Front license plate holder...

[macfly]

Here are a pair of great looking front plate kits incase you get a fix-it ticket.

http://stores.promountequipment.com/...-Z8/Detail.bok

http://dynamtechgroup.com/ferrari-li...ate-holder.php

[jawz]

Maybe another possibility?
http://swiftmotorsports.com/index.ph...ndex&cPath=362
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=C1zIGPyJunI

[Z8Mania]

Yes both great. But Im telling you, its not too difficult to simply use the stock mount with the lower grill, you just have to use a small cloth behind it so it doesnt dig into the bumper.

[jawz]

As we all know, there's something to be said for simplicity!

[macfly]

you just have to use a small cloth behind it so it doesnt dig into the bumper.

That sounds like exactly the kind of engineering solution I try to avoid on my beloved Z8!!

[Charles]

I bought the CravenSpeed tow hook type as Texas just fixed their loophole and will now fine up to $200. Thinking about the Show N Go manual one, but not sure where you could drill and attach under the car. Jerry, if you have any pix of how you attach your holder it would be appreciated. I took mine out of the bag and could not figure out how to put it on without drilling the bumper.

http://www.cravenspeed.com/the-platy...e-plate-mount/

[Z8Mania]

Mine is up on a lift, Ill see if I can grab some pictures for you. Basically its affixed to the lower grill. It probably has left a mark on the front bumper, you could put a pad behind it.

[Z8Mania]

Here we go. This was installed by the dealer back in 2000. I haven't had the need to remove it so I really am not sure how they did it..... These are the best I could do with the car up on the lift.....

[macfly]

Not a horrible solution, but I plan on staying plateless as long as possible, it really messes up the beauty of the line too much.

[Charles]

Thanks!!. I will look at my car closer. That was the mounting position I was considering, and the grill there attaches with two screws on either side of the apex of the bumper. It looks like there is some type of plastic clip they slipped in behind the grill and then ran screws through it and the grill opening to the license plate holder. I don't have the clip. It may have been something they improvised.

Looks like a pretty neat set-up. Instead of a cloth, a rubber grommet might work to protect the bumper. The companies that make after market holders usually show soft plastic pieces, like you would put on furniture legs that have peel off adhevsive on one side, to attach to the holder soo it does not scratch the bumper.

I have been noticing how many cars and trucks, particularly new ones, do not have front plates. All our other cars have front plates, so I will probably wait to see how the law is enforced in Dallas. If the fine is low or enforcement is only in the country, the tow hook set-up might suffice.

[Z8Mania]

I agree Andrew. If I got the car today, I would skip the front plate but alas, I was worried back then.....

[Z8Mania]

I agree Charles. That mounting was absolutely improvised. I just said: no holes in the bumper!

You could just try it without the front plate and see how it works out.

[Charles]

Craig Broussard of Craig's Custom Brackets makes a neat and portable solution for Mustangs that appears to fit under the lip of the front bumper. He is in VA. I have been corresponding with him by email. If any of our VA Board Members is willing to take their car to him, he will be happy to look at it to see if he can fit one of his standard brackets to a Z8 or modify one to fit. He will not hurt your bumper.

www.ccmustangbrackets.com

Craig Broussard <[email protected]>

[macfly]

Marty just sent this in to me, he tried it out on Sunday and said it is really good, and totally strong, tested at over 100mph, so it could be a really good solution, and if like me you have a clear wrap on your car it won't ever mark the paint.

The guy who makes and sells it is Michael Kaplan, 424 777 5840, or email at [email protected]

[Z8Mania]

Great suggestions fellas. Frankly I would rather risk the no front plate ticket than have a plate affixed by suction cups come flying off and cause some kind of damage (or worse). Compounding things is the fact that you would be driving an expensive car and therefore a "deep pocketed jerk" who didn't consider others' safety.....

[Charles]

My favorite is the YouTube video of the lady that bought an Autozone plastic plate holder and attached it to her VW grill with two zip ties. If you could manage to insert pipe insulation between the ties and the grill, and the holder and the bumper, it just might work.. It is just not portable.

If the plastic cups don't come off at 100 mph, how do you get them off without pulling the paint off the bumper?

Andrew I await the day you decide to "renew" your plastic wrap. My experience with the temporary kind is that it works on the aluminum painted surfaces, but will take the plastic bumper paint with it when you peel it off. Usually they use heat to peel it off, but I am not sure that will work either. It may be ok if the bumper was never painted, but I think all Z8 bumpers were painted.

[macfly]

Funnily enough I just replaced it this year, and it was a snap. The guy was recommended by one of our other LA owners and came to the house, so I was able to keep an eye on it. I now have a little bit more covered than I did before, I added the hood too, as that does seem prone to picking up chips.

[Doug Dolan]

The "d-splayplate" that goes on with suction cups is NOT intended to be used when the car is in motion (see their disclaimer attached). Their website says it's for use when parked or turned over to a valet (which I doubt any rational Z8 owner would do).

[macfly]

I guess that's their safety disclaimer, but as I wasn't there and didn't see it I'm only passing on what I was told.

[Z8Mania]

Charles, I have wrapped and rewrapped several vehicles and never had a problem. Keep in mind, I was not the one doing it, it was a qualified installer who has a lot of experience. It is possible to pull your paint off with this stuff, but with the newer films and techniques (2005+) the odds are pretty low that you would have a problem.

[Edythe Schlossstein]

I recently removed my front drilled license repaired the front and had a removable holder made for the lower grill. The person who made it makes them for Ferraris but was interested in getting into other fine cars and so he worked for about 6 weeks to get it right. Very stable and comes off easily when you want it to. He can be reached at chairpilotproducts.com

[Z8Mania]

I'd like to see how it looks.

[Z8Mania]

Oh wow- these look very good!

http://chairpilotproducts.com

[Edythe Schlossstein]

Glad you like how the license holder looks. It is low enough to stay out of the way but no lower than the underside if the car. As for the invisible bra, as I live on 2.5 miles of gravel road with no hope of the county paving it here in Oregon, I wrap the front and the front side panels of every new car, three so far. I have had it removed and replaced on plastic and on aluminum and have had no problems and no paint chips. For me it is a necessity and it works.

[01BlueZ8]

I recently removed my front drilled license repaired the front and had a removable holder made for the lower grill. The person who made it makes them for Ferraris but was interested in getting into other fine cars and so he worked for about 6 weeks to get it right. Very stable and comes off easily when you want it to. He can be reached at chairpilotproducts.com

Thanks for the tip. I decided to order one.

[Charles]

Funnily enough I just replaced it this year, and it was a snap. The guy was recommended by one of our other LA owners and came to the house, so I was able to keep an eye on it. I now have a little bit more covered than I did before, I added the hood too, as that does seem prone to picking up chips.

I think you have had your bumper repainted, like me. Did your guy cover the front bumper?

[Charles]

I bought the CravenSpeed tow hook type as Texas just fixed their loophole and will now fine up to $200. Thinking about the Show N Go manual one, but not sure where you could drill and attach under the car. Jerry, if you have any pix of how you attach your holder it would be appreciated. I took mine out of the bag and could not figure out how to put it on without drilling the bumper.

http://www.cravenspeed.com/the-platy...e-plate-mount/

The first one they sent had a mounting piece that was too short, but the owner (Kellen) promptly sent me a replacement. Nice email exchanges and very cooperative. Here is the pix of the final mounting. You can bend the plate to get it farther away from the bumper, but I put some sticky-back felt furniture circles I had from IKEA on the edges of the plate and mounted it tight (about 1/8 in away), so travel, if any, would be limited. I took it out for an extended spirited drive on our tollway and it held fine.

[Charles]

Oh wow- these look very good!

http://chairpilotproducts.com

I emailed the manufacturer on this one and asked if it could be used in the center of the lower grill of the bumper, as I am not fond of the side mount. I thought there would be a problem with the depth of the attacment brackets and the curvature of the bumper, but the manufacturer thought it would work on the center as well. Edythe, have you tried it in the center?

[Z8Mania]

Hi Charles,
The pictures I put above are really the only ones I have/ the best I can do.

[Charles]

Jerry, I was asking Edythe if she tried to mount her unit in the center part of the grill, rather than on the side of the grill.

[Edythe Schlossstein]

The license holder i use does not fit the center. However it fits on the first grill panel to the right or left of center and when I go to a Cars and Coffee or Show it is very easy to just remove the license.