lightweight99

I purchased a color matched GM license plate and it says I need to remove the white plastic things which the screws would go into for a regular license plate frame. I tried using pliers to pull them off but no luck. How have you removed these?

ArcticLS3

I dont really understand - there should only be 4 holes in the plate frame and they should all line up with your licsense plate. Can you post a picture of what you are trying to remove?

Edit: i just reread this: so you bought just a gm color matched license plate?i didnt know they made these.

ALS 08

My frame's screw holes align over the plate's and attach as one with same screws. Then plugs/caps snap on over screw heads.
Those white squares on car are what the threads are inside of. Without them, how would you fasten plate? Yould be left with just holes. No?

tractman

I have the GM frame....I had to remove nothing....it lined up perfectly and all I did was insert the screws and tighten.

mgtr

Post of the day. This makes perfect sense!

lightweight99

I lined the plate up and it wont fit unless I remove them. I ordered the plate off e-bay, it's an altec product so not exactly the 95.00 GM one I suppose. Same color, same design, cheaper price. The instructione refer to them as " Remove 2 white plastic OEM license plate mouting retainers to expose square holes."

VET4LES

My GM frame fit using the using the white plastic things.

Wezel

I have the same frame; it's actually not a real GM product.

I removed the white mounts by sticking one side of a needle-nose in the round screw hole while grabbing the outside edge of the white with the other side, and pulling them straight out.

BTW: I also found that with this plate frame your emergency trunk release key is blocked from fitting all the way into the key hole and you can't open the trunk/hatch. So you'll need to carry the allen wrench in you wallet so you can remove the plate frame for emergency access.

NVR LAT

I'm really sorry to say this, but it sounds like another..."you get what you pay for" kind of thing. What kind of crazy frame is this and how does it stay secure?

Gearhead Jim

Our car is Victory Red and I like black trim, so i went down to Auto Zone and paid about 5 bucks for a black frame that fits perfectly.

surburban99

Same here. I did not have to remove anything.

drich2905

TexasMadMan

To those asking how the plate attaches, there is a metal backing plate that is put on with double sided tape. The license tag then attaches to the metal backing plate. The white nuts must be removed for the hex screws to work.

BTW, I removed my "white things" with a pair of diagonal cutters.

As far as using the trunk key with this frame, I just learned something. Wezel, you are correct. I think I will get an extra key and trim off the black plastic to see if that makes room for the key to work. Thanks for giving me a heads up on this.

ALS 08

Aha. It appears you have a type of enclosed frame with a back that attaches to car with sticky tape rather than the white square mounting tabs So it seems you have to pull them to have a flat surface.
Most of us have a frame, no back and all it does is surround the plate.

Wezel

You are welcome, sir.

I even called the company that makes them last year. They said they'd never heard of that problem before and have apparently not addressed it so.....

I recommend everybody buy the real GM frame!

NevadaVette

You came to the wrong place to get a question answered.

In regard to your original question, you can try removing an adjacent tail light assembly from the rear bumper cover. That is simple. You should then be able to reach behind the rear bumper cover holding the white plastic sockets through the hole that the tail light came out of and:

(a) compress the tips of the white plastic sockets inside the rear bumper cover with a plier and push them out; or

(b) tap the tips of the white plastic sockets from the inside of the rear bumper with a small hammer to beat them out; or

(c) cut off the tips of the white plastic sockets from the inside of the rear bumper cover with a cutter and they will fall out.

If you are afraid or too lazy to remove the tail light, you can alternatively:

(d) try inserting screws of an increasingly large diameter in the white plastic socket and the screws will eventually break the tips off the back of the bumper cover, at which point the white plastic sockets will fall out; or

(e) if you have a drill, pick out a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the hole the white plastic socket fits into and drill out the white plastic socket that you want to remove; it will then fall off with your finger nail. Most Corvettes have additional holes in the rear bumper cover for holding the white plastic sockets that you can use to figure out the correct drill bit diameter not to exceed.

None of these methods should damage the paint. If you try to pry it out against the paint like suggested above, you might be happier if you at least tape off the adjoining painter area before you try.

If you find that you need new plastic sockets after destroying the ones that you have, you can find them at Walmart or any of the auto parts chains. They are often sold in kits with screws that you may or may not need. Pay attention because the sockets are not all the same diameter.

Gearhead Jim

I used option D above on another C6, but don't let the drill suddenly break through and go too deeply into the trunk area.