French number plate

[Dave ThornleyParticipant]

I have a curved french number plate as per attached picture. It had white stick on vinyl numbers. I removed these to repaint the plate itself.

I had intended to use something better looking, ie proper aluminium letters numbers.  Only trouble is that road legal ones need to be 79mm high.

On this plate they would need to be 75mm due to the lip going all the way around the plate.  Any suggestions as I would like to not have to revert back to stick on vinyl ones?

[BernieParticipant]

Originally French numbers were stencilled on.  I can’t condone displaying undersize number plate letters and figures but, personally, I settled for slightly smaller self-adhesive white numbers and had a local company make me a set to fit the plate.

B…

[Dave ThornleyParticipant]

I would accept some if they were 75mm high but cannot even find these. I did not like the white vinyl hence ripping them off before I had a replacement.

I might end up getting a plate made to accept 79mm.  Was hoping to go on a D-Day rally on Monday looks like that is scuppered.

[BernieParticipant]

David,

This is my solution ……

….. but I had to have the numbers and letters specially made by a local graphics company.

B…

[Dave ThornleyParticipant]

Yes that looks very nice much better than the numbers my plates had that looked homemade. Am going to contact a company who apparently can make low tack stencils, hopefully curved ones, so one can then spray on the number. Am unsure but would mine, 1951, have had the numbers painted on originally?  I have photos of her in the early 80s, in France, with what looks like painted on numbers.

[BernieParticipant]

David,

To the best of my knowledge the numbers would have been stencilled on at that time, often with a silver paint, rather than white.

In the 50s and 60s I also remember often seeing brand new vehicles in France being driven with their numbers temporarly chalked on the plate.  Those were the days – might still be happening if only somebody had invented reflective chalk ….

B….

[Dave ThornleyParticipant]

Now there is a thought. I know a guy up here in Norfolk who has been driving his car around for months with a cardboard front plate covered in clingfilm

and the number felt tip penned in.  Can only be a matter of time before he gets stopped.

[Dave ThornleyParticipant]

Finally got sorted. Ended up using letters made of a hard gel like substance, 79mm tall, in an aluminium like colour. Being gel they fit onto the front plinth as they can bend up to lip fit inside the lip.

[ChrisParticipant]

Sorry – I’m a bit late to the party.

My own french car had a curved front plate when I got it. It has silver letters from a British style plate which just about fit the original french plate. The K was interfering with the starting handle – hence the damage. This plate now lives in the garage and I have stick on numbers on the wing. They’re getting a bit tatty. Now that I no longer use the starting handle I’ll probably clean this plate up and re-attach it. One day.

Our local car parks, like those at Gatwick, use number plate recognition. I have never found any of them work with white on black plates even though the car is stopped in front of the camera. Somehow, though the Dartford crossing manages it when the car is travelling at 50 MPH. Moan over. As you were.

Chris

[Dave ThornleyParticipant]

Hi

 

Yes Ive seen the stick on numbers/letter affixed to the wing. Never been a great fan of that look.

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