If you hate the way your front plate looks, on your bumper, and you have a plate bracket like mine, I figured out a way to flip the bracket, so that it is lower, and doesn't cover the bumper.

You need a plate bracket that looks like this:


Remove the two bolts shown in the above picture. I don't remember the size, but I am pretty sure they are 10mm.

You need to cut/shave down the area where the bracket goes into the grille.
Cut the area indicated by the green in the pictures below.





It should look like this:


And this:


Shave the bracket so it fits in the new location smooth and flush. Sand it smooth, so that it looks factory. Install the bolts back in their location and you're done.

Before:


After:


It's a simple mod, that costs no money. Better yet, if you don't like it, just take it back off and flip it over again, and it's right back to original.

Please give your opinion, of 1. the appearance of the actual mod 2. of my diy. thank you


Modified by 2008fijibluesi at 2:20 PM 2/4/2008


Modified by 2008fijibluesi at 2:21 PM 2/4/2008

 

one of the first things i did to my car. i think it looks a hell of a lot better this way

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bbRedSi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">one of the first things i did to my car. i think it looks a hell of a lot better this way</TD></TR></TABLE>

It is so easy, and I agree, it looks so much better. I was reading a thread about bumper plugs and thought to myself "hey I am pretty sure my plate bracket isn't actually drilled into the bumper, so I can probably move it without any ugly holes." So I went out to my car and checked how easy it would be to flip the bracket. Very easy!

 

i personally like it better with no plate at all. And if you get pulled over for it, its a cheap little "fix it" ticket. But i think the cop would have to be pretty bored or just having a really bad day to want to pull you over for that.

 

Of course, I like it better without the plate too man. Who wouldn't? But there is really no point. In New Jersey, I'd literally get pulled over by the first cop who saw me.

 

wow another DIY from you!! Cant wait till i install my LED lights and the DIY front plate flip!! YOU are the MAN!!!

 

dang jersey cops must be tough. i know a lot of people here with no front plate and they've never gotten pulled over. although we do have our fair share of a-hole cops.

 

Yea...it's that bad here. One time, at A&P, a lady backed into the chrysler cirrus I had, got her tow hitch caught on my bumper and ripped the front plate off. That was like all the damage she did, but there was no way to attach my plate. Since it was only like 3 miles to my house, I just tossed the plate on my passenger seat. Not even 1 minute after I pulled out of the parking lot, the one time was pulling me over. He let me go, but it was still a pain in the a$$.

 

great job on the DIY and on the mod! I am guessing it is the same on the sedan? the only thing I mite have trouble with is the sanding cuz I have no experience. everything else I can do.

 

As long as you have the same type of bracket that I do, this mod will work on any car. Don't be intimidated by the sanding. Take your time. Its not hard sanding work. I found it easiest to wrap the sandpaper around a pencil and use it that way to get into contours and stuff. Plus, the plastic bracket you are sanding can't be more than like $5 at your dealer.

On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the easiest), the sanding on this project is at a 1. Very beginner stuff. You can handle it, trust me.

 

Looks pretty good but it does block the radiator air flow.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by teknoracing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Looks pretty good but it does block the radiator air flow. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I was waiting for that. If it does, its a very very small amount. My friend has a fully built EJ8 and his plate has been in the same spot for 2 years. He has never had a problem, and the grille opening is much smaller on his car, than on the FG2. He has also run his car on a dyno. First he had the plate. He said thought if he took it off, his numbers might improve, and they didn't change at all.