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Short Number Plates?

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StuBeeDoo
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by StuBeeDoo » Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:33 am

StuBeeDoo wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 12:33 pmI might revisit this and do the job properly
When the car was in for it's last EGR recall, I ordered the "handlebar moustache" trim and a US-spec. 'plate plinth. :)

I have fitted the trim this morning. The plinth needs to be cut and plastic-welded back together because it's too deep, so for now I have stuck the 'plate directly to the trim.

The car is filthy at the moment, but when I've washed it I'll post a picture.
October 2012 build X3 30d SE, Bluewater.  Now with Webasto sunroof and paddle-shift   8)
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neil50
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by neil50 » Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:17 pm

My private place should arrive in the next few weeks and could be relatively short but not sure if I am going to cut or keep standard size (legality etc.)

The registration is: X5 and then my 3 initials :) :)
Current
2011 E70 40d 7 seat - remapped
Merc CLK convertible
Audi A2
Smart Car
Previous BMW
E32 - 735se, 735il
E39 - 530d touring
E61 - 525i touring, 525d touring (remapped)

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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by StuBeeDoo » Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:09 pm

..
Last edited by StuBeeDoo on Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
October 2012 build X3 30d SE, Bluewater.  Now with Webasto sunroof and paddle-shift   8)
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by StuBeeDoo » Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:09 pm

..
Last edited by StuBeeDoo on Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
October 2012 build X3 30d SE, Bluewater.  Now with Webasto sunroof and paddle-shift   8)
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by StuBeeDoo » Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:10 pm

..
Last edited by StuBeeDoo on Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
October 2012 build X3 30d SE, Bluewater.  Now with Webasto sunroof and paddle-shift   8)
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by StuBeeDoo » Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:11 pm

neil50 wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:17 pm not sure if I am going to cut or keep standard size (legality etc.)
A cut-down plate is still legal, as long as it includes the legally-required text, the font is legal, and the borders are the correct width. :) I'll measure the borders on mine, if you like. I can't remember what I cut them to but I know that I researched it at the time and stayed just within the law.

When I get a pic of my plate fitted, I'll include one showing the mess that dealerships/traders made of the bumper trim when they fitted or replaced plates at least 3 times.
October 2012 build X3 30d SE, Bluewater.  Now with Webasto sunroof and paddle-shift   8)
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by neil50 » Tue Mar 17, 2020 10:58 pm

StuBeeDoo wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:11 pm
neil50 wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:17 pm not sure if I am going to cut or keep standard size (legality etc.)
A cut-down plate is still legal, as long as it includes the legally-required text, the font is legal, and the borders are the correct width. :) I'll measure the borders on mine, if you like. I can't remember what I cut them to but I know that I researched it at the time and stayed just within the law.

When I get a pic of my plate fitted, I'll include one showing the mess that dealerships/traders made of the bumper trim when they fitted or replaced plates at least 3 times.
Not sure how it will look back and front with short number plates, there are only 5 digits for my registration.
Current
2011 E70 40d 7 seat - remapped
Merc CLK convertible
Audi A2
Smart Car
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E32 - 735se, 735il
E39 - 530d touring
E61 - 525i touring, 525d touring (remapped)

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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by StuBeeDoo » Wed Mar 18, 2020 7:51 am

I've never, yet, run a short rear 'plate - but I have been wondering about it. I need check the one with the original reg. that the trader who sold me the car fitted, to see where he would have drilled the tailgate. IIRC if the original BMW drillings are the only ones, I could cut mine down.

EDIT:- I've just checked....... He stuck the rear one. :roll: ..........Yet the front one was fitted with a screw in each corner.
October 2012 build X3 30d SE, Bluewater.  Now with Webasto sunroof and paddle-shift   8)
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by X5Sport » Wed Mar 18, 2020 8:30 pm

Mine are all stuck on too, but I had to heat the front plates on all of ours just enough to allow me to match the curve of the bumpers. I kept finding that even using the proper tape, in hot weather the adhesive softens enough that the plates ‘sprung’ at one end or other. With the curve put in that no longer happens. :)
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by neil50 » Wed Mar 18, 2020 8:54 pm

just waiting for my new registration to come through and then I will start "experimenting" :) :)
Current
2011 E70 40d 7 seat - remapped
Merc CLK convertible
Audi A2
Smart Car
Previous BMW
E32 - 735se, 735il
E39 - 530d touring
E61 - 525i touring, 525d touring (remapped)

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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by StuBeeDoo » Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:36 am

Neil50........ There is an eBay seller who does "100% legal" perspex 'plates. Search "short 5 digit number plates". :thumbsup:

EDIT:- My self-cut front plate (7 characters, but 2x 1s) is 405mm long and the distance between the outer characters and the edges of the plate is 15mm. As above, I checked the legality of this before cutting.
Last edited by StuBeeDoo on Mon Apr 06, 2020 5:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by X5Sport » Fri Mar 20, 2020 1:33 pm

neil50 wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 8:54 pm just waiting for my new registration to come through and then I will start "experimenting" :) :)
If you can buy the stuff because of all the idiots ‘hoarding’, then a careful wipe with Isopropyl Alcohol will get any grease, old wax etc off the plastics and paint. It will not harm anything as it isn’t a solvent for these paint/plastic parts. It’s the same stuff used in hand sanitisers. I use it for cleaning the 3D printer, although using 99.9% pure on hands isn’t advised :P
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by neil50 » Fri Mar 20, 2020 9:55 pm

X5Sport wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2020 1:33 pm
neil50 wrote: Wed Mar 18, 2020 8:54 pm just waiting for my new registration to come through and then I will start "experimenting" :) :)
If you can buy the stuff because of all the idiots ‘hoarding’, then a careful wipe with Isopropyl Alcohol will get any grease, old wax etc off the plastics and paint. It will not harm anything as it isn’t a solvent for these paint/plastic parts. It’s the same stuff used in hand sanitisers. I use it for cleaning the 3D printer, although using 99.9% pure on hands isn’t advised :P
I use isopropyl at work so can get some :)
Current
2011 E70 40d 7 seat - remapped
Merc CLK convertible
Audi A2
Smart Car
Previous BMW
E32 - 735se, 735il
E39 - 530d touring
E61 - 525i touring, 525d touring (remapped)

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StuBeeDoo
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by StuBeeDoo » Mon Apr 06, 2020 6:30 pm

This is the mess that at least 3 changes of plate (the car has been on its original plate, then a personal plate, back to original, before my personal plate, which I fitted with sticky pads) made of the original "handlebar moustache" trim......
06 04 img 1.JPG
06 04 img 1.JPG (286.01 KiB) Viewed 2650 times

I bought a US-spec plinth, but when I fitted the new trim I tried sticking the short plate directly to the trim, but as it's not totally flat I couldn't get it to hold fast - even with plenty of heat. So, I cut the bottom 40-ish mm off the plinth and now it's all good.
06 04 spring public.jpg
06 04 spring public.jpg (287.95 KiB) Viewed 2650 times
Last edited by StuBeeDoo on Thu Apr 09, 2020 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
October 2012 build X3 30d SE, Bluewater.  Now with Webasto sunroof and paddle-shift   8)
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Re: Short Front Number Plate?

Post by sapphireblack » Mon Apr 06, 2020 7:21 pm

Epic effort for a simple outcome, credit for the perseverance.

On an X6 as the bumper has holes in to support the back plate, putting something narrower/shorter on is not an option, outside of replacing the bumper cover.

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