lino
Member
- 148
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- 18
- Location
- Wake Forest, NC
License plate "Frame"
So, here's a little post on how I mounted the license plate.
I wanted a protected place to put it that wasn't hanging down like an afterthought.
I realize my solution might be blasphemous to some, but so be it... I rather like how it turned out.
The best spot, IMHO, is to the right of center on the rear bed panel, opposite the pocket for the trailer connector.
I wanted the solution to look "factory" (although I grant that no license plate on an MV can look "factory"), so I copied the method used to mount the trailer plug.
First I cut the hole. Non-trivial, it turns out. I didn't measure, but the panel is somewhere between .125 and .188 thick.
I debated between free-hand plasma, stenciled plasma, Mag-drill and holesaw + grinder as methods of removal.
I didn't have a bit large enough on my magdrill for the radius I wanted so that was out.
I taped the outline of the cutout and started with a holesaw (in hand drill) in the corner, and that clearly wasn't going to cut it (literally).
so I used the hole saw to mark the radii, and switched to freehand plasma. Straights were against straightedge, corners-freehand
That worked pretty well, but I had to weld up a few over-runs, hence the little welder in the pic. But all in all, it came out pretty well. In the second pic, you can barely see, but I had to notch the bed frame a little, but it wasn't attached to anything at that point, so structurally, no loss.
![IMG_1976.jpg IMG_1976.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371191-0da25e657411db63d10221e4e61afdc8.jpg)
![IMG_1977.jpg IMG_1977.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371192-00cc964284655e6a3dbeb43221a5a3ae.jpg)
![IMG_1981.jpg IMG_1981.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371242-0a764172360b5fb47dddf95ac40087b3.jpg)
Then on to the bracket. In the keeping of "like the trailer plug method", I wanted a plate with two bends on each side giving an offset of about an inch, with the whole thing a bit bigger than the opening.
I found a suitable piece of 1/8 steel in the scrap pile and got it cut to size.
I have two sheet metal brakes right now. One little one that replaces vise jaws. 8" wide, at that length, max thickness is probably about .030" It couldn't touch the 1/8 plate.
I also have a large one, home brew that fits in a 20 ton press. Should be good to about 3/8'. But that one can't put bends closer than about 3" to each other.
I hate being under-tooled... But bending was out.
So I switched plans to welding and dug out some 1" angle...
![IMG_1979.jpg IMG_1979.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371239-b850bc74beb9c3e1075a21d039eee80a.jpg)
![IMG_1980.jpg IMG_1980.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371240-6ac03542f3ad4615c913e2fa8fc23af2.jpg)
Then for lights, I started with ThoseMilitaryGuys light kit and put it on the plate. Added riv-nuts for the license plate.
![IMG_1987.jpg IMG_1987.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371243-ab83c1c852afa31f2b2228e2590019c1.jpg)
![IMG_1988.jpg IMG_1988.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371244-5b5cd501df71575f756ee2a9fdd5f286.jpg)
![IMG_1989.jpg IMG_1989.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371245-bb6ba57da2bd381c5d8fc14c72172c2d.jpg)
And here is what the plate looks like installed. I still have to replace the SHCS with hex heads to match.
I've also replaced the light kit with a six LED 24v unit from pilotlights.net, that way I don't need the regulator, which I might have already popped.
![IMG_1990.jpg IMG_1990.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371246-4caa52349e8c9f4bdb730c08dd21a81d.jpg)
![IMG_1991.jpg IMG_1991.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371247-2f506b7321f753ad8cde2bfad01a9d19.jpg)
Overall, I'm quite happy with how it turned out.
So, here's a little post on how I mounted the license plate.
I wanted a protected place to put it that wasn't hanging down like an afterthought.
I realize my solution might be blasphemous to some, but so be it... I rather like how it turned out.
The best spot, IMHO, is to the right of center on the rear bed panel, opposite the pocket for the trailer connector.
I wanted the solution to look "factory" (although I grant that no license plate on an MV can look "factory"), so I copied the method used to mount the trailer plug.
First I cut the hole. Non-trivial, it turns out. I didn't measure, but the panel is somewhere between .125 and .188 thick.
I debated between free-hand plasma, stenciled plasma, Mag-drill and holesaw + grinder as methods of removal.
I didn't have a bit large enough on my magdrill for the radius I wanted so that was out.
I taped the outline of the cutout and started with a holesaw (in hand drill) in the corner, and that clearly wasn't going to cut it (literally).
so I used the hole saw to mark the radii, and switched to freehand plasma. Straights were against straightedge, corners-freehand
That worked pretty well, but I had to weld up a few over-runs, hence the little welder in the pic. But all in all, it came out pretty well. In the second pic, you can barely see, but I had to notch the bed frame a little, but it wasn't attached to anything at that point, so structurally, no loss.
![IMG_1976.jpg IMG_1976.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371191-0da25e657411db63d10221e4e61afdc8.jpg)
![IMG_1977.jpg IMG_1977.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371192-00cc964284655e6a3dbeb43221a5a3ae.jpg)
![IMG_1981.jpg IMG_1981.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371242-0a764172360b5fb47dddf95ac40087b3.jpg)
Then on to the bracket. In the keeping of "like the trailer plug method", I wanted a plate with two bends on each side giving an offset of about an inch, with the whole thing a bit bigger than the opening.
I found a suitable piece of 1/8 steel in the scrap pile and got it cut to size.
I have two sheet metal brakes right now. One little one that replaces vise jaws. 8" wide, at that length, max thickness is probably about .030" It couldn't touch the 1/8 plate.
I also have a large one, home brew that fits in a 20 ton press. Should be good to about 3/8'. But that one can't put bends closer than about 3" to each other.
I hate being under-tooled... But bending was out.
So I switched plans to welding and dug out some 1" angle...
![IMG_1979.jpg IMG_1979.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371239-b850bc74beb9c3e1075a21d039eee80a.jpg)
![IMG_1980.jpg IMG_1980.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371240-6ac03542f3ad4615c913e2fa8fc23af2.jpg)
Then for lights, I started with ThoseMilitaryGuys light kit and put it on the plate. Added riv-nuts for the license plate.
![IMG_1987.jpg IMG_1987.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371243-ab83c1c852afa31f2b2228e2590019c1.jpg)
![IMG_1988.jpg IMG_1988.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371244-5b5cd501df71575f756ee2a9fdd5f286.jpg)
![IMG_1989.jpg IMG_1989.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371245-bb6ba57da2bd381c5d8fc14c72172c2d.jpg)
And here is what the plate looks like installed. I still have to replace the SHCS with hex heads to match.
I've also replaced the light kit with a six LED 24v unit from pilotlights.net, that way I don't need the regulator, which I might have already popped.
![IMG_1990.jpg IMG_1990.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371246-4caa52349e8c9f4bdb730c08dd21a81d.jpg)
![IMG_1991.jpg IMG_1991.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/371/371247-2f506b7321f753ad8cde2bfad01a9d19.jpg)
Overall, I'm quite happy with how it turned out.
Last edited: