Well it finally happened...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 354
Likes: 10
From: Virginia
Well it finally happened...
After almost 10months, I got busted yesterday for no front license plate. i had however bought the clear front cover with the intention of mounting the plate behind like other have done.
Being that the car is black, i used plastidip on the front cover and then sprayed some black semi metallic paint on it. Its not perfect, but i was able to do it very easily/quickly, and now i should be in compliance. I just trimmed the edges of the plate to get it to fit in there and bent the plate to contour with the cover. Overall im pleased with the results. I may eventually round out the corners so they arent as sharp, which should be easy enough to do.
Heres a quick pic. Please forgive the bug splats, it was just on a 300mile trip yesterday.
Being that the car is black, i used plastidip on the front cover and then sprayed some black semi metallic paint on it. Its not perfect, but i was able to do it very easily/quickly, and now i should be in compliance. I just trimmed the edges of the plate to get it to fit in there and bent the plate to contour with the cover. Overall im pleased with the results. I may eventually round out the corners so they arent as sharp, which should be easy enough to do.
Heres a quick pic. Please forgive the bug splats, it was just on a 300mile trip yesterday.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 565
Likes: 143
From: Bedford VA
What were you doing/where were you to get busted? I ran my '98 for 10 years in Virginia without a front plate with no problem. On my '04, I caved and bought the license surround plate for it deciding not to press my luck any further. I have gotten used to the appearance.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 354
Likes: 10
From: Virginia
I was headed north bound on i-95, coming home from OBX with the targa top off, with two american flags flying (for 9/11). Three lanes, speed limit was 70mph. There where 2 18wheelers in the two right hand lanes, i put my turn signal on and moved into the left lane, about 500ft from the state trooper in the median. I looked down at my speedo and it said 74mph (cruise control set). He pulls out and gets right on my tail, as i keep moving to the right one lane at a time. When he came up to my car and said "i pulled you over because you dont have a front plate". I was truely shocked and annoyed but cooperated. I think its because I'm 26, and looked like i was enjoying the beautiful weather, which i was (as far as i know thats not a crime, yet). Maybe he was jealous.
If i had stayed behind the 18wheelers for a could seconds longer i'm sure he wouldnt have even noticed.
If i had stayed behind the 18wheelers for a could seconds longer i'm sure he wouldnt have even noticed.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 73,568
Likes: 33
From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
I was headed north bound on i-95, coming home from OBX with the targa top off, with two american flags flying (for 9/11). Three lanes, speed limit was 70mph. There where 2 18wheelers in the two right hand lanes, i put my turn signal on and moved into the left lane, about 500ft from the state trooper in the median. I looked down at my speedo and it said 74mph (cruise control set). He pulls out and gets right on my tail, as i keep moving to the right one lane at a time. When he came up to my car and said "i pulled you over because you dont have a front plate". I was truely shocked and annoyed but cooperated. I think its because I'm 26, and looked like i was enjoying the beautiful weather, which i was (as far as i know thats not a crime, yet). Maybe he was jealous.
If i had stayed behind the 18wheelers for a could seconds longer i'm sure he wouldnt have even noticed.
If i had stayed behind the 18wheelers for a could seconds longer i'm sure he wouldnt have even noticed.
You were cruising 74 MPH and the LEO was sitting in the median. He saw a car coming down the highway at 74 mph with no front plate and immediately knew you were a resident of the state and came out after you? Then said his sole reason for the stop was no plate?
It could be true but it sounds suspect to me. On his part, not yours.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20,030
Likes: 289
From: Wylie TX --> Less is More, except under the hood !
Nicely done !
If you have to run a front plate in your state, then its about as best as we can do right ?
I masked off the INSIDE of my clear front plate cover and painted it body color.
If you have to run a front plate in your state, then its about as best as we can do right ?
I masked off the INSIDE of my clear front plate cover and painted it body color.
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From: Everywhere and Nowhere at all
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 15,449
Likes: 1,716
From: Everywhere and Nowhere at all
He wasn't jealous... Nor was he profiling because you were 26 and in a Vette... It's called probable cause. I was once pulled over by a DPS trooper because he "suspected" that my tint was too dark.... Turns out, it was and I had to strip it off and re tint. Talk about shocked and annoyed....
I was headed north bound on i-95, coming home from OBX with the targa top off, with two american flags flying (for 9/11). Three lanes, speed limit was 70mph. There where 2 18wheelers in the two right hand lanes, i put my turn signal on and moved into the left lane, about 500ft from the state trooper in the median. I looked down at my speedo and it said 74mph (cruise control set). He pulls out and gets right on my tail, as i keep moving to the right one lane at a time. When he came up to my car and said "i pulled you over because you dont have a front plate". I was truely shocked and annoyed but cooperated. I think its because I'm 26, and looked like i was enjoying the beautiful weather, which i was (as far as i know thats not a crime, yet). Maybe he was jealous.
If i had stayed behind the 18wheelers for a could seconds longer i'm sure he wouldnt have even noticed.
If i had stayed behind the 18wheelers for a could seconds longer i'm sure he wouldnt have even noticed.
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Nice job on the plate cover.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 354
Likes: 10
From: Virginia
Thanks guys!
Yea since its just plasti-dip i will probably redo it from the inside eventually. The thought hadnt occured to me until i had already taped and sprayed a layer on it.
In other news, the car just hit 100,000 miles this afternoon. Ive owned it almost 10months and have put 14k miles on it. Its a fun daily driver.
Yea since its just plasti-dip i will probably redo it from the inside eventually. The thought hadnt occured to me until i had already taped and sprayed a layer on it.
In other news, the car just hit 100,000 miles this afternoon. Ive owned it almost 10months and have put 14k miles on it. Its a fun daily driver.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 190
Likes: 5
From: Jay Florida
Flew in to Corpus Christi to buy my car, brought a temporary Florida tag with me for the drive home. I didn't make it 10 miles from the previous owners house before a deputy pulled me over. He walked up to the window and said "sorry sir, pulled you over for no front plate but now I see the Florida tag, have a nice day"
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,206
Likes: 1,139
From: Santa Rosa Beach FL
Let me get this straight.
You were cruising 74 MPH and the LEO was sitting in the median. He saw a car coming down the highway at 74 mph with no front plate and immediately knew you were a resident of the state and came out after you? Then said his sole reason for the stop was no plate?
It could be true but it sounds suspect to me. On his part, not yours.
You were cruising 74 MPH and the LEO was sitting in the median. He saw a car coming down the highway at 74 mph with no front plate and immediately knew you were a resident of the state and came out after you? Then said his sole reason for the stop was no plate?
It could be true but it sounds suspect to me. On his part, not yours.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,643
Likes: 167
Let me get this straight.
You were cruising 74 MPH and the LEO was sitting in the median. He saw a car coming down the highway at 74 mph with no front plate and immediately knew you were a resident of the state and came out after you? Then said his sole reason for the stop was no plate?
It could be true but it sounds suspect to me. On his part, not yours.
You were cruising 74 MPH and the LEO was sitting in the median. He saw a car coming down the highway at 74 mph with no front plate and immediately knew you were a resident of the state and came out after you? Then said his sole reason for the stop was no plate?
It could be true but it sounds suspect to me. On his part, not yours.
Nah, that couldn't have been what happened. No way...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 354
Likes: 10
From: Virginia
What made it worse was after the LEO took my license and registration back to his cruiser, i was starring into my side mirror so see how many cars were passing by with no front plate. Surprisingly, there was a fair amount without front plates (i didnt verify if they were from states requiring front tags or not).
Once he let me go, as i accelerated back onto the highway i was side by side with another black c5 coupe. Like everyone else, he musta thought i had been speeding. We exchanged a wave and a chuckle and carried on.
I check with a good friend of mine who is a county LEO, and he said that no front plate is a primary offense (i thought maybe it was a secondary), at least in VA. So the cop was totally justified, although it just seems like a silly ticket to write when he was well hidden and could easily catch people going reckless.
Once he let me go, as i accelerated back onto the highway i was side by side with another black c5 coupe. Like everyone else, he musta thought i had been speeding. We exchanged a wave and a chuckle and carried on.
I check with a good friend of mine who is a county LEO, and he said that no front plate is a primary offense (i thought maybe it was a secondary), at least in VA. So the cop was totally justified, although it just seems like a silly ticket to write when he was well hidden and could easily catch people going reckless.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,643
Likes: 167
What made it worse was after the LEO took my license and registration back to his cruiser, i was starring into my side mirror so see how many cars were passing by with no front plate. Surprisingly, there was a fair amount without front plates (i didnt verify if they were from states requiring front tags or not).
Once he let me go, as i accelerated back onto the highway i was side by side with another black c5 coupe. Like everyone else, he musta thought i had been speeding. We exchanged a wave and a chuckle and carried on.
I check with a good friend of mine who is a county LEO, and he said that no front plate is a primary offense (i thought maybe it was a secondary), at least in VA. So the cop was totally justified, although it just seems like a silly ticket to write when he was well hidden and could easily catch people going reckless.
Once he let me go, as i accelerated back onto the highway i was side by side with another black c5 coupe. Like everyone else, he musta thought i had been speeding. We exchanged a wave and a chuckle and carried on.
I check with a good friend of mine who is a county LEO, and he said that no front plate is a primary offense (i thought maybe it was a secondary), at least in VA. So the cop was totally justified, although it just seems like a silly ticket to write when he was well hidden and could easily catch people going reckless.