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Front number plate on a 7
Andyouteast - 29/3/18 at 02:50 PM

Hi All

My first post here, so please bear with me if I've got this in the wrong place. I also looked through the first few pages here and did a search, but couldn't find the answer.

I have recently purchased an MK Indy (the one which is on here as 2004 MK Indy Busa Project), done a couple of minor jobs and been for a couple of test runs. Hopefully, I'll get it on track in April and have some real fun!

In the meantime, I wanted to check the requirement of front number plates. It currently doesn't have one, but is that legal? If not, where do people put them, as there doesn't seem to be much space to sensibly put one which doesn't look stupid and/or restrict airflow/ The only sensible answer might be a stick on one across the front of the nose, but i'm not sure stick on ones are legal etiher.

What do most people do?

Thanks

Andy


loggyboy - 29/3/18 at 02:54 PM

Yes it needs 100% one. Stick on ones dont comply with the BS reflective requirement, but most coppers wont know that as they are so common on kits and older cars.


nick205 - 29/3/18 at 03:37 PM

As loggy says they're supposed to have a compliant plate on the front (speed cameras).

I started out with a full size plate, but it looked daft as it was wider than the nose cone. I replaced it with a smaller plate as shown and never had any issues with it (MoT or police).


leon51274 - 29/3/18 at 03:50 PM

Mines stuck on the top of the nose cone and i still managed to get caught by a speed camera! Also never had any issues with mot but then i do have an mot friendly garage.


Slater - 29/3/18 at 03:52 PM

I too have a small plate, just like nick205, not had any issues with police etc.

However I do put a full size one on for the MOT, but I could probably get away with the small one, in fact I will try it next time, but have the full size one in the boot just in case.


tims31 - 29/3/18 at 04:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Yes it needs 100% one. Stick on ones dont comply with the BS reflective requirement, but most coppers wont know that as they are so common on kits and older cars.


You can get BS Compliant stick on ones from DMB Graphics, that's where I got mine.

DMB Graphics




[Edited on 29/3/18 by tims31]

[Edited on 29/3/18 by tims31]


steve m - 29/3/18 at 05:10 PM

Mines been on the bonnet for 19 years, no hassle with the Police, or mot's


Andyouteast - 29/3/18 at 07:12 PM

Thanks all for the replies.

I think I'll go with a stick on, as there's no space below, since it's not the standard MK nosecone. I would put a picture of the car on here, but can't see yet haw to do that....

I'm wary of undersized ones, as someone I do Sporting Bear Dream Rides with got a ticket a few years back, whilst doing a charity ride. Sometimes it depends on the police on duty, but on that day, they just didn't like the event, so looked at o their ways to put us off, i.e. Issuing tickets for very minor things. "Luckily" my clutch failed earlier that day!

Andy


907 - 29/3/18 at 07:28 PM

I have an import plate on the front of mine with a 4x4 plate on the back.

These were made for the car at first registration while the plate machine was linked to the DVLA computer so must be legal.


Paul G

Description
Description


SJ - 29/3/18 at 08:07 PM

I've just got a standard sized one on mine. Looks OK ish to me.


gremlin1234 - 29/3/18 at 08:18 PM

Q plates only need to conform to the pre 1971 rules,
so may be curved on the bonnet top, and also can be white on black


02GF74 - 29/3/18 at 09:15 PM

Use a stick on for reasons above, but.

On the DVLA site -

"Are stick-on number plates legal?

No, number plates must meet the British Standard requirements and we are not aware of any self-adhesive number plates that are able to meet these requirements."


loggyboy - 29/3/18 at 10:14 PM

quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
Q plates only need to conform to the pre 1971 rules,
so may be curved on the bonnet top, and also can be white on black


Thats a grey area tho, as the construction and use regulations base it on date of registration and require it to be yellow unless pre 73. Came up on here a few years back.


David Jenkins - 30/3/18 at 08:06 AM

Mine is a standard plate with the blue 'GB' on one side. It is a bit wide,but I've got used to it. Some people have cut off the blue bit to end up with a narrower plate - it would have to be a picky PC to get bolshy about that, as the lettering is absolutely standard.

Cars like this have dreadful aerodynamics, so a flat plate on the front isn't going to make a lot of difference!


peter030371 - 30/3/18 at 08:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins

Cars like this have dreadful aerodynamics, so a flat plate on the front isn't going to make a lot of difference!


Have a look how Caterham mount them on a race car. A wide plate positioned low and vertical helps reduce airflow under the nose cone and thus reduce lift. It's a free Aero dynamic body mod

Contrary to popular opinion the 7 shape is not a complete Aero disaster. Without a windscreen it's has a very small frontal area. It does have quite high drag and inherent lift but there are ways to help these and the number plate trick is one


Ian2812 - 30/3/18 at 08:43 PM

Andy,

This is how mine used to look... I thought it looked ridiculous to be honest.
As per Nick205 comments, plate wide wider than cone etc. Also how it was mounted, it covered half the grill and totally covered the oil cooler behind it.

Front Plate & Mesh - Before
Front Plate & Mesh - Before


Now with new plates on from http://www.platesforcars.co.uk/designer.php
You can pick size and font etc when you design your own. I cut bits of paper out the same size and put on car to see how they'd look.

Looks far better, doesn't impede cool air getting to the oil cooler and no issues from MOT station or police. In fact only positive comments as most people appreciate the car for what it is.

It's not like you've shaped a K to look like an R or dodgy spacing / black screws to make 11 look like an H.

B1257 North Yorkshire Moors TT
B1257 North Yorkshire Moors TT


peter030371 - 10/4/18 at 07:50 AM

Just a quick update.

This was my plate as fitted last year when I built the car;
Small plate
Small plate


This is it after the weekend. New plate is 'bigger' than standard (but still a legal size) and fitted a little lower. Its now,just about, the lowest point on my car (circa 100mm from the ground) but after a short run out yesterday it seems, so far, to be OK for height on the roads

Does it look daft? Does it reduce lift? Probably 'yes' to both of these questions but for the cost of £15 its worth a try and to me 'function comes before form' on this car
Bigger plate
Bigger plate


If it gets knocked off I can refit the old one I also know its not strictly legal as its doesn't have the post code of where it was made but the letters, spacing and size are legal so 99.9% certain that will never be an issue.

When I get around to making and fitting a flat floor under the engine bay I will probably extend that forward to act as a splitter so may then go back to the first plate.