Mud-club
Vehicle & Technical => Defender => Topic started by: turtle on January 10, 2005, 11:29:25
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Doing a few mods to Turtle, and over the weekend removed the roof rack, not a 5 minute job, as over the years I bolted on the Hi-lift, rear working light, cb ariel spot lights etc to it, so all this needed to be remounted before the rack could come off, all is now done expect for the front lights and number plate, hence the question.
The number plate was mounted on the rack and I'm looking to mount it on the passenger side front vent. But its a bit too big, so can the plate be cut down? need to trim off half an inch of plastic, this dosen't alter the letters or numbers, Before I get the jigsaw out and cut down the plate I wan't to be sure that I can do this and still be legal, I know the letters numbers have to be a set size, but does the plate itself have to be a set size as well?
(number plate is currently sitting in the inside of the cab - just incase you wondered where it is)
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I dont think it can be cut down, But for all of 1/2 an inch it shouldnt matter,after all they dont take mesurements of your plate for the MOT do they?
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This may be of some help
http://www.dvla.gov.uk/vehicles/regmarks/reg_marks_current_requirements.htm
Cheers
Dave
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I'm not sure on the legal requirement of plates, but to make it fit flush I need trim it down, so I just want to be sure before cutting.
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ISTR that I had to do this once (can't remember why tho'). I trimmed a little bit off each end of the plate so that the reg number didn't look lopsided. I also ensured that the cut edge was sanded down and bevelled a bit so that it didn't look too obvious :wink:
A bit more work than simply making a cut, but I never got pulled up on it.
Looking at the DVLA regs, there is only a minimum margin size defined, not an overall plate size, so as long as you don't cut into the margin, you should be okay.
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Thanks for that Simon, thats useful.
Cheers
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nah you'll be fine, so long as the size or spacing of the letters isn't affected.
Look at the plate on the back of a Rover 75 next time you pass one, I say pass one as even in a defender they never pass you. :-)
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i cut the plates down on my car & the 90 & ive never been pulled for them,although i do have a diddy wee plate on the front of the 90 & my car,the police are more concered in whether u have road tax or not,well round here anyway
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nah you'll be fine, so long as the size or spacing of the letters isn't affected.
Unless you get an arsy copper. They carry templates in the boot that they put over the number plate to check if it is too small.
That being said I have NEVER heard of a car being done for an illigal number plate but know at least 3 bikers that have been done. One of them 'cus is number plate was 1/2 cm too narrow. :roll:
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Unless you get an arsy copper
u lot will be ok cos i have the british population of arsey coppers in fife 2 keep me company :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: ,got 2 the point where i was getting stopped 2 times a week,till i changed cars :lol: :lol:
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They get the tape measure out when they've stopped you and found everything else is in order. I've seen quite a few young lads that have been stopped and they've got to the point of checking the number plates.
Stick a Pakistan flag on it and you'll have no problems.
Ed
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well theyve got 2 get past the window tints first,had a few coppers look at it but theyve never bothered,"yes sir,no sir,3 bags full sir :P "seems 2 work
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They get the tape measure out when they've stopped you and found everything else is in order.
Yeah, but the point is that there is no standard for the plate itself, as defined by the DVLA. As long as the characters are the correct size, the spacing is correct and there is sufficient border around the lot, the plate can be whatever size you want. I wonder how many Old Bill know that??
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....
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Got the jigsaw out and took half an inch off the number plate and fixed to the vent.
Need to get another plastic cover for the centre screw, and I cracked the outside edge while fixing :cry: