Anyone got rid of the front number plate plinth? - Page 3 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

Hi, I've got a Cayman S (987) and I've got a short reg with a narrower front number plate. It's actually narrower than the plinth, so won't look great if I fit it. Has anyone removed the front number plate plinth all together? Would the number plate mount to the bumper without a plinth, like the Aston Martin owners do with their V8Vs? If not, I'll look st cutting down the plinth.

Problem is the original supplying dealer techs just bang self tappers into the bumper cover to hold the plinth on so removing it exposes some very nasty looking holes. Depends how 'short' is 'short'

Bennachie said: Problem is the original supplying dealer techs just bang self tappers into the bumper cover to hold the plinth on so removing it exposes some very nasty looking holes. Depends how 'short' is 'short' I had this on my 981. Dealer had fitted the plinth but I wanted a stick-on front plate. So I removed the plinth, trimmed the raised plastic around the 2 holes with a curved Stanley blade until it was all flat and then applied the sticker. You would need to run your finger over it to tell the holes are there. Stick on number plates are available from dmb.uk.com and no, I have no connection with them apart from being a happy customer.

Is the 987 the same as the 996 / 986? If so, there's not any dealer made holes for the plinth, just 2 holes in the bumper from the factory: I couldn't find Caymen parts diagram, so couldn't check. I took the plinth off my 996 and the holes in the bumper have not been an issue. You'd just need to make two new holes for your number plate, or, a better idea I think, get a stick on jobbie. I'd suggest that you just try to take it apart. It'll be the quickest way to find out, and if you don't like what you discover just put it back together again.

Thanks for the replies. It's a six digit registration, so not that short, but with just six digits and no EU/GB flag it is a fair bit shorter than the usual. It's still legal size. I'm currently working away, without my car, and I'm pondering how I'll fit the front plate, hence the post. If I was at home with the car, I'd take the plinth off to have a look! Currently bored in a hotel room, browsing PH! Ps. I will be sticking the plate on with sticky pads, not screwing it on. These are the plates, rear is shaped for the recess. Front is as small as I can go whilst being legal. Edited by zed4 on Friday 15th January 22:16

zed4 said: Thanks for the replies. It's a six digit registration, so not that short, but with just six digits and no EU/GB flag it is a fair bit shorter than the usual. It's still legal size. I'm currently working away, without my car, and I'm pondering how I'll fit the front plate, hence the post. If I was at home with the car, I'd take the plinth off to have a look! Currently bored in a hotel room, browsing PH! Ps. I will be sticking the plate on with sticky pads, not screwing it on. These are the plates, rear is shaped for the recess. Front is as small as I can go whilst being legal. Edited by zed4 on Friday 15th January 22:16 It depends on the curve of the front PU and the resistance to bend of the plate. It can probably be done but everything need to be degreased, warm and the plate held in place mechanically for a few hours after application. Rear one will be no problem.

zed4 said: Thanks for the replies. It's a six digit registration, so not that short, but with just six digits and no EU/GB flag it is a fair bit shorter than the usual. It's still legal size. I'm currently working away, without my car, and I'm pondering how I'll fit the front plate, hence the post. If I was at home with the car, I'd take the plinth off to have a look! Currently bored in a hotel room, browsing PH! Ps. I will be sticking the plate on with sticky pads, not screwing it on. These are the plates, rear is shaped for the recess. Front is as small as I can go whilst being legal. Edited by zed4 on Friday 15th January 22:16 It depends on the curve of the front PU and the resistance to bend of the plate. It can probably be done but everything need to be degreased, warm and the plate held in place mechanically for a few hours after application. Rear one will be no problem.

If it's like the front plate on my Cayman S, the dealer managed to use self tapping screws long enough to go through the plate, plinth and into the bumper. I was fizzing as I'd asked them not to use screws, a pet OCD hate with me from my days of doing PDI's and fitting plates myself... I wonder if the front plate will need to be held on for a reasonable period with tape or similar to allow the sticky pads to gain a full hold? We had to do this on some of the machines I worked on.

The plates I got from my OPC last month were metal, and I just bent the curvature into the front one carefully by hand. If you have a perspex plate, I find they can be shaped by judicious use of a hot air gun.

Won't that rear plate cover up the towing eye cap?

Look like fourdot plates. You could have had the front plate made with the reflective part in the smallest uk size, but the 'spare' border in the same colour as the car. This keeps the look you want but hides the plinth. There is a photo on the fourdot website of a black gt3 with this fitted (plus the optional martini stripes).

I've got a sticky-back plastic type plastic stuck straight onto the PU. The picture isn't great, but you can see how it follows the contours of the PU. It's about 1mm thick and is reflective with the standard size letters etc. Edited by arcamalpha on Sunday 17th January 09:31

jkh112 said: Look like fourdot plates. You could have had the front plate made with the reflective part in the smallest uk size, but the 'spare' border in the same colour as the car. This keeps the look you want but hides the plinth. There is a photo on the fourdot website of a black gt3 with this fitted (plus the optional martini stripes). Yes, they're Fourdot plates. I didn't think about the plinth when I bought them, I just wanted a smaller plate so I bought their zero plate. In hindsight I probably should have gone for the larger front plate.

I was in the same boat as you, my reg is five digits and I wanted to have a shorter plate but there were holes in the bumper at the outer edges of the plinth. The only solution I could come up with apart from filling and repainting the bumper was to colour code the plinth and live with a full size plate, not ideal but its OK.

zed4 said: Yes, they're Fourdot plates. I didn't think about the plinth when I bought them, I just wanted a smaller plate so I bought their zero plate. In hindsight I probably should have gone for the larger front plate. Here is the my new front plate from fourdot. I too wanted the zero plate but in order to cover the plinth I ordered a full size plate with a black background as it will go on a black car, the actual reflective part is the same size as a zero plate.

As others have said, it's worth taking the plate off and seeing what lurks underneath. I believe that the Porsche bumpers will just have 2 holes in them, reasonably close together; plinths/supports/number plate holders of different sizes (for different country requirements) can then be attached neatly. Here's a pic of my old car (lovely small Swiss reg plates Hopefully any previous dealers/owners haven't just gone gung ho on the bumper with self tappers and a cordless drill... you should be able to get hold/modify a smaller backing plate for your shorter number plates.

Got home late last night. Managed to fit the rear plate this morning before, but ran out of time to do the front, so it's sat in the windscreen at the moment. I did pull off the old plate which was screwed to the plinth, but didn't take the plinth off. Will continue tonight!

There is an alternative plinth, which looks smaller. This is from the 987.1 section of PET. The standard plinth fitted in the UK is I211. The I210 plinth is about £24.00+VAT.

Could always consider leaving the front plate off altogether. I've not had one on this or my previous GT3 for years and never been pulled. Even if you do it would only be a finger wag / producer to fit at worst. It's personal but I think cars can be ruined by a nasty front plate...

Richard Hamilton said: There is an alternative plinth, which looks smaller. This is from the 987.1 section of PET. The standard plinth fitted in the UK is I211. The I210 plinth is about £24.00+VAT. Thanks, I wonder if it's any narrower, it looks like it might just be shorter.

I removed the front plinth during my lunch break, there are four holes in the bumper, two for the plinth and two for the original plate. However, my new narrower plate will cover up all four holes. My favourite option so far is to do away with the plinth and stick the plate straight onto the bumper. I might still try to cut down the original plinth to see how it looks. I've strapped the plate around a large tyre I have to give it a curve. Hopefully by tomorrow it should have a nice curve to it. As it's dark, I should be ok to drive home without a front plate!

I was told that it is legal to drive with the front plate on the dashboard as a temporary measure if fully visible. Also agree make sure the new plate has some bend in it before you fit to help prevent the self tapping acres pulling out

I have every intention of running the car without one, providing it doesn't come with holes from the factory/dealership (GT4). I believe the fine for not having one is £30 versus having one but inaccurately displayed which is £1,000!!! Long may that madness continue!

zed4 said: Thanks, I wonder if it's any narrower, it looks like it might just be shorter. They are just narrower. They are standard on Australian cars.

I am in the no plate club! I just keep it in the footwell and the excuse will be "just fell off officer, honest!" I have never had any issue, and that includes parking the car next to policemen (hardly the most subtle of cars as it is) and, perhaps most suspiciously, driving it past about 5 police officers at about 2AM when i saw the Tyson Fury fight!

hondansx said: I am in the no plate club! I just keep it in the footwell and the excuse will be "just fell off officer, honest!" I have never had any issue, and that includes parking the car next to policemen (hardly the most subtle of cars as it is) and, perhaps most suspiciously, driving it past about 5 police officers at about 2AM when i saw the Tyson Fury fight! Just how had my old GT3! MUCH better (good looking car sir )

hondansx said: Where was this taken? Stunning.

Loving the GT3 above, fantastic. I managed to stick the front plate on, straight onto the bumper, luckily it just covers up the screw holes. No need for a plinth, it seems to stick to the bumper well enough. Fingers crossed it stays there! I did have to bend it around a circular drum and leave it in the airing cupboard for a couple of days to form to a curve.

Where's the before and after picture then! The location of the 991 GT3 is Butler's Wharf which is just by Tower Bridge. It is not strictly allowed to drive there, but as with many things, if you act confident you can blag it! As you have commented, it is really is a cool location. I also found the courts closeby quite photogenic...

I hate the winter! Too dark for photos. Car is filthy too, work all day and then it's pitch black and freezing cold in the evenings.

hondansx said: I am in the no plate club! I just keep it in the footwell and the excuse will be "just fell off officer, honest!" I have never had any issue, and that includes parking the car next to policemen (hardly the most subtle of cars as it is) and, perhaps most suspiciously, driving it past about 5 police officers at about 2AM when i saw the Tyson Fury fight! I think it depends where you live. I live in the rural North. And I would say dont do it. It gives the police something else to pull you for. Once they've pulled you once they write notes on the PNC and then they know you're purposefully driving without a front plate. I got pulled three times in a very short space of time and decided the best thing to do was put a front plate on my car! Yes a £30 fine may be small, but do you need the aggravation of having to produce your documents at the local station etc.. etc.. For me it was easier to put on a front plate.

And on the subject of no front plinth.. I don't have one on my car.. And the plate is 100% legal. (4 characters)

Madadd said: And on the subject of no front plinth.. I don't have one on my car.. And the plate is 100% legal. (4 characters) Did you have to post that photo?! My current favourite car in my favourite colour! Oh I wish!!!

Quick crappy into the sun photo of the car with no plinth and the narrower plate

Is it an MOT fail for no front plate? I assume so. What do you do come MOT time? Fit a temp plate or ask the local guy to turn a blind eye?

Stick-on plate on mine...

m33ufo said: Stick-on plate on mine... Is that a reduced size plate, or just full size text with absolute minimum border? Did you get it from DMB?

Tim Burton (Shmee150) has got rid of the plinth on his GT4, looks good IMO: For those wondering, he's just had it wrapped in Electric Lime, very much like the old Cayman R Peridot Green. I genuinely think it's the best looking GT4 I've seen:

mdianuk said: m33ufo said: Stick-on plate on mine... Is that a reduced size plate, or just full size text with absolute minimum border? Did you get it from DMB? Yes, it's from DMB. Marginally smaller text with minimal border.

No plate looks best! Otherwise lose plate mount and use sticky Velcro as (a) you can take plate off to clean under it and (b) it means the plate doesn't have to bend so much!

Beefmeister said: Tim Burton (Shmee150) has got rid of the plinth on his GT4, looks good IMO: He never applied the plinth in the first place, just uses sticky pads for his reg, never had an issue. Edited by mdianuk on Thursday 28th July 16:28

m33ufo said: Yes, it's from DMB. Marginally smaller text with minimal border. I asked them about this and they said they can only print legal size?!?! If you were able to specify a font size, any chance you can let me know what size and how (drop me a message if you prefer). Thanks pal.

Chris355 said: No plate looks best! Otherwise lose plate mount and use sticky Velcro as (a) you can take plate off to clean under it and (b) it means the plate doesn't have to bend so much! Agree it's the cleanest look. I ran the same on my GT4 and Spyder for a while but was very conscious of it especially whenever I noticed a police car - coincidentally, this seemed to be much more frequently when I didn't have a front plate fitted! I'll keep with the stick-on and now request that the dealer doesn't drill the front PU on any new Porsche I purchase.

[Image-only or quote-only post; no author-written text.] http://thumbsnap.com/sc/zt9qGfNA.jpg http://thumbsnap.com/sc/8xCtbweV.jpg http://thumbsnap.com/sc/FZ1XczF0.jpg

mdianuk said: I asked them about this and they said they can only print legal size?!?! If you were able to specify a font size, any chance you can let me know what size and how (drop me a message if you prefer). Thanks pal. Pm'd. Shouldn't be a problem.

chrisABP said: Better without, but your plate is ace. Still not run mine in, but once I do, I'll bring it back around for you to have a go! I'll also be around when the rozzer finally ask me to put a plate on and get an MOT station to witness

No plinth here just Velcro'd on Edited by GT3-RS on Friday 29th July 07:44

zed4 said: Quick crappy into the sun photo of the car with no plinth and the narrower plate Dregging a thread up I think, but this plate is one digit off mine. Just stuck my front plate on today but think it looks awful, thinking of a short plinth and plate.

I opt to run no plates. Worth noting that, having been pulled over twice (and 'reported') by the same guy, i recieved a £100 fine in the post. I'd still take the risk for a weekend car, but i won't run 'plate-less' on my daily driver again.

Deleted off both these, been seen by plenty of BiB (traff pol and pandas) never had a problem.

I must admit to having a bit of form on this topic. Over the years, and a number of various Porsche I have been trying various front plate options. Overall I am way too keen to avoid any meetings with a PC Shiny Buttons to go down the `No Plate` route but I have been trying various options with mounting a fully compliant 5 character plate on my cars. For a short while my favoured option was to remove the plinth and also the pair of mounting screw receptacles entirely and then use a mass of stick strips and a heat gun to mould/curve the plate to the bumper directly. However my present thinking, after having several plates cracked or sprung off by the careless parking attempts of other drivers (I live in town so its impossible to avoid entirely)I have committed to retaining the plinth. My reasoning is that it offers a flatter mounting surface over a larger area and plates are much less likely to be sprung off from their sticky mountings, although I always option to mount them with stick pads and not any type of screws. Plus it protects the bumper a little from paint damage if some clown happens to be parking by ear! What I do is measure the number plate and then cut the standard plinths ends off. Then I cut out a section from each end of the plinth so that with the ends re attached it is just a fraction shorter than the plate. I bond the ends back onto the main body of the plinth using the same adhesive and strengthening strip that is commonly used to repair motorcycle fairings and give it a blast of primer then good old satin black to finish. Here are a couple of picture to show the results compared to a standard plate.

m33ufo said: Stick-on plate on mine... How flexible is it and does it need warming first to make it pliable, also what thickness approx? Do you have a link to the supplier please

Tony 1234 said: How flexible is it and does it need warming first to make it pliable, also what thickness approx? Do you have a link to the supplier please Heads up: I tried this on my Spyder but the damage from the plinth mounting screws AND the number plate screws that had gone through to the PU meant I had a very uneven surface to stick to and it basically looked terrible! Also a sod to apply if you're even slightly ham-fisted :-)

peterzoom said: What I do is measure the number plate and then cut the standard plinths ends off. Then I cut out a section from each end of the plinth so that with the ends re attached it is just a fraction shorter than the plate. I bond the ends back onto the main body of the plinth using the same adhesive and strengthening strip that is commonly used to repair motorcycle fairings and give it a blast of primer then good old satin black to finish. Here are a couple of picture to show the results compared to a standard plate. I've done something similar (before I left the plates off altogether) Here's my take on the reduced size plate. Cut the plate down so it matches the dimensions of OE Porsche plinth. Technically I think this size is illegal as the top and bottom of the edge of the plate is too close to the numbers/letters. It does however looks neater with no plate "overhangs". I ran this for a couple of years, never pulled by the BIB (the letter size is standard, as is the spacing) sailed through MOT's without question.

chrisABP said: I'm sorry, all I could see was "FLAB Porsche" I'm a bad, bad, person.

[Image-only or quote-only post; no author-written text.] http://thumbsnap.com/sc/Ceb2Rxnj.jpg

Any update on the best option for a 987.2? Standard plinth isn't great and I don't want a stick on

[Image-only or quote-only post; no author-written text.] https://i.postimg.cc/137gk9h0/20220830-160030.jpg