DIY: Front license plate bracket Install
 

Yup; After getting pulled over by the police, I realized I really don't need any extra attention from the cops. Installation was pretty straight forward. Thanks to Socal 370Z for taking some pictures of the License plate bracket.


http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...om/license.png


well, since the J-nuts are very thin, I had to go to HomeDepot to pick up some washers and good quality "small length" screws. I also picked up some rubber washers so that I can put it between the bracker and the front bumper. This way if if someone backs into my license plate, my paint won't be scratched. Rubber washers are NOT thin but I used a blade to slice them thin ;) Here are some pictures:

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/DSC01586.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/DSC01573.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/DSC01571.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/DSC01574.jpg

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/IMG_0560.jpg
Please disregard by bent license plate :shakes head: . I am getting a new plate for the car soon.

http://i576.photobucket.com/albums/s...m/IMG_0557.jpg

BTW, if you have two owner's manual (old and new version), feel free to check the instructions (just for fun) in the old manual . They actually want you to drill again on to the bumper to fasten the bracket. I was like :eek:. That's when I opened the newer manual.

Be forewarned to use short length screws. Long screws will dig into your front molding...thanks to my dealer for messing that one up.

Two things I noticed, because my dealer, evidently, wasn't as careful as I would have hoped.
1) Yes, long screws will damage the front of the car
2) That J-nut is stupid. It's wider than the plate-holder is deep, so it prevents the plate-holder from sitting flush with the front of the car. I need to get ahold of some short screws and different, thinner nuts to hold my plate in place.

Exactly. That's why I went to HomeDepot to find the shortest length screws and so be safe, used some washers. My screws back end never made out of j-nuts :tup:

Not too terrible, but I am trying to get away without one for a while. So far, so good. Though I have had a few cops look at me sideways when Synchro Rev started doing it's thing.

Synchrorev + stop light + cop = unwanted attention

I could just hear them thinking, in the most Southern accent possible, "Son, just what in the sam hell do ya think yer doing?"

With the J-nuts clipped in, the mount doesn't sit flush with the front of the car... I wonder what's wrong with mine :(

That's normal. Mine doesn't sit flush either. If you look at the top pictures, you'll see there's no J-nuts installed ;)

Just installed mine. These South Jersey Cops having nothing better to do!

slap my plate on only when im gonna be traveling out of my city or at night when i know im going to have a beer or two at night.

Florida rocks

I used a Dremel to grind down the J-nuts.

I'm just trying to install my front plates. The "J nut" is just too thick in the back and gets in the way for the License Plate Bracket to mount flush with the front bumper.
How did you secure your license plate screws to the Plate Bracket without the J nuts?
Went to the Dealer and the Service dept was closed and other people had no clue.
Any help would be appreciated.

thanks.

I did use the j-nuts. The license plate doesn't sit flush when you install them. But it doesn't look too bad. I also put a thin rubber slice so that the end of j-nuts do not rub my paint.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/l...C_8724post.jpg

I'm not sure if you guys are allowed to puncture your plates in the US. But I simply bored holes on my plate where the plate holder screws are positioned and bought longer screws to mount the plate and holder. So plate and holder are held by the same pair of screws.

thats a really good idea. I haven't aligned the plate with the holes but
I think the holes might get in the way of the letters or numbers.

I finally installed my front license plate the normal way as shown in the handbook. Except for 1 big change. I went to Ace Hardware and used
2 "J nut" that is made from hardened steel and is lot thinner than the enclosed plastic one. So everything is flush to the contour of the bumper
and no gaps.

Thanks. Will stop by my local ACE Hardware store on Saturday!

Here is another option...

STILLEN : STILLEN Front License Plate Bracket

I have this on order, hoping to have it this weekend and will post some pictures as soon as it is installed.

Got pulled over ON THE FIRST DAY after picking up my tags and ditching the temp one. Needless to say, I installed the front plate. The funny thing is, the officer didn't say one word about my 15% tint. Go figure...

If it was a State Trooper I am surprised you got away with the tint. I just got mine tinted at 35% which is MD legal, but that is only if there is absolutely no factory tint. I'm hoping not to have any issues. I got tired of retinting over and over again at 15% on my other cars. MD State troopers also look out for front license plate violators. Ask anyone that ownes a Vette.

I had to have my front license plate in order to get my military base stickers. The thing is I didn't want to drill big holes in my front bumper. You know those 2 little marks on the black part of the front bumper?(the drill marks for the license plate holder) well I just measured the holes and drilled 2 small holes in my license plate and mounted the plate with small screws into the marks. As soon as I got my base stickers I remove the front plate and I can barely notice the very small holes.:tup:

I'll be buying my car in VT where the front plate is required, but will be moving to WV a month after where the front place isn't required...I wonder if I can tell the dealer to not install it...I dont want holes in the bumper after I take the bracket off.

def tell the dealer not to install it. My dealer did not install the license plate and front chin spoiler. They asked my permission and told me that whenever I decide to put them on, they will install it free of charge. I ended up installing myself.

BTW, good to see you back, koojo. I thought you left us!:hello:

Good point thanks man! I'll tell them to hold off on installing the plate bracket.

I've been around, mainly just browsing. But I'm pretty close to buying a pearl white 370z so I'll be on here 24/7 haha.

My dealer supplied the bracket, but no hardware, and no J-nuts to mount the front plate. I used a couple of sheet metal screws to mount the bracket to the fascia directly into the plastic.

After this, I took a look at the manual, and it mentioned the grommets, or J-nuts. I called the Nissan Dealer, Northbay Nissan in Petaluma. They told me to come on down and they'd mount the proper hardware. After 10 minutes at NB Nissan, the service guy asked me what the problem was. He said the plate & bracket were mounted just fine. I mentioned the missing grommets (J-nuts and screws), and he told me that the way I mounted the bracket is the way they mount it.
Just using sheet metal screws to hold the bracket on doesn't seem like a very secure way to hold the plate, especially over time, as the plastic fascia is fairly soft material, and the screws can only be tightened down minimally without pulling out of the plastic.

I was surprised that the dealer didn't have the proper hardware to mount the plate bracket, as mounting front plates is required by law here in the state.
MeZadude

could you use toggle bolts to mount the bracket? The dealer drilled my hole too wide on one side and the nut is loose one side of teh bracket is loose.

Does anyone have pics of the Stillen front plate bracket installed on the Z? Does it okay? (I mean, despite the obvious.)

License Plate Mounting
 

I noticed that alot of people are saying that their j-nuts prevent them from mounting the LP bracket flush with the car. I fixed the problem by mounting the J-nuts on the bracket upside down. Screws will still work with the nut being upside down. My bracket is now flush with the car and the j-nut acts as a washer/nut, keeping the screw from digging into my bumper.:tiphat:

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but .... thanks! The J-nut thickness thing was driving me crazy. I kept thinking I HAD to be doing something wrong! NO WAY Nissan would screw the pooch this bad on a simple bracket...Yup,they did.

I will NOT have the bracket separated from the nose (and think what those 2 points of contact are going to do to your paint!), so I finally took 2 6mm nuts, and masking-taped them to the backside of the bracket. The tape only needs to hold until the bolts are snug. There is enough clearance for a standard 6mm nut (barely!). So now (with very careful bolt length selection) my bracket sits flush to the nose of the car (as the bracket design was clearly intended to do!) and no rub points. I expect that level of engineering from a '69 MG Midget, not a 2010 Nissan!

I just placed an order for a '11 Z, does it come with a front plate mounting bracket?? IF so, I will mount this myself, don't trust the dealer to install...

Well I guess I'll keep this old thread going... apologies.
I should be picking up the new plates in a week or so. If the mount is provided, I will not be allowing the dealer to install it. I really like TheDreamer look of the Stillen - thanks for posting! (from a fellow Texan trying not to attract attention) I will most likely go that route because, frankly, I just refuse to drill holes however small into my < month old car. However, that motorized one ENT-Z did here is freakin' awesome. I might just wait until first ticket and try that (and yes I'd be willing to cut up the chin spoiler more than drilling holes in the fender because (a) it's much less visible and (b) the ridiculous factor is off the charts).

Anyone else found creative methods of mounting their front plate to comply with dumb state legislature?

**EDIT**
Anyone know if the Zee Bracket for the 350Z is compatible with the front grill of the 370Z? See here. Thanks!

I'd like to see some more pics of the stillen plate installed too! possible one from a distance? Ive done a search but came up with nothing.
thx

I just installed a stillen front plate. From the side you can see about a 0.5 inch gap to the center of the bumper, which is completely fine.

The only con with the plate is the high price.

well I said, screw with the instructions on manual....got me a couple of M6 screws from HomeDepot (I think 12mm long) and no probs in installing my licence plate...I refuse to read a bunch of instructions for something as simple :)

Cops have been salivating left and right to ticket my car here in Wa. St. (they got me only once so far for speeding) but they have never mentioned anything about me not having a front license plate, I guess my black Z just looks like it should and it never dawns on them that it's not there. So I'll just take the ticket if it ever comes. I couldn't do that to my baby.

hey guys, where would i buy the front license plate bracket? dealer? thnx

Don't bother going to the dealer...a lot of guys here would cut you a much better deal..I have had very good experience buying stuff from this group..

Keep it up guys !

In order to gain more clearance, I heated up a nut and let it melt its way through the plastic. I coated the front and back sides with a generous layer of epoxy.
It doesn't take much heat at all, 2-3 seconds on a torch.

I was considering filling the holes, tapping them, and using a plastic screw, but opted for this method instead.

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h1...5Nov070826.jpg