front license plate removal

I should probably buy a bracket and get the Riv legal for my daughter for next spring.

Yes the front plate is that bad. I've been stopped twice for it but I have fabricated this beautiful story that keeps me from getting a ticket. I actually bought a new plate bracket, and I carry it with me in the trunk. I tell the officer the plate bracket has been on back order for months, and it just recently came in. I even offer to show it to him, but they just tell me to get it put on as soon as possible. I'll sell the car before that atrocity is mounted on my Riv.

bigdave wrote:

I don't think the factory bracket and license plate look bad on these cars at all. In fact, I think the front bumper covers look a bit plain without them.

Yeah..... keep telling yourself that....   

I don't think it looks terrible with it, just better without. All considered its about the best/least stylistically invasive bracket I've seen on such a protruding round-nosed car. When the car turns 30 and qualifies for collector plates I'll ditch the front plate and get the front bumper holes filled n repainted. Until then, me and everybody else in Washington can enjoy our front bug catchers. (This is what I tell myself at least. My brother in law whom I see often is state patrol and wouldn't be so kind to me about such things as to give me a friendly warning...sigh)

This is pretty interesting..
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2013/10/how-many-states-require-front-license-plates.html

man...Charlie...I hate that map.

Okay, so even if you got one of those retractable things, still why would you leave it hidden, except for shows? And how many of you are showing your car anyway? Why give a reason to be pulled over? It makes no sense. Just leave the front plate where it belongs.

And that map just shows why it should be designed in from the factory - the majority of states require it.

Would it be different if the front plate location were 'properly integrated' into the design of the front end instead of looking like an afterthought?

Well I've never been stopped because of the missing plate, but got a warning for it when I messed up and didn't notice a reduced speed limit sign and got a speeding ticket.

My Riv came from Florida originally which meant no front plate. It then went to MN which DOES require it, but the older gentleman I bought it from wasn't interested in having one installed, and never got stopped for it in MN either. I'll put one on in March instead of giving our fine local officers an additional reason to pull over my daughter when she starts driving to school.

but Dave,can't you get a retractable bracket?...just don't drill the bumper.

I see no reason to spend $50 on that thing. My Riv is going downhill fast, inside and out. I'm really not concerned about the cosmetics anymore, it's beyond financial feasibility to try to preserve it.

Well I wasn't intending to search but this link fell into my view today, completely by chance. Michigan is seeking to require front plates claiming crime deterrent and public safety!

http://hunter.senatedems.com/news/article/hunter-introduces-new-license-plate-bill-to-combat-crime-protect-citizens

Ohhh....Derek!...the way the things r goin' I think we gotta wait for the shit to go digital.Imagine just a small concealed area in front ...why not a pop up screen? Your VOLT should have such....hahaha....

As far as showing the car or takin it to any casual events, the best purchase I ever made was this novelty plate. Black with white n red accents to flow with my cars already established look. I think it looks great and at NW Buick open this summer I had sooooo many guys asking about it haha. Pays to shop around and find the less common designs. Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick

I think the front line of the car is way too great for plates and such......haha

Evan, your car looks great! I don't think it would look any better with the plate removed.

I ordered an OEM plate holder from gmpartsdirect.com yesterday, $28. Used on Ebay was more than that.

Thanks Dave (bigdave, so many Daves!) And here's our sister Aurora for sale near here without the front plate. First one I've seen without and weeeeeeird lookin nose this way

Sad day tomorrow... I'm preparing to drill holes in the bumper to add my front plate. My daughter starts driving it on Thursday, and I don't want to give the local officers any reason to pull her over. Just gotta stop by NAPA and see if they have some generic hardware to attach the bracket.

Please just buy one of those hideaway brackets? The kind that flips out to show n slides away to hide. Then no holes in the front bumper at least. Sigh... Poor cars. Compliance is always the destroyer of beautiful design in cars

Sorry, not gonna happen.

1998 Riv wrote:

Sad day tomorrow...  I'm preparing to drill holes in the bumper to add my front plate.  My daughter starts driving it on Thursday, and I don't want to give the local officers any reason to pull her over.   Just gotta stop by NAPA and see if they have some generic hardware to attach the bracket.  

Sorry to hear it but you got to do what you got to do.   

Just to let you know, the ones I have removed were held on with large pop rivets, just a hole drilled through the cover, then pop riveted on.

llamalor2112 wrote:

Sigh... Poor cars. Compliance is always the destroyer of beautiful design in cars

I'm glad we don't have to have it here in NC, my '95 never had one installed   , my first Silver Arrow had one when I got it, I had it removed, the holes filled and had the bumper cover painted , still have it on my high mileage SA, don't see a point in removing it until I get around to fixing it up.

99Rivman wrote:

Just to let you know, the ones I have removed were held on with large pop rivets, just a hole drilled through the cover, then pop riveted on.

I picked up a set of Balkamp screws at NAPA today, 4 for the bracket, 4 for the plate. Thinking I'll drive the Riv home for lunch Tue or Wed and do the dirty deed.

I know it might be a bit too late, but here in MD if the car didn't come with means of attaching a front plate you just need to carry it in your vehicle. Basically I could go remove mine, fill in/paint the holes, and say it came that way and I would be fine.

FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING, FOR A VEHICLE REQUIRED TO DISPLAY TWO REGISTRATION PLATES, THAT THE FRONT REGISTRATION PLATE MAY BE STORED IN A CERTAIN MANNER INSIDE THE VEHICLE IF THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITHOUT A MEANS TO SECURE AND DISPLAY A FRONT PLATE; MAKING STYLISTIC CHANGES; AND GENERALLY RELATING TO REGISTRATION PLATES.

So if your car has no place on the front bumper for the front tag you no longer need to drill holes in the bumper making stylistic changes to your car.

Can't do that in ND. And a plate in the dash is not legal either. What's the point of MD having you keep the front plate inside the car? No one can see it anyway...