Made a front plate bracket

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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 03:25 PM
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Made a front plate bracket

NJ requires a front plate, and putting it in the front window doesn't fly (officially). Ever since I removed the OEM front plate bracket to clean behind it, I've been driving without a front plate. I like the look so much better, and I also ordered black decals to go in the ACURA inset on the bumper. The OEM plate bracket covers that area entirely.

So I set out to mount my plate somewhere else in the front of the car. I saw the RHO-Plate bracket which uses the tow hook location, but I wasn't about to spend that much money, and it puts the plate a bit too high for my taste.

I decided to do it myself. A couple of L brackets, nuts, bolts, and washers, and this is what I came up with. I had to drill 2 holes in the lower air dam, and had to do so without removing it since I would first have to drop the A-Spec lip.

I used rubber well nuts like these to attach the plate to the bracket, which protects the bumper/lip. Now I need to get a set of WDP plugs for the holes in the front, and apply the ACURA decal when it arrives. And this snow could take a hike too. I sure picked a miserable day to work on the car.





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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 03:43 PM
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Nicely done =)
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 03:49 PM
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Looks good dude, I like it when people think up mods and do it themselves. Very simple design, nice.

Only thing different I would have done would be is to shape the plate curved to follow the bumper contour for a flush cleaner look. A large pole, a bucket, paint pail whatever to shape it. Just an idea.
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 04:11 PM
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Thanks, I like that. If I take it back off to paint the brackets black, I'll try to give the plate a bit of a curvature.
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 06:02 PM
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Wow can't believe u did that in the snow haha congrats it looks goood
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 06:13 PM
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I like how the aspec lip has icicles from it. I wouldn't even step out of the house in that weather, let along make a license bracket. good work
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 06:14 PM
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Originally Posted by jptl04
Looks good dude, I like it when people think up mods and do it themselves. Very simple design, nice.

Only thing different I would have done would be is to shape the plate curved to follow the bumper contour for a flush cleaner look. A large pole, a bucket, paint pail whatever to shape it. Just an idea.
but give it some driving time, and high speed runs, and it will probably bend back to that shape

so it will probably need to be reinforced from the rear, but a bit of thicker aluminum flat bar, would more then likely take care of that though (should be available at your local Home Depot lol)
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 06:43 PM
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From: MurrLyn
Very unique. Like alot. As stated above, a little curvature and you're GOLDEN
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 07:32 PM
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Nice boots
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 10:22 PM
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nice!
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Old Jan 8, 2011 | 11:59 PM
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Haha thanks for all the comments. NJ plates are not completely flat like some other states I've lived in. The letters/numbers are actually raised, and there is a beveled edge around the plate. I don't know how well it will form a curve.

Regarding reinforcement, I stopped back at Lowes tonight and picked up two more well nuts for the top plate holes. The plate is now tight against the bumper/lip with those rubber nuts, and of course bolted to the bracket.
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 12:20 AM
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Originally Posted by stvtec
Haha thanks for all the comments. NJ plates are not completely flat like some other states I've lived in. The letters/numbers are actually raised, and there is a beveled edge around the plate. I don't know how well it will form a curve.

Regarding reinforcement, I stopped back at Lowes tonight and picked up two more well nuts for the top plate holes. The plate is now tight against the bumper/lip with those rubber nuts, and of course bolted to the bracket.
same here though
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 11:06 AM
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I think it would look better further to the corner instead of so close to the center? Otherwise it's a nice cheap mod you've done. I wanted to do something like this also, but I've just been running no front plates for almost a year now. Only 1 ticket from a meter maid while parked on my block so far. Don't really get much problems thank goodness.
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 11:27 AM
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It will bend easy, it's made of metal! Towel over the plate a few wacks with a rubber mallet done!
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 12:16 PM
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The further I would put it from the center, the more the plate would be angled "not forward" if you know what I mean. Or I'd have to make one mount stick out much further than the other, so the plate would be square towards the front of the car. That's why I opted to put it there.

I know the plate will bend if I hit it with a mallet, what I mean is I'm not sure if it will take a nice smooth round curvature, since it has a bevel or "bead" around the edge. If you try to bend it, it tends to twist.

Thanks for the comments and ideas though, I appreciate it. I may put a license plate frame on it if I see something nice.
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 01:08 PM
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Clean and simple-well done.
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 04:06 PM
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I think it looks ok. A very simple black frame around it will make it look much cleaner and complete.
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 05:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Timb227
A very simple black frame around it will make it look much cleaner and complete.
x2, and to mate with lip's accent..
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Old Jan 9, 2011 | 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by steven bell
clean and simple-well done.
+1.
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 01:16 PM
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looks good ... nice and simple
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 02:08 PM
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Looks Great!!..In Texas Requires a front plate also..i was planning to make my own bracket but didnt know where to put it...u just gave me a new idea
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 02:14 PM
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I mounted my plate in a similar way but on the other side...I bent mine along the bumper, don't be afraid to bend it...its only aluminum!

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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 02:28 PM
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^ I saw your pics the next day after I did mine. I'm going to give it a bit of a bend, and I did put on the dealership frame until I find something nice and understated.
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 05:42 PM
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I like it in the middle more but thats not bad. You should get the pligs to cover the spot where the stock location is.
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 06:38 PM
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Being on that side does it bother the air flow to the intake?
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 06:48 PM
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looks good, heres mine: pushed out slightly more from the center

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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 07:00 PM
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chinkwapin...ur plate location was the reason I did mine (only I went opposite)
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 07:02 PM
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Originally Posted by stvtec
^ I saw your pics the next day after I did mine. I'm going to give it a bit of a bend, and I did put on the dealership frame until I find something nice and understated.
I want to give mine a black trim...maybe some rubber stripping? I gotta figure something out.
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 07:32 PM
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^^^^
For a border use some door edge gaurd. Pep boys, autozone, kragen, take your pick. Under $10. 3min install.
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Old Jan 10, 2011 | 08:50 PM
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I highly doubt that there is any impact to the intake, but that's just my opinion. Speaking of intake, I just deleted the intake snorkel/silencer tonight.
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Old Jan 13, 2011 | 11:53 AM
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Nice job.
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Old Mar 19, 2011 | 10:05 AM
  #32  
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I kinda have a more ghetto way of doing it..
3M double sided tape, around the plate then right on bumper, I didnt want to drill into the bumper, and haven't had time to make one
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Old Mar 19, 2011 | 03:03 PM
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hopefully it doesnt fall off or ruin ur bumper!
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Old Mar 19, 2011 | 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Xraided28
I kinda have a more ghetto way of doing it..
3M double sided tape, around the plate then right on bumper, I didnt want to drill into the bumper, and haven't had time to make one
I wouldnt trust that 3m two sided tape.. Id make the bracket if i was you..
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