First time stopped in my GT40

Kirby Schrader

They're mostly silver
Lifetime Supporter
The Texas Highway Patrol stopped me on the way home from work today (I drove the GT40 to work...).

Why?

Sir, you have no front license plate. I would imagine someone has already noticed and stopped you before!

No, sir. Not in three years. and yes, I know, officer. I have one. Would you please suggest a good place to put it other than in front of my radiator?

He walked around the front of the car, looked for awhile and said... I'll give you a warning and let you be on your way.

Thank you, sir.

What is anyone else doing for front license plate mounting? I actually did mount it in the radiator cavity, but it made a big difference in cooling, obviously, so I took it out.

A warning ticket only,
Kirby
 

David Morton

Lifetime Supporter
Make it so it blows back down flat at any speed , then pops up again when you stop. Or a simple solenoid operation to go horizontal when 12v is applied.
 

Randy V

Moderator-Admin
Staff member
Admin
Lifetime Supporter
Got a ticket on my daily driver the other day while parked at a meter (fully paid up)...

I have a clear plastic cover on my front plate (made by the car manufacturer and optional equipment)..

You guessed it..

No License Plate. $108

Yes, there was a license plate behind the plastic and it's current..

The Nazi Meter Maid must have been having a bad day.... I'm glad I didn't catch him/her... I would have gone to jail...

I had no plans of putting a plate on the front of my GT40 - but I'll probably figure out something that works similar to David's suggestion..

((Unless))

I can get Vintage / Collector license plates in which you only have to run a rear plate. My 69 Camaro has such a plate..
 

Seymour Snerd

Lifetime Supporter
Make it so it blows back down flat at any speed , then pops up again when you stop. Or a simple solenoid operation to go horizontal when 12v is applied.

Further to the first idea, if you hang it such that its horizontal pivot axis is just slighly above its center of gravity it should take very little air pressure to make it go horizontal, and thus create little loss in airflow. Perhaps experimenting with some small hinges, double-sided foam tape and your fan switch would get you to the right geometry.
 

Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
Further to the first idea, if you hang it such that its horizontal pivot axis is just slighly above its center of gravity it should take very little air pressure to make it go horizontal, and thus create little loss in airflow. Perhaps experimenting with some small hinges, double-sided foam tape and your fan switch would get you to the right geometry.

427 Cobra street cars used this system.......popped up stopped or low speed, laid down at working speeds. They had a spring on the pivot.
 

Kirby Schrader

They're mostly silver
Lifetime Supporter
I have my front plate mounted in front of the radiator - so far no problems.

Interesting... it made mine run noticeably hotter, for sure.
Admittedly, that was awhile ago before the electric water pump...

As for the pivoting suggestions... I was looking at that tonight in the garage and my first concern is the possibility of it vibrating, trashing itself and going into the radiator.

Hey... my friends call my car Christine... for a reason.

:-(


Later,
Kirby
 
Here's an elegant solution (for my State at least) - in Washington State, if you get collector plates they only give you one plate for the rear. Problem solved.
 
I went to the Registry and told them my front vanity plate had been lost, so they gave me a document to carry in the glove box in the event I get pulled over. Haven't had to try it yet.

YMMV.
 
@mark

i smile and smile,...it´s a real funny idea,.....it´s a joke,.....mast do the same, thank´s, never think about, it is so easy,.....

ernst
 
this my front numbre plate mounting.
 

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Jack Houpe

GT40s Supporter
HA Kirby, he just wanted to see the car!

My son in law and I were on our way to Tulsa for the mid America Shelby meet, we were driving the speed limit on the turnpike, I seen a state bull go by on the other side, like always I looked in my rear view only to see him spin around in the medium and turn on his blue lights so I pulled into the slow lane to let him by and the prick got behind me! I pulled over and he came up to the door which I opened and asked for my license, I said "officer I don't think I was speeding" he said "I didn't say you were" and walked back to his car. My son in law and I looked at each other in amazement and he came back with a ticket and handed it to me, he said that I was traveling in the fast lane and there were no cars in the slow lane and the fast lane is for passing only and that when I pulled into the slow lane I didn't use my blinker. So the prick gave me a warning ticket for that. Then he asked me "just what kind of car is this?" I told him and then he asked "Do you think its faster than my Charger?" ...... I replied "is that a trick question?" All he had to do is ask to see the car, thats all he wanted really. Its happened to me in all my cars before. Never got a ticket for speeding but plenty of bull shit warning tickets.

Kirby move to Arkansas, we only have a rear plate. :)
 
Here's an elegant solution (for my State at least) - in Washington State, if you get collector plates they only give you one plate for the rear. Problem solved.

Wish you could still do that Cliff. All the WA license bureaus are wise to the kit car laws now. Impossible to get a new 40 replica registered with collector plates now. In retrospect I should have gotten collector OR registration first and then changed states.
 

Julian

Lifetime Supporter
Fortunately in NV there is a little known clause that states if a car was not designed with a front license plate mounting you can carry the plate under the passenger seat! I also carry a copy of the document with me as most cops are not aware of that clause.

I like the UK system where you can get a sticky vinyl front license plate to mount on the front hood. Maybe you could scan you plate and print onto some vinyl, from a distance no one would realize I bet.
 
Got a ticket on my daily driver the other day while parked at a meter (fully paid up)...

I have a clear plastic cover on my front plate (made by the car manufacturer and optional equipment)..

You guessed it..

No License Plate. $108

Yes, there was a license plate behind the plastic and it's current..

The Nazi Meter Maid must have been having a bad day.... I'm glad I didn't catch him/her... I would have gone to jail...

I had no plans of putting a plate on the front of my GT40 - but I'll probably figure out something that works similar to David's suggestion..

((Unless))

I can get Vintage / Collector license plates in which you only have to run a rear plate. My 69 Camaro has such a plate..
If you had no license plate how did they write you a ticket?
 
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