Front License Plate Mod

[coolcat]

So, I started off to do an oil change (my first with Mobil 1 synthetic
BTW) and turned out getting a little adventurous. I've been wishing I
didn't have to have the front license plate hanging out there looking
so ugly for quite some time (ever since I bought my first Insight). I
finally decided to do something about it!

First I took off the license plate bracket and measured stuff up. Sure
enough, the lower grill opening is just tall enough to let the letters
and numbers of the license plate show through. So, after some figurin'
I bent the plate in the middle to match the contour of the car's
bumper, then made a template and marked a line in the lower lip of the
bumper. Then, using a circular cutting bit in my Dremel, I made a cut
on the line and test-fit the plate. Then I took the plate back out and
drilled a hole near the top right in the center. I cut a tab around
the hole with some tin snips and bent it back, then bent the rest of
the top edge of the plate forward. I took the screw out of the
top/center of the rubber grill and put it through the new hole in the
license plate. With a little more bending and some wiggy-jigging I got
the plate all centered and it looks great! Now I've got to figure out
a way to make the ugly holes left by the original plate bracket go
away.

I've posted pictures here: http://homepage.mac.com/coolcat/PhotoAlbum20.html

[figgy]

That looks really good!

[coolcat]

Originally Posted by figgy

That looks really good!

Thanks!

[dan]

Hi Coolcat-

That looks very cool. I’m gonna check out “hiding” mine too. You might want to check out: http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=1238 concerning those pesky bumper holes. I liked dazey’s (+) and (-) idea.

[b1shmu63]

Looks rather European.

[Sparky5501]

Looks really good.

I hope it's not breaking any of your state's vehicle licencing laws. "Proper display of vehicle licence plate."

I have my licence plate under the front bumper as well. Having the plate down there kind of acts like a warm air mod.

[Corey872]

Looks good, but I'm sure the local LEO will have a different opinion, though. Too bad he is the one that can drain your bank account with a stroke of the pen.

Good Luck with it!

[coolcat]

Several years ago I lost the front license plate off my Civic in a flooded parking lot during a thunderstorm. I took 2 years before any LEOs even noticed, then I just got a warning to fix it. We'll see what happens this time, but I'm still displaying the plate and the number is clearly visible and unobstructed. If anything I'll probably just get another warning and have to put it back the way it was... for a little while anyway

[Yves M.]

That looks great. Good mod!

[dazey]

Nice, now to find out if that would be legal in CA. (Even though many of the cars around here don't have front plates or have something else up there. And I probably still won't get pulled over every other week like my friend who has an Accord with a body kit.) Then I will just need to find some chromed plugs for the old holes and actually do that mod