Texas requires a front license plate....can you say UGLY?

I'm trying to think of a way to temporarily mount a front plate on the MINI. I don't have mine mounted but I worry about those times when I might be on the legal limit after dinner out on the town and giving cops an excuse to stop me. I take care to only drive when I am sober but who needs the hassle anyway? I've considered mounting felt on the back of the plate and just throwing it on the dash when needed. But today I got to thinking about some quick disconnect type mount on the bumper that would not show when the plate is in the boot. Ideas? Suction cups with a safety leash? Receiver hitch type mount? You tell me what you think.

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You want the truth (about the mods)? You can't handle the TRUTH! - Jack Nicholson on my MINI

 

The license plate bracket that came with the aero kit allows mounting from the bottom lip (area above the lower grille). When removed, the screw holes are not visible at all. :smile:

 

what about the plastic key chain hooks... where you depress it and it opens the ring

you could connect 2 of those to the holes in your license plate, and maybe a small chain to loop through the honeycomb grill and back into the clip...


hope that makes sense

 

I've always considered strapping the plate to the outside of the passenger visor. It's a little larger than the visor, but just a quick flip and your plate is on display...

 

Also, I bet you could come up with some clever combination with those bumper plugs we saw awhile back -- i.e., bumper plugs in when no front plate needed; remove the plugs & use some temp. install method for the plate when it is needed.

 

If you want to mount it under the bottom lip you should attach it with hinges. Then have it flip up and magneticly grab on to something under the car so it's not visible. Then when you want it down, just reach under, flip it down and let it flap in the wind. To put it up you could probably just kick it with your foot so the magnets grab onto the car.

 

I live in Massachusetts where the front plate is required for inspection, but I take it off for the rest of the year. I haven't done this yet (car only 4 mos. old), but I plan to very soon:
The plate mounting bracket has hooks at the top so that it grips the bumper - all you need to deal with is the lower mounting. There are holes at the bottom edge of the bracket (or you could drill new ones easily), and I think short thin bungee cords could be attached there with tiny hooks at the ends to grab the lower grille. This wouldn't be too sturdy, but for temporary use would suffice, and only a very close inspection would reveal that it wasn't permanent.

 

I also remember a thread from a while ago (~a year ago) that talked about plugs that were made to fill the mounting holes on porsches. I think people have bought them and gotten them painted to macth their car. It should be pretty easy to swap them in and out as needed.

 

Those are known as bumper plugs - you can get them from http://www.bumperplugs.com. I've seen some nice photos of these installed over on MINI2.com.

 

The dealer didn’t drill my bumper and my vanity plates haven’t arrived yet, so my removable front plate project has been on hold, but here is what I’ve been considering:

Mount two of these posts on the OEM front plate frame and two of the matching female receptacles on the bumper. Also put “standard” body colored plastic caps on a second set of posts. This is OEM hardware found on the driver’s side under dash cover on the MINI, but similar fittings should be available elsewhere.

If stopped by the law, then I’ll get the plate out of the boot and snap it on and tell the officer, “Thanks for telling me about the missing plate. I just came from showing the car and forgot to do a remount.”

 

Some people have been using the hole where the Toe hook goes....they've put together a hook that holds the plate in place...when you don't want it, unscrew the hook, replug the hole, we voila...an easily unplateable mini

L

 

I have a Colgan bra on the front of my car with no front plate and got ticketed a few weeks ago (tried the "I was showing the car" excuse but didn't work). To fix the situation, I put some high strength black velcro strips on the bra and the back of the plate, then attached the plate. No problems so far...

...but I don't use the bra all the time so I need something for the non-bra scenario. I like the tow hole idea...

 

>>I've always considered strapping the plate to the outside of the passenger visor. It's a little larger than the visor, but just a quick flip and your plate is on display...

Hmmm, perhaps a nice wide Euro plate would do double duty to fix the "small visor problem!"

 

They make some nuts that work similar to rivets for the installation. Then you could use plastic plugs or painted Tork or Recessed Hex screws when not in use. Or use race style quarter turn fasteners like Druze. Check w/ your local Fasenal dealer or check out these links.

http://www.mcmaster.com
http://www.fastenal.com
http://www.mscdirect.com

 

JUST PUT THE PLATE ON....LYING AND TEMPORARILY PUTTING IT ON AFTER DRINKING "A LITTLE" COME ON DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF. TRY NOT DRINKING AND DRIVING SO I DONT HAVE ANOTHER IDIOT TO DODGE DRIVING HOME , GET A CAB AND DRINK ALL YOU WANT...

 

>>JUST PUT THE PLATE ON....LYING AND TEMPORARILY PUTTING IT ON AFTER DRINKING "A LITTLE" COME ON DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF. TRY NOT DRINKING AND DRIVING SO I DONT HAVE ANOTHER IDIOT TO DODGE DRIVING HOME , GET A CAB AND DRINK ALL YOU WANT...


First, turn off the caps. Second, he asked for suggestion not for a lecture. Third, His concern is after drinking 2 beers, he drives home, and may just hit the legal limit. So why have an excuse for them to pull you over.

I know our limit here in AZ is a very very low level, where even 1 drink can allow you to be DUI.