgie]

" You'd be surprised just how much difference removing obstructions to the incoming air makes. I reckon my car instantly ran 5°C cooler for not having the V and the stupid badge plinth. The V minus the badge plinth is now back on and I think the average running temps have maybe gone up a degree or two." Why did you put the 'V' back on Techie ? Just interested that's all ?

[techieboy]

Why did you put the 'V' back on Techie ?

Purely a cosmetic thing. I was never entirely comfortable with the basking shark look. So a bit of a half way house, refitted the V but cut out the badge and badge plinth to allow as much air through, as possible. Even toyed with the idea of cutting some holes in the V in a similar way to the VX Sprint car but thought that was probably pushing my Dremel skills a bit too far.

[jbudgie]

Know what you mean about the 'shark' look. Also I dont really like the 'V' either. Still pondering what to do .

[techieboy]

I wrapped mine in carbon fibre effect vinyl before refitting.

[jbudgie]

Now that does look good Techie, have given me ideas, thanks.

[Code Monkey]

Full Size, on the dash... DONE

Full size in drivers foot well and ready excuse of yeah will stick it on just bought the velcro to do it officer..

4th year of no plate on the car except for the mot weekend now.

[Denzle]

I have just been looking up the DVLA law for number plate size...From 2001 Size of letter...... 79x50mm Stroke or thickness.....14mm Gap between letters.....11mm Gap between the 2 blocks of letters..... 33mm And most important...... Margins......Min 11mm So to keep within the law.... have smaller plates so the front doesnt get knocked off.... I will be cutting around the plate leaving just an 11mm margin all round. Jobs a goodun..........Thanks for all your replies, appreciate those........ Denzle....

[tink]

Just completed a search for 'removing numberplate' after an incident with the police yesterday and this thread came up. So, to continue the theme of numberplate methods, sizes and the Police:

For 3 years I've had a 3/4 plate on the front after knocking the full size off and breaking it a couple of times (awkward junction to my parents) in the first couple of weeks of ownership. Never had an issue and then yesterday the local police 4x4 blocked the road ahead (he was travelling in the opposite direction) and blinded me with flashing headlights! Wound down the window and he said he'd seen me a lot recently with an illegal plate. This was a verbal warning and that he'd be looking for me now to make sure a new legal plate is on there next time he sees me - if not, I'll have a ticket. I didn't even have the chance to say the smashed full-size plate is in the boot.

Fair enough - it's not legal and he's looking for me.. but I can't for the life of me get it off now! Its only held on with double-sided foam as supplied with the plate! I guess I need some sort of chemical that's going to work away at the adhesive without eating the paint too - any suggestions?

[Pidgeon]

Dental floss or equivalent strong yarn

[tink]

Dental floss or equivalent strong yarn

Yep - cheers Partridge, but I'd still have mucky D/S foam to get rid off for a clean surface to velcro a new one too.. I'm thinking its not going to be liked 'rubbed' off

[techieboy]

Wonder if that was my next door neighbour. He's a cop in Ampthill and from what I've seen usually drives some 4x4 thing. He's never batted an eyelid at my 3/4 plate, though he does seem to spend an inordinate amount of time looking at my R888's.

[techieboy]

The adhesive will rub off or just use WD40 or Autoglym Tar remover to soften it up.

[tink]

Wonder if that was my next door neighbour. He's a cop in Ampthill and from what I've seen usually drives some 4x4 thing. He's never batted an eyelid at my 3/4 plate, though he does seem to spend an inordinate amount of time looking at my R888's.

Wonder if the other local black VX has done something to annoy him then and he assumes we're the same one! The plate is not a recent addition!

The adhesive will rub off or just use WD40 or Autoglym Tar remover to soften it up.

Thanks Techie - will pick some Tar remover up and give that a wurl.

[rsdub]

I have just been looking up the DVLA law for number plate size...From 2001

Size of letter...... 79x50mm

Stroke or thickness.....14mm

Gap between letters.....11mm

Gap between the 2 blocks of letters..... 33mm

And most important...... Margins......Min 11mm


So to keep within the law.... have smaller plates so the front doesnt get knocked off.... I will be cutting around the plate leaving just an 11mm margin all round.

Jobs a goodun..........Thanks for all your replies, appreciate those........ Denzle....

exactly right.even the local numberplate man agrees.i have a 6 digit number with 2 number 1s and is slightly smaller than three quarter and never been bothered on any car its been on

[Paulus H]

Mine is perfectly legal, spacing, border, font and correct reflective properies. Full size too.

Never had any problems with the police.

Never had any problems with it being knocked off. A much safer solution.

Best regards, Paul

[techieboy]

Except stick-on plates are not legal and they look crap. When I bought my VX it came with one fitted and the dealership said it was legal when I asked. Wasn't sure, so checked again at an MoT station on the way home and they said it wasn't legal. It's not legal on two counts - not type approved (irrespective of font, spacing or reflectivity) and not mounted to a vertical surface.