hey guys,

UPDATE 3/19 INSTALLED!!!!
Now you see it

Now u dont

i have been brewing up an idea for awhile now, and i decided im going to fab it up tomorrow.

i live in illinois and they say u NEED 2 plates on the car at all times. SO....i am fabricating a flip down front flat for the ss. They have them out there but they are like $70, screw that.

No this is not some james bond, flip the license plate while driving type of deal!

just a way to put it down when im driving around and put it up for shows.

im going to use (2) .5 inch thick plexi glass peices to hindge together and screw the license plate into the other. then when i want it up (hidden), its either going to be velcro (prob not) a tiny latch (like on the back of a picture frame) or somehow to rig up a magnet......

i DO NOT want a motorized one as cool as it would be, this is just a cheap way to go from on to off without being a pain in the ***.

any comments or ideas to make this better?????

thanks

kevin

PS,
I got pulled over 4 times in a week for no front plate and yes i had it bolted on the air dam but that ticket was labeled (illegal display of front license plate) so this IS going to happen......the bottom line is, ILLINOIS SUCKS!

 

i don't understand why everybody thinks putting on the airdam avoids the problem. it's improper display just like not having the plate there.

honestly you're 10x better off running NO plate than putting it on the air dam.

i do like where you're going with the idea though.

 

yea ive paid well over $150 ALONE in NO Front/Improper Tags fines.....its just getting out of hand......this way it will be in a stock location perfectly visible

 

no need for 0.5" thick plexiglass. try a material called Lexan (polycarbonate). you can go thinner because it's impact resistant to a degree, and if it's thin enough, you can form it similar to sheetmetal.

 

and more ways to imporve this?

 

sounds badass, when you're done post up some pics and a vid

 

hey guys, got it fabbed up today.....
i used 2 metal hinges
.25 inch thick lexan
factory front license bolts
and a clasp and hole latch

i am smoothing out the bottom tonight along with cutting off the excess bolt that screw in the LP, once they are grinded down, it flips back perfect! there is a tiny hook at the bottom that is barley noticable and i put a tiny latch thingie under the bumper, cant see anything!!!!

ground clearance is not an issue also!

citrique please!!!

thanks guys!

 

where is this going again?? please post pics with it on

 

i will have pics of it on tonight, it is going directly in the front of the car, right under the factory location

 

Looks like a good idea. I still want a motorized James Bond one. Maybe if I get motivated enough I'll design / build one.

 

What would be a sensible price to pay for one of these if fabricated & marketed?!?
I know a person who made a motorized unit for his LT1 based Camaro Z-28, & simply cut a slot in the top area of the grill section for the unit to come out. (Unless you actully lean over & look up in the front grill opening, you'd never know it's there.)
I tried to get him to make me some templates so we could start making/selling them, but he claims he just doesn't have the time. (Plus he would have to remove the front bumper from his car again in order to take the measurements required.)

Yes, you would most likley have to remove the front bumper to mount this to your own car. But the unit would come complete, with a cutting template. So you dis-assemble, mount, wire, mount switch, re-assemble bumper & your working magic!

I seriously think it may be $100-125, but really don't have a clue what he has in it for fabrication yet. And I don't know if that would be low enough price to really sell it. Fact is, you have to 'cut-up' your factory front bumper. Some people I can't see cutting up their car like that.

 

I know how you feel, I am in a burb of Chicago too and got two warnings before finally getting a ticket for it. Pissing and moaning, I attached the factory license plate holder to my perfect lt1 TA front bumper. One of the saddest days I have had with my car. I havent been pulled over since.

I originally wanted to do what your doing but everyone told me to just put that factory bracket on.

 

Just out of curiousity, why don't you just un screw it when you get to a show? Seems like a lot of work (fabbing, designing etc..) when you can just unscrew 2 phillips head screws..

 

I live in mundelin, Vernon Hills area and I dont get botherd by anyone for no front plate. Heck, most of the BMW's Mercedes's and ALL of the Corvettes I see around me have no front plate. The only time I get nailed for no front plate is when my car is parked someplace INSIDE the city of Chicago limits, thats it. I havent had a front plate on any one of the 5 cars I've driven in the past 4 years.

 

got any installed pics yet?

 

HAHA i feel your pain....ig ot pulled ovr twice for this **** in my town....ILLINOIS SUX *****!....plsu the damn snow!! but yea this is a great idea hope u dont mind if i steal it!

 

man where do u live in the south suburbs because ive never gotten pulled over for no front plate

 

i live in mokena, but every single time i got pulled over for it was in orland park.........picks of it installed are coming tomorrow, looks pretty sweet!

 

INSTALLED! check first post

 

I like, how about a straight front shot and lower to the ground. Going to paint those hinges black or leaving them for the extra bling-factor