General => General Fox T-Bird/Cougar Discussion => Topic started by: OgreBird on January 26, 2007, 06:26:46 PM
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: OgreBird on January 26, 2007, 06:26:46 PM
The Peoples' Soviet Socialist Republic of Maryland requires a front license plate for the front of my car, so I am heading to my local junkyard to locate a license plate bracket for the front of my '83 T-Bird. Does anyone know the range of models and years that this bracket may fit? Thanks!
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: ipsd on January 27, 2007, 10:21:15 AM
Head over to the parts store . The help section has one that looks identical to the one on my 84 t-bird Tc. I think it is priced at $12.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: EricCoolCats on January 27, 2007, 10:36:47 AM
OK, if you're going factory original, then you'd be looking for 1983-86 Thunderbirds and Cougars. It is metal. If you want a plastic one, look for a Fox Mustang or Tempo. The brackets require minor tpuppies on the bottom but the mounting holes usually line up perfectly with the ones already in your bumper cover. I say "usually" because there seems to have been a few revisions on the Mustang ones; sometimes the holes are further apart. Anyway, there you go. I haven't tried the Help! bracket mentioned.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: ipsd on January 27, 2007, 10:52:04 AM
I did forget to mention that the one in the help section is a metal one. It has the rolled up edges so that you can only put the plate in from the top. The part number on the plate holder is 68148 that is the HELP/Dorman part number.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: OgreBird on January 27, 2007, 06:10:46 PM
Thanks! I did find one at the junkyard off an '83 Cougar. It's a little on the harsh side though. I was wondering about the holes you mentioned. The bumper cover on my T-Bird does not have any holes in it. I hate to put a front plate on it, but I guess I don't have much of a choice. I looked underneath the car to see if there is someway to line up the bracket, but I can't see anything to line this thing up. Any suggestions short of X-ray vision? Thanks!
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: softtouch on January 27, 2007, 06:50:21 PM
When I bought my '84 T-Bird new I am pretty sure it didn't have any holes before they put the front plate holder on. The dealer didn't put them on until they sold the car.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: 5.0willgo on January 27, 2007, 06:57:04 PM
Yeah, there are no holes in the bumper. I had to make my own holes on the '86 (was a Delaware car) :(
Off topic, are you driving the T-Bird daily? If not, you should put historic tags on it.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: 4thqtr on January 27, 2007, 07:55:40 PM
How about the old "put it in the window" trick? I see tons of people in MD who just shove it in there (front and/or back) and go on their merry way. But I guess it is good to be a little more responsible :D
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: OgreBird on January 28, 2007, 02:59:40 PM
I thought about the window trick, but that just draws additional attention.
Regarding the historic tags, the car has to be 25 years old to qualify. T-Bird's 24. I put historic tags on my ZX. Kind of nice. No state inspection required. That's why you see all those beater trucks and rusted out hulks roaring around Maryland with historic plates.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: 5.0willgo on January 28, 2007, 03:59:32 PM
Quote from: OgreBird;126204
Regarding the historic tags, the car has to be 25 years old to qualify.
OR... 20yrs and a discontinued model which the T-Bird is:D
Quoted from MVA website FAQ section...
Quote
Does my vehicle qualify for historic or street rod plates?
Historic:
* The vehicle is 25 calendar years or older and has not been substantially altered, remodeled, or remanufactured from its original construction, or * The vehicle is between 20 and 24 model years old and is a model, of which the manufacturer produced 1,000 or fewer models for that year, as verified by the manufacturer (supporting documentation required). The vehicle has not been substantially altered, remodeled or remanufactured from its original construction, or * The vehicle is between 20 and 24 model years old and is a make that the manufacturer no longer produces, as verified by the manufacturer (supporting documentation required). It is not substantially altered, remodeled or remanufactured from it original construction.
It is also stated on the application form for the historic/street rod plates.
I'll be getting them on my '86 when I get it on the road this spring and my '88 next January. Especially since the only driving the '88 has done in the past year was to and from emissions.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: OgreBird on January 28, 2007, 06:56:52 PM
I was under the impression it had to be 25 years or older. Thanks for the clarification. I will look into the Historic tags this week.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: 4thqtr on January 28, 2007, 07:02:47 PM
Quote
supporting documentation required
I wonder what counts as documentation... ?
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: 5.0willgo on January 28, 2007, 07:06:44 PM
Okay, now I'm starting to doubt myself. :sorry:
Now this is typical Maryland lingo that gets all screwed up. It says 20 and 24 model years old and is a make that the manufacturer no longer produces.
They do say make, not model. Now I'm wondering if to qualify, if it would have to mean that Ford Motor Company(manufacturer) no longer builds Fords(make). As opposed to the Thunderbird(model). Know what I mean?
If that is the case, then Andrew and I are going to be upset as we're both waiting to put historics on our '88s.
Supporting documentation has me wondering a bit. How about a printout off their website of their vehicle line-up :hick:
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: 4thqtr on January 28, 2007, 07:16:31 PM
Quote from: 5.0willgo;126246
They do say make, not model. Now I'm wondering if to qualify, if it would have to mean that Ford Motor Company(manufacturer) no longer builds Fords(make). As opposed to the Thunderbird(model).
Awwwww . Off to buy a 20-year-old Oldsmobile...
But at the rate Ford is losing money...hmmmm ;) There IS a silver lining!!!!
Hey Ogre (hehehe, no offense), let us know what you find. I think Fred's and my sanity are both riding on this.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: 5.0willgo on January 28, 2007, 07:20:09 PM
Quote from: 4thqtr;126248
Hey Ogre (hehehe, no offense), let us know what you find. I think Fred's and my sanity are both riding on this.
Exactly, if I can't get those tags, I'm going to start trailering my car to emissions.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: OgreBird on January 29, 2007, 10:02:42 PM
I'll be heading off to the the MVA this week. I will let you know what I find out.
Title: Front License Plate Bracket
Post by: Cougars 2 go on January 30, 2007, 10:16:43 PM
Quote from: 5.0willgo;126246
Okay, now I'm starting to doubt myself. :sorry:
Now this is typical Maryland lingo that gets all screwed up. It says 20 and 24 model years old and is a make that the manufacturer no longer produces.
They do say make, not model. Now I'm wondering if to qualify, if it would have to mean that Ford Motor Company(manufacturer) no longer builds Fords(make). As opposed to the Thunderbird(model). Know what I mean?
I take that to mean something like an '86 Oldsmobile regardless of model. The manufacturer, GM, no longer produces the make Oldsmobile. If it applied to model, that would cover a lot of cars. Then what if you bought say, a 20-year old Impala when GM wasn't producing them but two years later, they come out with it again? But, I guess if he was able to get tags, then that doesn't line up with my interpretation. That could also depend on who is behind the counter. This is the state government and something like that could easily be misinterpreted by the folks who work there. Ask three MVA employees and you may get three different answers.