License Plate Bracket

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: License Plate Bracket
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George Button III (Chip), Lake Clear, NY on Friday, May 04, 2012 - 11:48 am:

Is there a special or "correct" plate holder or bracket for 14 T?? Is this available from any of the vendors??


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George Button III (Chip), Lake Clear, NY on Friday, May 04, 2012 - 10:57 pm:

Bump.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jim Thode Chehalis Washington on Friday, May 04, 2012 - 11:49 pm:

George,

This "The proper license bracket originally would have been leather straps around the front and rear axles securing the license plates to the car. Many factory photos exist of this arrangement on new 1914 Model T's."

Is from:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/273381.html?1331309182

And info about 1915 at:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29/50153.html?1205786476

Jim


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Saturday, May 05, 2012 - 12:51 am:

That photo of the 1914 Ford is a factory photo and the license plate is a Michigan manufacturer's plate denoted by the letter "M" following the digits 5005. Hanging the plate from the axle with leather straps is most likely for convenient and temporary mounting of the plate so it could be easily removed and attached to another factory owned car as needed.

What is shown in the photo does not necessarily imply the proper or correct method for displaying a license plate on a 1914 Ford. It just shows the method Ford Motor Company chose to display a Michigan manufacturer's license plate.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George Button III (Chip), Lake Clear, NY on Saturday, May 05, 2012 - 10:28 am:

Thanks to all. My original 1914 NY plates were just approved by NYDMV and I would like to put them on the car. I will order some straps and we are ready to go


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Erik Johnson on Saturday, May 05, 2012 - 03:25 pm:

I would not recommend mounting the plates with straps on the axles. Hanging the plates in that fashion is not very practical if you want your plates to last.

The factory photos show what I consider temporary mounting of Michigan manufacturers plates. Manufacturers plates could be attached and removed from cars as needed and moved from car to car. Utilizing leather straps made this easy to accomplish.

There were many ways to with aftermarket brackets. Example of mounting the plates up front include:

1) Clips on the front spring ubolts - you can buy repros from Langs (although they aren't the greatest because the plate can interfere with the crank - period brackets actually have a short dog leg in them to avoid this problem):

http://www.modeltford.com/item/3664E.aspx

2) bracket that attaches to the headlight fork

3) bracket that attaches to the radiator neck (in my opinion, this method of mounting is ugly)

4) since you have a depot hack, you can also mount the plate to the wood beneath the windshield glass. This method was used on many cars in the early days of the automobile and was also common on 1912 and earlier Model Ts.

There are also are variety of brackets to mount a license plate on the rear. If you have a brass lamp, you can use a Neverout bracket - either original or reproduction. Since you have a depot hack, you have even more options regarding mounting the plate.

Reproduction Neverout:
http://www.modeltford.com/item/3660CI.aspx

Also be aware that laws dictate how license plates are to be displayed on automobiles.

Below are photos of period front brackets for a Model T Ford. Note that these brackets have the dog leg, unlike the reproductions that are being sold by the vendors.

123


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George Button III (Chip), Lake Clear, NY on Saturday, May 05, 2012 - 03:34 pm:

Thanks Erik.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William Harper - Keene, NH on Sunday, May 06, 2012 - 08:25 am:

My 1914 touring has accessory shock absorbers which precludes mounting the front license plate in the usual (under the hand crank) location. I haven't yet located a fork mount plate holder so I use a radiator neck mount holder. Ugly, perhaps to some but I don't mind. I do sometimes wonder if, by blocking the passage of air against the top tank, it might reduce by a bit the cooling efficency. One possible advantage to the rad mount is that I (and others) can easily find my car in a parking lot full of black Model Ts.

The rear plate is mounted on a Neverout bracket.

George, good luck with your project. Bill




Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Sunday, May 06, 2012 - 08:49 am:

Here's a group of period correct 1914 license plate location photos:






Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Monday, May 07, 2012 - 11:23 am:

Use a Neverout.


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