number plate bending

Canman · Post by **Canman** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 19:17

Hi , just recieved my new number plates i have had done for my new number which my girlfriend bought me for my birthday, but i need to bend the new front one to fit the bumper, have the old one as a template, would really like to get away from using screws and use only double sided tape or heard velcro is good. any good links to some? so has anyone done any sucessfull bending ?

any help ideas would be appreciated.
snowing again in Rotherham tonight

drdrake · Post by **drdrake** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 19:21

when I changed my front plate I didnt want to use screws either just sticky foam pads and the plate was more than flexible enough to adjust to the shape required

Canman · Post by **Canman** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 19:25

the plate is quite bendy but worried that the force the plate retains in wanting to return to its original shape will eventually overcome the stickyness of pads/velcro.

Brian H · Post by **Brian H** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 19:34

Hairdryer in the middle of the plate and gently bend over your knee. Just take it easy and it will form the perfect shape

drdrake · Post by **drdrake** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 19:36

Just make sure you choose the strongest pads you can find and you will find its fine - honestly I have had mine on for over a year and no probs.

the only other tip i have is use the whole packet of pads not just in the corners, I placed the pads on the entire outline

yalden · Post by **yalden** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 19:46

You'd have to use some strong sticky pads, but like you I'd be paranoid that the plate will unbend and fly off!

gypsycatcha · Post by **gypsycatcha** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 20:23

I didnt have to heat mine but mine is held with screws.
Hairdryer will do it.

Canman · Post by **Canman** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 20:34

anyone got a hairdryer ? bit of gel in morning and im done for day

my son has straighteners but they will melt it

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 20:44

You may be have some success with boiling water and a shallow dish.
Get the middle hot and leave the ends sticking out so you don't get hurt

But it's easier to do it "dry" - what about the gf?

Daz2626 · Post by **Daz2626** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 20:49

I left mine to warm on end of front room radiator,with one end weighted with books

Left it for about an hour then formed a bend, Then flash cooled in cold water.
Cleaned of number plate mount thorughly with spirit and stuck it on with double sided Duck tape in four vertical strips.
Has since been ok

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 21:17

When I had the MINI I Araldited it

Tim.

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 21:18

Heavy duty velcro from B&Q will easily hold the plate in place and no need for heating it up.

Canman · Post by **Canman** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 21:18

Titan wrote:But it's easier to do it "dry" - what about the gf?

she's always wet , well moist

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 21:43

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 21:56

Ardchyle wrote:Hairdryer in the middle of the plate and gently bend over your knee. Just take it easy and it will form the perfect shape

This work well if the numbers(sticker) is on the front but if they are stuck on from behind they tend to bubble and you end up with water marks inside the plate which drives me mad

So this time i bought some German style plates which are made from aluminium and you can bend them perfectly and then stick them on with double sided easily...also i think they look pretty cool

Canman · Post by **Canman** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 22:13

are these not illegal ? do think they look great but cant be doing with being stopped for trivial stuff.
i guess if the spacing and lettering looks right then doesnt matter what its made out of, you'll be ok.

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Tue 23 Feb, 2010 22:18

Canman wrote:are these not illegal ? do think they look great but cant be doing with being stopped for trivial stuff.
i guess if the spacing and lettering looks right then doesnt matter what its made out of, you'll be ok.

not exactly leagal but have been followed by a police car twice who didn't bother to stop me either time, i'm sure a traffic police car would pull me over though

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 08:19

Canman wrote:are these not illegal ? do think they look great but cant be doing with being stopped for trivial stuff.
i guess if the spacing and lettering looks right then doesnt matter what its made out of, you'll be ok.

My ten pennorth:
The plates are not illegal ie the pressed metal, but the font is.
I don't know whether ANPRs can read it or not.
As you say, it's not worth the hassle.
What's wrong with screwing the plate on anyway?
I use Euro plates when we go abroad but can't stand them in normal use over here.
With screws it's easy to just swap them around as required.

estocks · Post by **estocks** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 08:24

Canman wrote:my son has straighteners

yalden · Post by **yalden** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 13:58

I used to run German plates on my previous car, they were certainly more trouble than they were worth - I got pulled over and given a VDN (vehicle defect notice). I had to refit legal plates and then pay £30 for an MOT station to verify and stamp the notice.

If you want metal pressed plates, you can get road legal ones which use the correct GB font.

estocks wrote:
Canman wrote:my son has straighteners

I'm glad I'm not the only one who raised an eyebrow haha... sadly this is becoming a common occurance nowadays!!

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 14:16

[quote="yalden"]I had to refit legal plates and then pay £30 for an MOT station to verify and stamp the notice.

[quote]

That garage is a bit of a rip of, it take two mins to check and stamp the slip, i run a Ford workshop and i charge £3 if it's a stranger and free for our regulars.

oakley6691 · Post by **oakley6691** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 14:19

yalden wrote:I had to refit legal plates and then pay £30 for an MOT station to verify and stamp the notice.

That garage is a bit of a rip of, it take two mins to check and stamp the slip, i run a Ford workshop and i charge £3 if it's a stranger and free for our regulars.

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 14:32

yalden wrote:
estocks wrote:
Canman wrote:my son has straighteners

I'm glad I'm not the only one who raised an eyebrow haha... sadly this is becoming a common occurance nowadays!!

I thought you were going to say "I'm glad I'm not the only one who has straighteners"

Hard Top · Post by **Hard Top** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 14:59

Titan wrote:
I use Euro plates when we go abroad but can't stand them in normal use over here.

I might come over a bit thick but what are Euro plates?

HT

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 15:29

Hard Top wrote:I might come over a bit thick but what are Euro plates?
HT

No Hard Top you are not thick

I knew what I meant but just didn't say it very well

By "Euro plate" I meant the EU compliant plate with either a yellow "GB" or Euro Star garland in a blue strip down the left hand side of the rear number plate.
Use of these plates precludes the need for a GB sticker on the bodywork

Does that make more sense ?

Canman · Post by **Canman** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 15:43

do the metal pressed plates have the same reflectivity as the plastic ones and is the reflectivity a legal requirement?
as for the straighteners they are GHD's which are the BMW of the straightening world . GHD being good hair day

you learn something everyday

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 16:04

Canman wrote:do the metal pressed plates have the same reflectivity as the plastic ones and is the reflectivity a legal requirement?

I don't know about the reflectivity of the pressed plates, but reflectivity IS a requirement.
Can't find an official website but this is Regtransfer's guidance on the subject:
http://www.regtransfers.co.uk/main/car_ ... ations.asp

Canman · Post by **Canman** » Wed 24 Feb, 2010 16:37

so as long as the numberplate shows BS AU 145d then the plates reflectivity is right. so now does the pressed steel plate have this british standard ? i see oakley6691 plates dont have this but the font is illegal too. guess it would be a fussy traffic cop which would pick up on this , then there's the MOT.

Hard Top · Post by **Hard Top** » Thu 25 Feb, 2010 12:23

By "Euro plate" I meant the EU compliant plate with either a yellow "GB" or Euro Star garland in a blue strip down the left hand side of the rear number plate.
Use of these plates precludes the need for a GB sticker on the bodywork
Does that make more sense ?

Titan, it was a genuine question and yes it makes sense to me now.
But what about having chrome GB letters on the car like in the old days?
No, probably not.

HT

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Thu 25 Feb, 2010 12:32

Hard Top wrote:But what about having chrome GB letters on the car like in the old days?
No, probably not.
HT

You would be surprised

Went down that avenue last year linky linky

At the end of the day, I prefer the clean look for the 50 weeks or so that I don't need the GB badge.

Hard Top · Post by **Hard Top** » Thu 25 Feb, 2010 14:19

As I hate the blue stripe europlates, I'm going to try the chrome option adjacent to the boot lock.

Titan, actually, I think that looks pretty good (incoming, gets in fox hole)

HT

Titan · Post by **Titan** » Thu 25 Feb, 2010 17:38

Hard Top wrote:
As I hate the blue stripe europlates, I'm going to try the chrome option adjacent to the boot lock.
Titan, actually, I think that looks pretty good (incoming, gets in fox hole)
HT

Yes I agree it does look good in the picture.
The problem was sourcing the letters in the flesh; the old chrome MGB GT style ones are way too big and the others I found on the web and at Halfrauds etc were ugly or too small.
In the end I just got the blue "europlate" made up.
£8, 2 mins to change, no marks on the paint and no awkward contours to polish