Front License Plate solution for a 911 with parking sensors. (I will try to add jpgs, but if there are none and you are interested, ping me on a private message and I'll reply with photos and template.)

My first post in these forums. I've looked through these forums and searched the net without success for some way to reluctantly (a) mount the front plate (it's now required in Texas, as of 2014 - $200 fine), and happily (b) not drill holes in the pristine bodywork of my 2012 Carrera S Cabrio. Since it has the parking proximity sensors in front, the tow hook method won't work - the plate blocks the sensor.

I considered some means of mounting it to the 'grill fin' in front of the radiator, but like many on this forum, I REALLY didn't like the look of the offset mount, and did not want to hinder cooling air flow to the radiator. And it would probably still have tripped the proximity sensor. Honestly, if I didn't have the sensor issue, I'd have gone with the tow hook offset.

My center mount solution was pretty simple. IT uses wooden D-shpaed spacers mounted to the Front Insert with 1/8 x 4" bolts. And it works like a charm, if you are the least bit handy. 30 - 45 minutes tops. After I run it at Circuit of the Americas, I'll report back on stability at speed.

I bought the "wide-H" shaped 'genuine Porsche' license bracket online with its nylon 'nuts' for the license plate screws. You could use other brackets. The long oval, solid, black plastic Front Insert (the 'opening' above chin spoiler) where a normal low radiator grill would be has nothing behind it for a couple of inches. If you wish to remove it to do the install using normal machine bolts, you can -- I opted to (a) use 1/8" x 4" toggle bolts to do a blind install from the front with the toggles.

By trial and error with 3 x 5 cards - try, trim, try, trim, try, etc., I used the final 3x5 card template (I will provide a jpg) to cut out two identical, D-shaped pieces of 3/4" thick pine about 2 3/4 deep, by 4 1/4 tall, and checked and rechecked the shape to fit well back into the Front Insert, sanding here and there. The wood spacer block pieces were then painted flat black. If you are inclined you could turn the template over to a CNC shop and have them mill them out of magnesium, aluminum, etc. I stayed with wood. Bent aluminum angles might have worked. A couple of "U" shaped channel pieces might have if you can find the correct dimension.

The Porsche license bracket has two sets of holes pressed into it. One set, (the one I used) was just under 5" apart. The wide set was around 7" apart.

You need to drill a 3/16 hole all the way through the pine spacers, edge to edge, from the front edge of the D to the back in the direction of the short dimension. Then lay out the install points in the Front Insert the same width apart as the Porsche bracket holes - this step can use an extra set of hands. Place the two D-shaped pieces in the correct position so the holes match those in the license plate bracket. Using an icepick or some such, push it through the two drilled holes to leave a dimple on the back surface of the Front Insert to mark where to drill.

CAREFULLY, drill a 3/8" hole to pass through the toggles at your dimples without pushing the bit much. Let it just slowly chew through the relatively soft plastic. Try one of the 'toggles' to make sure it goes through the hole readily. Assemble the toggle bolts through the bracket, through the D-shaped block, and thread on the toggle loosely.

Press the assembly into place, push the toggles into the holes, making sure the toggles pop open, pull the bracket toward to you to trap the toggles against the back of the Front Insert, and tighten the bolts. Check spacing behind and below license plate screws, add washers, bumpers, etc if needed -- mine didn't -- and mount license plate.

Thumb nose at LEO's eye-balling your front end.*

Options: Leave the spacer blocks flat black. Wrap the spacer blocks in shiny silver 'duct tape'. Or, go for another color! Match your bodywork paint. I wrapped the front 2" of the black blocks in shiny duct tape -- looks just like chrome - leaving the back 3/4 flat black where they met the black plastic.

* The template I have actually has the plate tilted forward slightly, to reflect anything bounced off of it down toward the pavement. You can trim the front of the spaced block to position the plate vertically. CAREFUL with license plat mounting screws being long enough to reach bodywork!! Use washers to space plate forward for clearance.

Okay, I'm going to try to add jpgs to this. Hope it is of some use to ya'll.

Barrett
Austin, TX

 

Oh, yeah. You can buy another Front Insert to keep against the day you can scrap the front plate again, put in the new clean insert and you are good to go.

Also, you can put some marine or silicon sealant/adhesive behind the block to add some adherence to the Front Insert, in addition to the bolts.

Barrett

 

A quick question about bumper cover removal. Do you have to take wheel off to get wheel liners out? Thanks. Sorry for the slight highjack

 

Yeah I would...so much easier!

Stacy

 

Nice idea! (both of you actually, the OP and icepcick)

I tried the magnet solution on my DD and couldn't get the magnets to stick to the plate bracket, even with window weld. What I wound up doing, as archaic as it sounds was double sided 3M body taped the plate bracket on. So far through the ridiculous Buffalo winter we have been having, it hasn't moved, fallen off, or anything. I might try the magnet thing again on the 997 now that I have a new bumper on it, but I'm just not sure if the magnets I found are the problem, the prep, or what.

X...

 

Can someone link this in the DIY section for Front Bumper Removal?