Today I got a ticket for not having a front license plate on my 1988 camaro. I have 2 questions about this, first where do i put one? I don't have any license plate mounts on my car so do I just drill holes through my bumper or do I put on my dash? second question, do I even need one? I've seen numerous new camaros and mustangs and other muscle cars, classics too, that don't have one or the mounts for one.

Any advice or comments are welcomed!

 

there are plenty of ways to mount a front plate on your car just gotta use that search tool. I didn't have mounting hardware so i modified an existing plate holder from a ford e-350 painted it to match my car and mounted it straight on the middle front of my bumper.

 

The thing is, I really would rather not have to drill holes in the front of my bumper. I was hoping someone knows of a good hide away mount sort of thing.

 

It has to be attached. They will pull it to make sure it's secure. On my Iroc I just bent the top of the plate an installed it by drilling the holes. Ca law every car must have both plates no questions

 

Out of curiosity, were you pulled over for it, or did the cop tack it on to a moving violation?

 

No I was in class and got double ticked because of street cleaning and thats when they got me.

 

Could I just put the plate on my dash? because I really would rather not drill holes in my bumper.

 

If you got ticketed, then it's a law in your state. Go to a junkyard and remove an existing bracket from a Camaro or similar car. Mandatory equipment, such as front plates, may affect your inspection sticker as well, however, it's not going to affect the value of your car.

 

It sounds like you just got a parking ticket from a meter maid. I've never had to put one on my car for one of those tickets. It just seems like if the meter maid is getting you for an expired meter or whatever, they add that on for good measure. Worry about mounting it when you get pulled over for it. Front license plate tickets are chicken ****, plain and simple.

 

In other words, just pay the fine and move on.

 

I use to take night classes and got a ticket for parking backwards so they will write a ticket for anything and this person sounds like he was trying to be a hero and write a stupid ticket. (prob. jealous of your car) Like somebody else said just pay the ticket and dont worry until you actually get pulled over to worry about drilling into the bumper.

If you decide to put the license plate in the front do a quick search and there is many people on here who have made brackets. In fact i remember seeing someone drill on the inside of the bumper, and had metal brackets come out in front of the bumper so you could attach the license plate.

good luck

 

heres what i was talking about you can always make it better

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/fabr...nse-plate.html

 

Do you have to go in person to have the ticket written off?

 

Simple fix! Take off the front grill. Find or get the factory bracket. Mount it without the grill on. Get it inspected by your local Police Station. After the inspection and its written off and the fine is paid, take the bracket off and put the grill back on. Next time watch where you park.

 

 

I've got a couple of factory Camaro license plate brackets... You can PM me if you're interested

 

I thought you could just run it in the front window... I know a lot of the 4x4 guys on the other board I'm on do that. It's not legal after a certain height, but no thirdgen should have that issue.

 

License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the vehicle for which they are issued so as to prevent the plates from swinging, shall be mounted in a position so as to be clearly visible, and so that the characters are upright and display from left to right, and shall be maintained in a condition so as to be clearly legible. The rear license plate shall be mounted not less than 12 inches nor more than 60 inches from the ground, and the front license plate shall be mounted not more than 60 inches from the ground,

 

Instead of ignoring, or trying to get around the law, why not abide by it? Get the correct mounting bracket, or modify/build one and put the plate on if it's required in your state. You'll end up with a lot less problems if you just do the right thing. Either that or move to a 1 plate state.

 

Why in the world would you want to put a license plate here?:


With that said, front window is nowhere near 60" from the ground and can be secured and I know a lot of people in the 4x world running them that way.

Frankly THIS is the best way to go

"But officer, I do have a front license plate. You might want to double check that"

 

Since the front spoilers on our cars take a beating over speed bumps and other hazards, I can only imagine the beating these motorized hide a plate things will take. Especially on the street to my Condo with enormous speed bumps every hundred yards.

 

You don't put it on the very bottom. They've got one in there that will actually have it drop over the "stock" position over the bow tie. You couldn't run it on the bottom with the air dam

 

Went to take a close look at my camaro. I can't see any possible way to place the retractable plate gadget where you suggest. No way at all.

 

So you went and bought the THIRDGEN specific model, had it in your hands, read the instructions and THEN couldn't see a way to get it on? Or you went and looked at the random one on the first page of that site and said "How could that possibly go on? "

 

Without a serious hack job on the grill, yes there is no way I can see. you can't move a license plate through solid plastic. If you removed the grill and used the factory license plate frame it may be possible, but that would defeat the purpose of it having the camaro grill.
I would be interested in you proving me wrong, but like I said without seriously hacking the front grill or removing it completely I can't see this working.
The example from the original post showed it being installed under the spoiler.

 

I went to there web site and they didn't have a third gen specific kit. It seems they have 2 kits, 1 manual and motorized. They specifically state it's to mounted under the bumper, and not in the middle of the grill, just saying.

They have 8 videos on 8 different cars all mounted under the vehicle and none in the middle of the grill.
http://www.hidetheplate.com/index.ph...cnga85&cPath=5
The also say that any damage from speed bumps or road hazards void the warranty which only covers manufacturing defects.

 

Ok, my bad, it's been a few years since I bookmarked all this stuff. Ive spent the last seven years in a dialysis chair I get some leeway

It's the Altec one:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/auto...show-n-go.html

I know there was a thirdgen specific one that moved from the side on the 90-92's (which I was converting my 88 over too) Gfx... I still need to find it. But you're right the link I posted was the wrong one. Sorry about that.

 

No worries, I went through dialysis for a couple of weeks myself after my liver transplant, so I know it's no fun. Good Luck.
Andy
P.S.
Even that one was from under the spoiler.

 

I'm not disagreeing that a front license plate detracts from the looks of the car, I'm just saying that it doesn't matter how it looks if the law says that you have to have one.

I think it looks worse laying on the dash. I prefer not to be hassled by the local police and possibly getting a ticket for something as minor as not having the plate displayed where its supposed to be.

But as with anything concerning your car, you own it, you get to decide.

Good luck with it.

 

I guess my '85 is a lot different from your camaro, but I have, and always have had, a plate mounted on the front of my car. I also have a tb ss that did not have the front plate. When I heard the chp was enforcing the requirement I went to the dealer and got the factory mounting bracket. I did not need to drill anything.

I have to agree with our brother from Alabama. Do it right and be done with it. Y'all got a lot of common sense down there

 

I agree that the law is the law, but it is selectively enforced. When it is as something as small as a front plate, this is where the spirit of the law trumps the letter of the law. In the 8 years I've owned my car, I've been giving 3 front plate tickets. It's a minor hassle to keep the car looking the way I want.

 

I've been driving my IROC for ~12 yrs. now. I've received a couple of tickets for speeding. The officers walked all around my car wrote the ticket and never mention my not having plates.
Just lucking I guess or maybe the just get it that it distracts from appearance of the car.

I got pulled over with my daily driver for having very dark tinting. the officer made me roll down all the windows so he could look inside the car and said, "Well you don't look look like a gang member or drug runner, so I could write a ticket but it's really no big deal so have a nice day." Then he drove off.