~ ~ Cal ~~ Posted February 3, 2005 Posted February 3, 2005 Where did you guys obtain yours ? Ideally I don't want to fit them but..... I have just slapped on my private plates and the way the holes needs to be drilled to fit the car has obsured some of the text. On the back I just used stickies from Halfords to combat the problem. On the front it's just annoying having to use the threads. Placeing the holes elsewhere simply means that the plate is off centre and if dtill the holes higher up the plat will flap around all over the shop. I also want them cut down in size lenths ways to stop the protrusions flapping around. Any ideas ? has anyones used www.fancyplates.com before or is their someone more local in bonny Ecosse ? Thanks Cal p.s while we're at it my old boy has this for sale - offers ? Note placement of dubious black dot ! TUR80 was in the papers the other day for £75, 000 !!!
dave_morgan Posted February 3, 2005 Posted February 3, 2005 I've used fancy plates before and can't fault their service at all. I asked for smaller letters and shorter plates and they came exactly as requested (for track use obviously). I've also have a set made up at Pentland Components with standard size letters (and no border), then just hack sawed the ends off to make a short plate (I've got a 4 digit reg) and if you're carefull and finish off with a file or bench grinder, they look fine too. A think you're legally allowed any size of plate, as long as the digits are the correct height and there there's a specific amount of white space between letters and the edge. Check with fancyplates - they'll know the legalities and what you're likely to get away with. It also seems to depend where you are, what you get away with. I'd been running around in my GTR for over a year in Edinburgh with no problems, and then I got stopped TWICE in aviemore for my tints and my plate in the same weekend (different coppers each time). Edinburgh coppers seem to be sensible, and as long as they plate is still easily legible, they don't mind too much. The Aviemore guys seem to have nothing better to do, as adressing the drug problem is far too much like hard work, so they pull anyone who has a big fly stuck to their plate !!!! Anyway, enough waffle - HTH ! Dave
~ ~ Cal ~~ Posted February 3, 2005 Author Posted February 3, 2005 Thanks Dave - i presume you were only running a smaller plate on the front ? I might try and cut down my plates myself and then seal the corners by warming them up gently with a heated teaspoon ( worked a treat on my fake student ID car years ago Cal
Bladerider Posted February 3, 2005 Posted February 3, 2005 You can legally have a smaller plate if you drive an import. I had www.fanctplates.com make me up a set of plates to the specifications set out below. I always keep a copy (obtained from the DVLA web site) in the glove compartment just in case. It came in handy when the size of my plates were questioned at my recent M.O.T. test. ___________________________________________________________________________________ " Size and spacing of characters: special cases 14A. ? (1) This regulation applies in relation to any vehicle imported into the UK which, (a) does not have European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval; ( is so constructed that the area available for the fixing of the registration plate precludes the display on the plate of a registration mark in conformity with the requirements of regulation 14. (2) In relation to a vehicle to which this regulation applies - (a) each character in the registration mark must be 64 millimetres high; ( the width of each character of the mark, other than the letter "I" and the figure "1", must be 44 millimetres; © the width of every part of the stroke forming a character in a mark must be 10 millimetres; (d) the spacing between any two characters within a group must be 10 millimetres; (e) the vertical spacing between groups of characters must be 5 millimetres; (f) the width of a margin between the mark and the top and lateral sides of the registration plate must be not less than 5 millimetres; (g) the space between the bottom of the mark and the bottom of the registration plate must be not less than 13 millimetres; but, within that space, the space between the bottom of the mark and the top of the name and postcode of the person by whom the plate was supplied must be not less than 5 millimetres."[3] Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport. David Jamieson Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Transport 24th October 2002
mcgary Posted February 3, 2005 Posted February 3, 2005 I recently bought a set of plates from Fancy plates brilliant service and got my front plate slightly smaller. But i was pulled last weekend by the filth as just like yours in the bottom corner i have subaru and they told me there should be a british standard number in there. I was also told i needed the companys name at the bottom. What plomker they are and the odd pig gives them a bad name. My numbers were fine but i have to change them due to the bs number.
Bladerider Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 They were wrong to tell you that. The regulation they were referring to only applies in England and Wales, not here. We're much more civilised in Scotland.
dougster Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 If anyone can remember the one I had, well I got done on my doorstep for it. I will be purchasing one like Dave (Balderider) mentions. Although I have a UK car it might confuddle the donut munchers for a while!!!!
Bladerider Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 Aye Dougster, no wonder you got done. You needed a magnifying glass to see it. Looked cool though!
Carl Davey Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 Had my baby (motorbike letters) front plate for nearly two years now. Covered over 30,000 miles all around Scotland and not a single tug. One or two funny looks, but no tug. Must be that i've balanced it out with my oversized rear one.
dougster Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 Let's get the tape measures out!! I have my old plate in the car!!!! Smallest wins. (and no cheating)
Bladerider Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 Yeah, Dougster, no need for the tape measure. I'm sure we'll all agree you have the smallest one.
Boyakasha Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 << Had my baby (motorbike letters) front plate for nearly two years now. Covered over 30,000 miles all around Scotland and not a single tug. One or two funny looks, but no tug. Must be that i've balanced it out with my oversized rear one. >> Carl who made your plate up? Marc
Scoobylav Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 Another vote for Fancyplates.com here Here is how big mine is Mine is Bigger than Dougsters I think
Bladerider Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 I just copied this from the DVLA website. It confirms that at present we in Scotland are still exempt from from having to supply number plate suppliers details on our number plates. However the registration of number plate suppliers scheme (RNPS) will be extended to Scotland in the near future. Extension to Scotland and Northern Ireland Extension to Scotland and Northern Ireland 3.3 At present, the supply of number plates in Scotland and Northern Ireland is completely unregulated. It is very easy for anyone to obtain plates showing a registration mark for a vehicle with which they have no connection whatever. 3.4 The fact that the scheme does not operate throughout the United Kingdom undermines its operation in England and Wales. Therefore in order to provide secure, effective and consistent control over the supply of number plates on a UK ? wide basis it is necessary that Scotland and Northern Ireland operate the same scheme. 3.5 Separate consultation exercises have been undertaken in Scotland and Northern Ireland in August 2002 and January 2004 respectively. In both instances the proposal to extend RNPS to Scotland and Northern Ireland was well received and generally supported.
fraser_drinkwater Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 In america they dont even have number plates on the front, pity blair wont say yes to that!
sti-zlv Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 I got a lovely £30 fine for my plate 2 weeks ago because it was to small, it was 70mm instead of 76mm which is the limit. When asked who they noticed they told me the cctv 30ft in air spotted it when i was travelling at 50mph. The irony. Matt
wrxmania Posted February 4, 2005 Posted February 4, 2005 Irony indeed How is the car running Matt? Maybe it was the 50MPH round the mini-roundabout which got the CCTV attention? Brian
Carl Davey Posted February 5, 2005 Posted February 5, 2005 Marc, my friend Jamie at Autoparts did it for me a while back. He doesn't work there anymore though. Go ahead Dug.
MikeABZ Posted February 6, 2005 Posted February 6, 2005 I used fancyplates and had no problems with them. I got standard front & rears, and a 3/4 size front also... never used the front cos the ATR has a moulded insert for the front plate that looked odd with the short plate not filling it.... Anyway, resorted to my oddly spaced plates for now anyway (but not my super dodgy spaced ones! show use only for them after my bro got pulled twice in a week for his!! (we have identical plates except mine start with M and his start with D ) got the spaced ones from GT Graffix on the web.... They were also good. Mike
spooks Posted February 6, 2005 Posted February 6, 2005 I rekon Johnny50 would win for the smallest plate a while back , showed me several plate sizes , smallest on was smaller than the one above ............. about the size of a prodrive badge on the wing of my car IIRC Spooks
dougster Posted February 6, 2005 Posted February 6, 2005 Jeezus Carl, your mobile is HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE!!!!!
TheGza Posted February 6, 2005 Posted February 6, 2005 Don't think I've had a standard plate on any of my cars yet and luckily never been stopped! Mine is from gtgrafix (on the left) and I was suitably impressed with their service and speed. Standard size letters but they chopped it down to the legal limit. Previously I had motorbike letters, but it's becoming harder to find places that'll make them up now
Johnny50 Posted February 7, 2005 Posted February 7, 2005 << I rekon Johnny50 would win for the smallest plate a while back , showed me several plate sizes , smallest on was smaller than the one above ............. about the size of a prodrive badge on the wing of my car IIRC Spooks >> I had this on for a while, although, it wasn't the smallest one i had...
dave_morgan Posted February 7, 2005 Posted February 7, 2005 Nice reg Johnny ... "HKS" !! never seen one without numbers before !! Weird that the part number on the bumper is more like a standard reg though !!!
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