With a couple of steel pieces from Home Depot and a drill I somehow managed to mount the front license plate below the grille. The key is the black screws that hold the bottom sheet to the black plastic section under the grille.

Hopefully this mounting hasn't blocked the air-flow in a harmful manner.

Looks better than putting it over the grill for sure, I don't think you'll have any airflow issues with your plate there. I feel sorry for everyone that has to put a plate on the front of their 8, makes a mess out of that beautiful front end, thankfully they don't require a front plate in my province.

I'm supposed to have a front plate.... but I just never put it on. With a smashed and broken bracket in the trunk as a backup plan, I'll never need a front plate again! :D

Does Los Angeles require their cars to have a front plate?

Everywhere in CA requires a front plate.

Texas too...

I agree with ranger 4277. I was supposed to have a front plate on my Typhoon, but it ruined the look. I never put it on and never got stopped. I hope to have the same luck with the 8. I like the broken bracket idea!

Not to mention the advantages vis-a-vis photo radar. :D

I was so happy when I moved from VA to FL.....no more front license plate! It's the little things that make life worth living ;-)

Here in NY a front plate is required. I like the nose of my 2002 WRX (being replaced this winter by an 8) and because of that I just never put the plate on. I took the plate holder off, so if ever stopped (and I've been stopped twice) I could just shrug and say "wow, It must have fallen off recently....I'll get another one" It has not been a problem in the two years I've owned the car. I do not plan on putting one on my 8, either.

By the way.....I also have a couple of friends that own Ferraris. Neither of them has put their front plate on the car (God forbid they dessicrate that beautiful nose) and neither has had a problem......one has had his for over 10 years with no front plate.

Regards and happy 8-ing.

Man...

And yet I'm pulled over by Barney Fife in little Brodhead WI for no front plate on my Mountaineer.

Of course, if you have a Ferrari, the cop is going "WOW, a Ferrari!" and not looking for a front plate :).

Everyone should come to Florida - no front plates, no emissions testing, no vehicle inspections, no snow :).

I have seen Japanese cars with "flip" plate holders. At speed, the air force makes the plate flip horizonally into the nose of the car so it doesn't block airflow.

Dale

If I ever get pulled over, I doubt I'll even use the broken bracket excuse... I'll just pose the question to the nice officer "Would you put a plate on the front of this car??" His human side will sympathize and he'll agree, he will then sigh and dream of owning such a vehicle of his own.

I seriously think the plate on the front is overlooked on the 8 and other sporty looking cars just because they don't 'appear' missing when left off. There isn't an obvious flat area designed to accomodate the plate, It looks unnatural when it IS there. Last time I saw a ferrari drive by (360 Modena Spyder.. drool), I was too busy admiring the curves to notice any front plate. (even though time appeared to enter slow motion mode when it passed) About 5 minutes later I realized it had no plate. If it did have a plate I probably would have noticed right away since it would be a crime to have one on the front of that car. :)

Originally posted by rabinabo
Everywhere in CA requires a front plate.

Yet, you'll notice that approximately one in three cars you see on the road does not have a front plate attached (mine being one of them). :D

Originally posted by dcfc3s
Of course, if you have a Ferrari, the cop is going "WOW, a Ferrari!" and not looking for a front plate :).


I wish I could say that it was true but on the last Ferrari Club of America drive event, the local CHP office handed out 63 No front plate tickets out of 67 cars. I was one of them.

That stinks, Matt.......talk about a cop with an attitude. So you traded your 308 for an 8, huh.

At a local Ferrari event out here on LI a few weeks ago a dozen or so F-cars gathered and put on about 100 miles with no incidents...admirers included an on-duty cop....but I guess it's a matter of playing the odds......we lucked out.

I'm curious....why trade the 308 for an 8? Not getting enough use out of the 308? Wanted a daily driver with no worries of engine out services?

I'm planning on my first F-car purchase in a year or two and I'm looking at later model Mondials, probably a 3.2......any thoughts? For me, the back seat is what will make my F-car worth the time and expense......wife and kids can share the excitement.....just like in an RX8!!!

Originally posted by guinness
That stinks, Matt.......talk about a cop with an attitude. So you traded your 308 for an 8, huh.

I'm curious....why trade the 308 for an 8? Not getting enough use out of the 308? Wanted a daily driver with no worries of engine out services?

I'm planning on my first F-car purchase in a year or two and I'm looking at later model Mondials, probably a 3.2......any thoughts? For me, the back seat is what will make my F-car worth the time and expense......wife and kids can share the excitement.....just like in an RX8!!!

The 308 was my daily driver but my commute went from 4 miles to 44 miles and the maintenance costs were rising. It needed a engine rebuild and I did not want to sink 12k into it. I will get another f-car in about a year or so. I am thinking about a 355.

I really like the Mondial's. the 3.2 are better then the plain 8 or even the 3.0 QV. Problem is that Ferrari tested a lot of new technology on the Mondial. The Valeo Transmission comes to mind. If you can swing it, I would opted for the 456. It has 4 seats and it is a v-12. The Mondial is really just a streched 328. All the additional weight makes it underpowered.

If you want additional info or thoughts, e-mail me @ mmlemus@yahoo.com

Matt

Originally posted by ranger4277
I'm supposed to have a front plate.... but I just never put it on. With a smashed and broken bracket in the trunk as a backup plan, I'll never need a front plate again! :D

Put the plate on and do a freeway run in the late evening to pick up a good assortment of squashed bugs and *then* stow the plate and the 'broken' bracket - this will lend credence to your 'explanation' :D

Matt -

Nice 308......I really like the "understated" colors (azurro is another of my favs) a bit more than red.....and I hear you on the service bills. They are the real challenge to continued ownership.

Thanks for the advice offer....I'll keep it in mind. I know the Mondi's are a compromise....and are really considered to be "lesser" Ferraris, but they are also the best buy, bar none, IMO in the F-car world. The 456 is an amazing car, and a bit out of my "entry-level" price range. But perhaps for my second one.....

The first Ferrari I ever drove was a 95 355 Spider, blue/tan (my favorite model). I still get a racing heartbeat thinking about it. Good luck with yours.

How do you find the performance of your 308 compared to the RX8? I find the 3.2 Mondi to be similar in handling, but there is NOTHING like an 8 cyl cranking out at 8,000 rpms. The feeling from the rotary at 9K is a close second, though.

Ever since I lived in CA, (starting in 93), I had no front plate on any of my cars. I have a Ford Probe since 94 and I was never stopped yet for a missing front plate. Even my wife's Passat is without it (she told me she doesn't like the look and asked me to take it off). No problems so far (for the last 5 years with the Passat).
The Probe is another one of those cars that get their lines ruined with the front plate.

No front plate in AZ!

You're covering your front rotor! :O

As someone else said, they are required in California. The front plate of my 91 RX-7 convertible fell off at an amusement park about 2 years after getting the car (or was stolen?). Back then, I was averaging a speeding ticket every 6 months or so, and one cop commented once on the missing plate [I paid the fine, it's a 0 pointer]. I had the car parked on the street in front of my house for 2 years (the last of which was while waiting for the RX-8), and I get a ticket [again, I paid it, since DMV wouldn't just send me a single blue personalized plate, I would have to switch to the white ones].

I removed it from my 82 RX-7 about a year after getting the car, and never got hassled (got rid of that car in 98 after about 250K miles).

I just transfered this plate to the RX-8 (well, I transfered it to my last RX-8 and am waiting on the registration from DMV for the replacement car's), so we will see.

I remember a while back a neighbour on my street, a short quiet street you only drive on it if you live on it, he had an old beater parked on the street. He rarely drove it, no front plate bracket so he had the plate on the front dash. Within one week without driving the car he was ticketed twice for the front plate.

The front license plate is a money maker for cities that operate red light cameras. In order to issue the tickets, CA laws require the camera to capture driver's face plus front license plate. Without the front license plate, the cities can't issue the tickets. Therefore the city poiice will go after any car that don't have front license plate. Because they see you as a potential Xmas bonus.

How do I know all this? City of Beverly Hills explained it to me as I paid them the $350.00 red light ticket (It was yellow). FYI, one guy's case was toss out because he got hold a city document that showed city shorten the yellow light duration by 0.5 second after the camera was installed. It didn't apply me because it was at a different intersection.

City like Beverly Hills is notorious for going after missing license plate. My advice to those who want to fight the system in CA. If you get pull over for that and your front windows are tinted, roll roll them down quick. In most of cases, the cop will write you up the tinted windows violation too. That is pain in the A** to fix and costly too.

this law sucks
In my civic I had atleast 20 tickets for front licesne plate
They pulled me over for that and then would add too low, sound system, exhaust, tint, clear corners, etc etc

cops told me they could tow my car because it had air suspension

I had a chance to take a job in Silicon Valley back when tech was still booming. Glad I didn't. California is turning into Kailfornia anymore. The state treats you more like a subject than a citizen. Colorado has its problems too, don't get me wrong, but at least they haven't outlawed all fun here yet :)

BTW, are they going to get that new car tax repealed? Good luck!

i had the front plate on. i took it out. im willing to take a chance

Originally posted by MuzzleFlash
I had a chance to take a job in Silicon Valley back when tech was still booming. Glad I didn't. California is turning into Kailfornia anymore. The state treats you more like a subject than a citizen. Colorado has its problems too, don't get me wrong, but at least they haven't outlawed all fun here yet :)

BTW, are they going to get that new car tax repealed? Good luck!

What's the law here in Colorado? Do we have to have a front plate? I have seen cars without them many times.

Originally posted by Tamas
Ever since I lived in CA, (starting in 93), I had no front plate on any of my cars. I have a Ford Probe since 94 and I was never stopped yet for a missing front plate.

Every "no front plate" ticket I've ever heard of was issued in conjunction with some other traffic offense (e.g. speeding). My theory is the cops can't (or won't) pull you over JUST for the front plate, but if they pull you over for something else, they'll be happy to tack "no front plate" onto the list of charges against you. :)

Originally posted by MuzzleFlash
I had a chance to take a job in Silicon Valley back when tech was still booming. Glad I didn't. California is turning into Kailfornia anymore. The state treats you more like a subject than a citizen. Colorado has its problems too, don't get me wrong, but at least they haven't outlawed all fun here yet :)

BTW, are they going to get that new car tax repealed? Good luck!

Governor-elect promises to repeal the tax as soon as he takes office, and it will be retro-active. In the meantime, showroom floors are empty. Good time to strike a deal?

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/11/06/MNG2M2RGRM1.DTL


.

Damn, well, if you got to have it...

Originally posted by dvarapala
Every "no front plate" ticket I've ever heard of was issued in conjunction with some other traffic offense (e.g. speeding). My theory is the cops can't (or won't) pull you over JUST for the front plate, but if they pull you over for something else, they'll be happy to tack "no front plate" onto the list of charges against you. :)

Yes they can, especially in Beverly Hills. I think they have a delicate team does nothing but writing drivers up for missing front plate. What's f@#k up in about the red light camera program in LA county is that they are operate by a private company. Cities would pay this company a percentage of total revenue from the fines. What a corrupted system!

Speaking of corrupted politics, why can't we get rid of this front license plate BS law? After all, we got rid of Davis! Maybe we should start a letter campaign to the Terminator. Just a thought.

A friend of mine told me that the front view of RX8 with license plate looks like Bugs Bunny's face. Side mirrors are the ears, headlights are the eyes and front license plate is the teeth...it sorta does ha ha...what's up doc!!

Originally posted by Wave
What's the law here in Colorado? Do we have to have a front plate? I have seen cars without them many times. In 1998 I looked it up and it said front plates are not needed on cars that have no provision to accept them. It was done as a courtesy for people moving here from the states that do not require front plates. If you had a front plate bracket, then you must mount the plate.

I told this to a friend last year and he said that part of the law was repealed in 2000. I need to go dig it out again to see if he's right. The only people doing photo radar that I know of is in the People's Republic of Denver.

Originally posted by Nubo
Governor-elect promises to repeal the tax as soon as he takes office, and it will be retro-active. In the meantime, showroom floors are empty. Good time to strike a deal?



I struck a hell of a deal. Thanks Ahnold. When I get my rebate check from the VLF, I will the borla!

Originally posted by MuzzleFlash
In 1998 I looked it up and it said front plates are not needed on cars that have no provision to accept them. It was done as a courtesy for people moving here from the states that do not require front plates. If you had a front plate bracket, then you must mount the plate.

I told this to a friend last year and he said that part of the law was repealed in 2000. I need to go dig it out again to see if he's right. The only people doing photo radar that I know of is in the People's Republic of Denver.

Thanks!! That's interesting to know. Let me know what you find out and I will look into it as well. :cool:

Originally posted by putterwedge
With a couple of steel pieces from Home Depot and a drill I somehow managed to mount the front license plate below the grille. The key is the black screws that hold the bottom sheet to the black plastic section under the grille.

Hey Putterwedge, can you take some photos of the custom made bracket? And did you have to drill holes in the RX8 (shudder!)?

The location looks much better than the original one.

Bob, I will try to take photos in the next day or two.

You actually only need to drill one small extra small hole through the bottom black plastic sheet for each metal bracket. The trick is in measuring and drilling the holes in the metal bracket itself. The brackets are $.37 truss clips part no. 044315810008 from Home Depot.

If you look under the front of the car you will see 4 black sheet metal screws spaced about a foot apart. The two center ones nearly line up with a license plate. After I placed, measured and drilled a hole in each bracket I replaced the two center screws with longer screws to hold the bracket in place. These screws go into a metal clip.

To stabilize each bracket I drilled another hole in each and in the plastic sheet. As there is no metal clip to screw into here I put a short bolt through the hole and the bracket and tightened a nut on the end. To put the bolt through required removing all 4 screws which allowed me to pull down the plastic sheet far enough to insert the bolt from the top. I then replaced the screws.

I bent the brackets outward slightly and drilled one hole in each for the plate. I put a small piece of weatherstripping on the back of the plate to prevent possible contact with the car.

Hopefully these instructions are somewhat clear. P Wedge

Originally posted by putterwedge
Bob, I will try to take photos in the next day or two.

I think I have a pretty good idea of how you did it now. I'll be looking forward to the photos, though.

Bob, I hope these two photos help. They're the best I could get. I had to cobble together screws and bolts to make things work which you won't have to do. P Wedge.

2nd picture. P Wedge.

Excellent! Thanks.

While I do admit that front plates look like crap, I'm not sure I would have mounted the plate down there. 80% of the "grill" is a dummy anyways so the plate wasn't blocking much airflow in the first place. On the other hand now it is sitting directly in the airflow path to the radiator. Go outside and look really carefully at the grill. Most of it is a dummy since here in the U.S. we have different crash test standards. That is just a big bumper behind there. I'd be more inclined to put it back where it should be although I don't think it looks good anywhere on the front.

Is a fine for no front plate in CA new? How much is it?

I recall getting a fix-it ticket about 10 years ago for no front plate. I had to go to the local highway patrol office and get it signed-off after I installed it. No fine.

I guess the fine is new
I think its 70 bucks and proof of correction.

I got one in August 2003 and there was no fine

(I live in Caliornia as well)

A friend of mine got a fix-it-ticket for the missing plante without a fine.

I got pulled over ~6 times in the past 3 years for various reasons, and the cop never wrote me up for the missing plate, although several times they definitely had noticed it.

Originally posted by MuzzleFlash
In 1998 I looked it up and it said front plates are not needed on cars that have no provision to accept them. It was done as a courtesy for people moving here from the states that do not require front plates. If you had a front plate bracket, then you must mount the plate.

I told this to a friend last year and he said that part of the law was repealed in 2000. I need to go dig it out again to see if he's right. The only people doing photo radar that I know of is in the People's Republic of Denver.
MuzzleFlash -

Love your screen name. :D

FYI, Fort Collins is big into Photo Radar too... be advised.

I too am in Colorado (Longmont), and I'd LOVE to hear what your research on the law here tells you. I'd heard the same thing about the lack-of-bracket meaning you don't have to put the plate on, so that's MY story. Perfect, if it works, as there is no "obvious" way to mount the plate.

Originally posted by matt
I wish I could say that it was true but on the last Ferrari Club of America drive event, the local CHP office handed out 63 No front plate tickets out of 67 cars. I was one of them.

How much for the ticket?

I notice a lot of people that have front plates with contents other than being license plates. Such as plates saying "US Marines" in the front. Lots of GI around here. Now, seeing that is allowed, how about NO FRONT PLATE? I mean, isn't that the same as no front plate anyway?

By the way, this is in Oceanside, California. If these guys can drive around here like this, they can drive in San Diego and LA too. Can someone let us know something about this?

I searched all over DMV.gov and ca.dmv.gov. I have not found anywhere saying anything about front plate being required, optional, or optional under certain circumstances.

Anyone please advise on this?

For those in Illinois who might be interested in the sad details, front plates are mandatory here as well:

625 ILCS 5/3-413(a): "Registration plates issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, trailer, semitrailer, truck-tractor, apportioned bus, or apportioned truck shall be attached thereto, one in the front and one in the rear."

A missing plate is grounds for a traffic stop: People v. Sturlic,
130 Ill.App.3d 120, 474 N.E.2d 1 (1985).

By my unscientific estimate, compliance is between 90-95%, far less on cars like the RX-8 that have no molded area for the front plate.

Originally posted by starstar5
I searched all over DMV.gov and ca.dmv.gov. I have not found anywhere saying anything about front plate being required, optional, or optional under certain circumstances.

Anyone please advise on this?

Take a look at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc5200.htm

Thanks bobclevenger!

I think I did come by that page, I thought, though, they would issue some kind of warning if they are serious about the mandation of the front plate, or whether it can be optional.

It's only optional as much as any law is. If the officer feels like writing a ticket for it he (or she) can. They usually don't, but it does provide "probable cause" to stop you.

Originally posted by rotarygod
80% of the "grill" is a dummy anyways so the plate wasn't blocking much airflow in the first place. On the other hand now it is sitting directly in the airflow path to the radiator.

Yes, I looked carefully at that. The stock licence plate mount blocks about 20.25 square inches of the airflow path. The licence plate in the relocated position blocks about 38.5 square inches. So by relocating the plate one loses about 18.25 square inches (about 10% of the whole airflow area), which is about the same as a couple of those club/country medallions that people mount on their grilles. I doubt that it is that significant --- and I am keeping a close watch on the temp gauge; so far no difference.

Live in the SF Bay area. Don't mind taking a chance not having front license plate. However, have to attach the fast trak transponder (for Golden Gate Bridge). The holes drilled for the ugly plastic thing mazda gives us to hold the front plate are to far apart for the transponder. Any suggestions.
Thanks in advance.

How does the front plate attach to the grill? I'm wanting to take mine off but not sure what's involved. Are there brackets or something on the inside (back) of the grill? If so, I think it might be a pain to get inside the back of the grill, no?

Or am I totally overthinking this and it's just a simple unscrew?

Originally posted by RX-Nut
How does the front plate attach to the grill? I'm wanting to take mine off but not sure what's involved. Are there brackets or something on the inside (back) of the grill? If so, I think it might be a pain to get inside the back of the grill, no?



Yes, there's are two metal brackets behind the grill. They are equally spaced for the plate. You will have to drill through to get to the bracket. If you look very carefully, you will see a two dots where you need to drill in front of the grill. I can take pictures later if you need.

Originally posted by RX-Nut
How does the front plate attach to the grill? I'm wanting to take mine off but not sure what's involved. Are there brackets or something on the inside (back) of the grill? If so, I think it might be a pain to get inside the back of the grill, no?

Or am I totally overthinking this and it's just a simple unscrew?

Yep, you're overthinking it. That's better than underthinking it!
If you have a front plate already present then all the drilling and stuff has been done by the dealer.
To remove the plate just unscrew the bolts that hold the plate on.
To remove the bracket just unscrew the bolts that hold the bracket on; the nuts will remain in place behind the grille.

Originally posted by bobclevenger

To remove the bracket just unscrew the bolts that hold the bracket on; the nuts will remain in place behind the grille.

COOL! That's what I was hoping for. I didn't want to unscrew them and then see all kinds of nuts falling from the back of it.

THANKS!!