US number plate mounting

[jeremybarnes]

Probably a silly question (another silly question...), but is there a bracket to which I should be mounting the rear plate for a US S1 FHC? I've looked in all the books, and at loads of images, and I can't see how I'm supposed to attach the plate to the car. I've got the four rubber plugs that go into the oval holes in the back, do I use self-tapping screws of some sort to screw into those? I was considering using heavy-duty magnets glued to the plate and then snapped onto the car, but I can't believe that's how they did it originally.

As my car came to me without a number plate on it, i'm confused...

Thanks everyone, as always.

Jeremy.

[Sprytly]

Hello Jeremy:
Polished slotted round head screws with coarse threads through those oval holes with appropriate nuts and flat washers would have been there from the U.S. car dealership upon delivery to the first owner. I believe the dimensions for license plates in the U.S. had been standardized by the time the E-Type came along, so you should have no trouble with all the holes lining up. You might want to place some spring or shake proof washers under the nuts, but the new car dealer would probably not have gone that far. The bottom left is tricky because the fuel tank shares the space. Have your magnet handy to fetch the hardware you may drop.

[jeremybarnes]

Thanks Martin, just what I needed.

Do the rubber plugs stay in, and I drill/screw through them, or do i pull the plugs out? Seems the plugs would stop exhaust gas pulling back into the car.

Jeremy.

[1954Etype]

Those oval bungs are also buffers to stop the plate rattling. Fit using black headed self tappers that go through the body. Don't use nuts as you might need to remove the plate for access to the rear hatch lock if the cable snaps. (IIRC there is a blanking grommet that can be removed which lets you use a hook to manually operate the lock).

[Fixed Head]

Jeremy, I don't think I've ever even seen the rubber plugs still in place on a US car. Certainly not still in place, but just drilled or screwed through. They are there to plug the holes when NOT being used to mount a US style "license plate". Angus is a bit mistaken also, the access behind the plate for a broken latch cable would only refer to 4.2 roadsters. It would not be an issue on a coupe, where the latch is mounted far up on the side panel and would be accessible from the inside of the car if necessary.

Martin is correct above. Your plate would have originally been mounted with basically "hardware store" bolts, though I like to use slotted round-headed stainless machine screws (with nuts on the inside) if you can find them. Obviously no one is going to know if they're coarse or fine thread. Use a gasket of some sort behind some big flat washers on the inside if you're concerned about fumes. I'm pretty sure you can even still get the same old standard license plate mounting hardware, in chrome, at your local Pep Boys.

[1954Etype]

Yes, of course! Latch mounted much higher.

[jeremybarnes]

perfect, thanks everyone!

Jeremy.