Captain Obvious' $20 Removable Front License Plate Bracket
02-15-2012, 07:13 PM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Captain Obvious' $20 Removable Front License Plate Bracket
I've searched for removable front license plate brackets (RFLPB's!) for my Z06 for a few weeks now, and I even went so far as to order one of the remote-controlled versions for $130. I've checked out the $170 Zip's brackets, the $110 removable ones from forum vendors, even a few odd-ball ones out on the web that I'm not even sure would work.
Well, obviously the car looks best without a front plate, but unfortunately I live in a part of Ohio that tends to be pretty ruthless for petty enforcement so I have to run a plate to avoid getting hassled. I didn't want to drill anything, I'm too cheap to spend $200 on a name-brand piece of 14 gauge plating and I didn't want to mount my plate in the center of my air intake (I also have a vararam CAI), nor did I want my plate to be on the right hand side... otherwise I probably would have paid the $170 for the Zip's mount.
Anyway, so I figured I could adhesive a $6 piece of metal to the front of my bumper without paying someone else for the privilege, and here are my experiences with making my own "RFLPB" - I hope this might serve as inspiration for a few of you who are also too damn cheap to pay retail:
Step One - gather the supplies:
* 6x18" 16 gauge steel ($6) from any home-improvement store. The actual size of my RFLPB is actually only 6x9", so you can make two.
* Black paint, either the hi-temp kind for grills or krylon. I had an old bottle in the garage (free).
* Velcro "eXtreme" adhesive-backed strips (1" x 4" long). Typically $4 for a pack of four. I bought the jumbo pack and have found them to be exceptionally useful and strong.
* Some alcohol prep pads I had laying around (free), or any decent cleaner will work. Hell, use dishsoap if that's all you have - the velcro adhesive is very sticky even in colder temps (45* at the time of application).
* Brake cleaner / degreaser ($4)
* Tools: A table grinder or hand file, a drill and bit; hammer, bench vise, etc. There are a dozen ways to skin this cat - use what you have handy.
* OPTIONAL: some wire or string (you'll see why later).
Step Two - measure and cut your RFLPB:
I made mine just wide enough and long enough to be able to bolt the license plate to, while having a 1.5 - 2" deep surface for attachment to the bumper. Total dimensions are approximately 6" tall by 9" wide. The license plate holes on my plate are approximately 7 inches apart, leaving 1" excess on either side.
I used my metal shears to cut out the shape, 16 gauge metal is thin enough to work easily and remain VERY light-weight, but strong enough to keep it's shape and hold the plate in place. I hammered out the 90 degree angle by putting 1.5 inches or so of the plate in a bench vice, bending it over by hand to get the rough shape, and then finishing the edge with a hammer. The tighter your crease, the less visible the mount will be to some extent, but as long as you mount your plate high enough this too will be hidden. Lastly, I notched the top of my RFLPB with shears to create a slight bend; this way I can closely match the curve of the front bumper for aesthetics. See my overall design here (already painted black):
** NOTE: if you want to center your bracket, it's easy to increase the angle by hand to match the curve with the bracket notched as shown. I eye-balled this because the RFLPB is going to either be off the car, or hidden by the license plate.
Step Three - apply the Velcro eXtreme strips to your RFLPB:
This is pretty obvious, and the 1x4" strips fit perfectly on the mounting surface. I used two, just because I like the symmetry. These things are strong enough where one would likely hold more than enough. The RFLPB and my plate combined are no more than a few ounces - very, very light.
Why velcro? Well, it's easy to use, it's very durable, it sticks VERY well, and of course you can stick on/remove your RFLPB as easy as putting on your shoes. Yes, I know all of you geriatric Corvette owners wear velcro shoes when "walking the mall" on weekday mornings!
Also, the adhesive is removable from the bumper with a hair dryer, fishing line, and some patience (and maybe a little Goo-Gone).
** This is also a good time to apply adhesive-backed foam to the bottom edge of your license plate, to protect the finish of your bumper as the plate will potentially move with wind resistance (not shown).
Step Four - test fit your RFLPB for orientation and clearance:
I already knew where I wanted my plate (passenger side); but if you are placing yours in the center this is a great time to double check your curve relative to the bumper. As shown, I've already peeled off the backing of both sides of the velcro, applied them to the RFLPB and am in the process of sticking it to the underside of my bumper (already cleaned with alcohol swabs).
The two-for-$20 Removable Front License Plate Bracket:
It's not perfect, it's not what I'd like to have on my car, but it get's the job done.
A couple of suggestions:
* Degrease and paint your license plate mounting screws black while you're doing this - helps them blend in and look cleaner. Mine are scuffed up because I was too impatient to let the paint cure for 2 hours. I'll fix it next time.
* 16 gauge is PLENTY strong for making your bracket - it's very solid as-is, so using a heavier gauge will just add weight and stress the attachments. I would not recommend a lighter gauge or aluminum (more brittle), 16 ga is just right. Your bumper will flex and give before the bracket will, so don't sweat the details.
* You can obviously make a larger bracket to include attachments for the lower license plate holes, I did not as the plate is very rigid on it's own (and I like simplicity). I do strongly encourage sticky foam or some type of protective lining on the inside of bottom of your plate to protect the paint; at high enough wind speeds just about anything will move a little.
* You'll notice the picture frame wire in one of the above photos: I used this to attach my plate bracket to the front grill for testing purposes - that way if the adhesive fails, I won't run over or lose my plate (at the expense of perhaps a few scratches). Once I start to trust the mount, I'll remove this admittedly redneck "plate saver." The retentive among you could leave it be as you'll never see it unless you're laying on the ground looking for it - but it's ugly nonetheless.
* The velcro strips are barely visible at just the right angle (shown in above photos), because I trimmed off the edge of my plates to get rid of the brilliant white picture-frame border.
You can avoid this by not trimming your plates, creating a deeper mounting surface to mount the velcro strips as far back as possible, or by drilling your mounting holes right at the crease of the RFLPB. I kept a 1/4" spacing from the top surface, thinking I would need the clearance. I don't, so this will be corrected in Captain Obvious' $20 RFLPB version 2.
That's it! Simple, easy, and less than $20 (for two!). This is just my first attempt at something cheap and easy. It's not the best, it doesn't look pretty in the box, and I've already found ways to improve it. But it works. If you don't like it, or are partial to a forum vendor, then good for you. I am, however, open to suggestions.
Well, obviously the car looks best without a front plate, but unfortunately I live in a part of Ohio that tends to be pretty ruthless for petty enforcement so I have to run a plate to avoid getting hassled. I didn't want to drill anything, I'm too cheap to spend $200 on a name-brand piece of 14 gauge plating and I didn't want to mount my plate in the center of my air intake (I also have a vararam CAI), nor did I want my plate to be on the right hand side... otherwise I probably would have paid the $170 for the Zip's mount.
Anyway, so I figured I could adhesive a $6 piece of metal to the front of my bumper without paying someone else for the privilege, and here are my experiences with making my own "RFLPB" - I hope this might serve as inspiration for a few of you who are also too damn cheap to pay retail:
Step One - gather the supplies:
* 6x18" 16 gauge steel ($6) from any home-improvement store. The actual size of my RFLPB is actually only 6x9", so you can make two.
* Black paint, either the hi-temp kind for grills or krylon. I had an old bottle in the garage (free).
* Velcro "eXtreme" adhesive-backed strips (1" x 4" long). Typically $4 for a pack of four. I bought the jumbo pack and have found them to be exceptionally useful and strong.
* Some alcohol prep pads I had laying around (free), or any decent cleaner will work. Hell, use dishsoap if that's all you have - the velcro adhesive is very sticky even in colder temps (45* at the time of application).
* Brake cleaner / degreaser ($4)
* Tools: A table grinder or hand file, a drill and bit; hammer, bench vise, etc. There are a dozen ways to skin this cat - use what you have handy.
* OPTIONAL: some wire or string (you'll see why later).
Step Two - measure and cut your RFLPB:
I made mine just wide enough and long enough to be able to bolt the license plate to, while having a 1.5 - 2" deep surface for attachment to the bumper. Total dimensions are approximately 6" tall by 9" wide. The license plate holes on my plate are approximately 7 inches apart, leaving 1" excess on either side.
I used my metal shears to cut out the shape, 16 gauge metal is thin enough to work easily and remain VERY light-weight, but strong enough to keep it's shape and hold the plate in place. I hammered out the 90 degree angle by putting 1.5 inches or so of the plate in a bench vice, bending it over by hand to get the rough shape, and then finishing the edge with a hammer. The tighter your crease, the less visible the mount will be to some extent, but as long as you mount your plate high enough this too will be hidden. Lastly, I notched the top of my RFLPB with shears to create a slight bend; this way I can closely match the curve of the front bumper for aesthetics. See my overall design here (already painted black):
** NOTE: if you want to center your bracket, it's easy to increase the angle by hand to match the curve with the bracket notched as shown. I eye-balled this because the RFLPB is going to either be off the car, or hidden by the license plate.
Step Three - apply the Velcro eXtreme strips to your RFLPB:
This is pretty obvious, and the 1x4" strips fit perfectly on the mounting surface. I used two, just because I like the symmetry. These things are strong enough where one would likely hold more than enough. The RFLPB and my plate combined are no more than a few ounces - very, very light.
Why velcro? Well, it's easy to use, it's very durable, it sticks VERY well, and of course you can stick on/remove your RFLPB as easy as putting on your shoes. Yes, I know all of you geriatric Corvette owners wear velcro shoes when "walking the mall" on weekday mornings!
Also, the adhesive is removable from the bumper with a hair dryer, fishing line, and some patience (and maybe a little Goo-Gone).** This is also a good time to apply adhesive-backed foam to the bottom edge of your license plate, to protect the finish of your bumper as the plate will potentially move with wind resistance (not shown).
Step Four - test fit your RFLPB for orientation and clearance:
I already knew where I wanted my plate (passenger side); but if you are placing yours in the center this is a great time to double check your curve relative to the bumper. As shown, I've already peeled off the backing of both sides of the velcro, applied them to the RFLPB and am in the process of sticking it to the underside of my bumper (already cleaned with alcohol swabs).
The two-for-$20 Removable Front License Plate Bracket:
It's not perfect, it's not what I'd like to have on my car, but it get's the job done.
A couple of suggestions:
* Degrease and paint your license plate mounting screws black while you're doing this - helps them blend in and look cleaner. Mine are scuffed up because I was too impatient to let the paint cure for 2 hours. I'll fix it next time.
* 16 gauge is PLENTY strong for making your bracket - it's very solid as-is, so using a heavier gauge will just add weight and stress the attachments. I would not recommend a lighter gauge or aluminum (more brittle), 16 ga is just right. Your bumper will flex and give before the bracket will, so don't sweat the details.
* You can obviously make a larger bracket to include attachments for the lower license plate holes, I did not as the plate is very rigid on it's own (and I like simplicity). I do strongly encourage sticky foam or some type of protective lining on the inside of bottom of your plate to protect the paint; at high enough wind speeds just about anything will move a little.
* You'll notice the picture frame wire in one of the above photos: I used this to attach my plate bracket to the front grill for testing purposes - that way if the adhesive fails, I won't run over or lose my plate (at the expense of perhaps a few scratches). Once I start to trust the mount, I'll remove this admittedly redneck "plate saver." The retentive among you could leave it be as you'll never see it unless you're laying on the ground looking for it - but it's ugly nonetheless.
* The velcro strips are barely visible at just the right angle (shown in above photos), because I trimmed off the edge of my plates to get rid of the brilliant white picture-frame border.
You can avoid this by not trimming your plates, creating a deeper mounting surface to mount the velcro strips as far back as possible, or by drilling your mounting holes right at the crease of the RFLPB. I kept a 1/4" spacing from the top surface, thinking I would need the clearance. I don't, so this will be corrected in Captain Obvious' $20 RFLPB version 2. That's it! Simple, easy, and less than $20 (for two!). This is just my first attempt at something cheap and easy. It's not the best, it doesn't look pretty in the box, and I've already found ways to improve it. But it works. If you don't like it, or are partial to a forum vendor, then good for you. I am, however, open to suggestions.
Last edited by Random84; 02-15-2012 at 08:09 PM.
02-16-2012, 06:43 PM
#5
Team Owner
Awesome idea and write up!
One of the best parts of a set up like this is that when the plate is off (for car shows, racing etc.) the remaining velcro strips are tucked up under the top part of the grill/mouth opening of the nose so they can barely even be seen unless one kneels down and looks up.
It doesn't block the CAI's inlet either.
One of the best parts of a set up like this is that when the plate is off (for car shows, racing etc.) the remaining velcro strips are tucked up under the top part of the grill/mouth opening of the nose so they can barely even be seen unless one kneels down and looks up.
It doesn't block the CAI's inlet either.
02-16-2012, 07:17 PM
#6
Team Owner
Member Since: Jun 2005
Location: Northern, VA
Posts: 46,125
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I think you can improve on it, but it certainly does look very good right now with nothing more.
Plus, you did a great job of writing it up AND including pics for we who are textually-challenged. Thanks!
Plus, you did a great job of writing it up AND including pics for we who are textually-challenged. Thanks!
02-21-2012, 08:20 AM
#8
03-09-2012, 06:38 PM
#9
Just to bump this up and advise the "membership".
I made a front plate holder using Captain Oblivious'" (sic) instructions. I just stuck it to the car last week. Seems to be holding fine.
I have to say, $ 20.00 for a front plate holder is much more reasonable than the $ 100 and more being offered by the advertisers here.
On the plus side, I could make another one with the left over steel plate and sell it at a cruise in.
Thank you Random 84 !!!
I made a front plate holder using Captain Oblivious'" (sic) instructions. I just stuck it to the car last week. Seems to be holding fine.
I have to say, $ 20.00 for a front plate holder is much more reasonable than the $ 100 and more being offered by the advertisers here.
On the plus side, I could make another one with the left over steel plate and sell it at a cruise in.
Thank you Random 84 !!!
03-09-2012, 07:51 PM
#10
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Just to bump this up and advise the "membership".
I made a front plate holder using Captain Oblivious'" (sic) instructions. I just stuck it to the car last week. Seems to be holding fine.
I have to say, $ 20.00 for a front plate holder is much more reasonable than the $ 100 and more being offered by the advertisers here.
On the plus side, I could make another one with the left over steel plate and sell it at a cruise in.
Thank you Random 84 !!!
I made a front plate holder using Captain Oblivious'" (sic) instructions. I just stuck it to the car last week. Seems to be holding fine.
I have to say, $ 20.00 for a front plate holder is much more reasonable than the $ 100 and more being offered by the advertisers here.
On the plus side, I could make another one with the left over steel plate and sell it at a cruise in.
Thank you Random 84 !!!
Mine is going strong since I pasted it on there almost a month ago (still hanging strong).
04-23-2012, 04:32 PM
#15
Looks great!
I couldn't justify it either + I needed a EURO bracket. Here's my version: Reuses 2 screws from the front air shroud and 2 additional along with double sided sticky foam. Works great! It's also been properly speed tested ...
02-27-2013, 01:14 AM
#16
Instructor
Member Since: Jan 2013
Location: Smithfield Virginia
Posts: 147
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3 Posts
I bought the removable license frame for Mid America for $39.99 and attached it using the velcro which is included. To cushion the plate and prevent it from rubbing against the nose, I attached the foam pads with the adhesive backing...pads like you use to put behind picture frames to prevent the frame from shifting cockeyed on the wall. So far so good.
