Number Plates (size, shape)

[svenedin]

I know number plate questions have been asked before but I cannot find an answer to my question with a search of old threads.

My car has black and silver pressed aluminium plates (made by Hills, Birmingham). I think I put them on in 1989 or 1990 but I can't remember. In other words they are not original but they did replace very shabby black and silver plates.

My back plate is not the right size for the holder on the boot lid. It is a standard oblong plate that overhangs. The paint is flaking off and it isn't the right size anyway

The front plate is also a standard oblong plate 21.5"x4.5". The paint is fine on that one but it has several bad dents and a cut in it which is dangerously sharp.

In other words, I want to replace both plates. I can see that Framptons sell a Morris Minor plate in pressed aluminium, black with silver letters that is perfect for the back number plate holder.

My question is, what size and shape plate should be at the front? The same as the back with curved edges?

Stephen

[simmitc]

There's not really a "should". Number plates were fitted by dealers when they sold the car and with so many dealers spread across the country, there would have been variations. However, most period photos show a rectangular plate, that is one with right angle corners. the oblong (with rounded corners) was only ever fitted to the boot lid. Size of the front plate is probably prescribed somewhere, but I can't recall where at present. However, experts like Framptons will supply the correct size.

[svenedin]

Thank you Simon. The back plate is easy then.

Framptons sell 3 similar sized oblong front plates (with right angle corners), 20 3/4" x 4 1/2" or 21" x 5" or 21" x 6". I will ask them which one is most suitable. 20 3/4" x 4 1/2" is a close match for the existing battered plate. I think a taller plate is more likely to get caught on something.

Stephen

[les]

I thought the front plate was mounted on an existing backing plate, in which case that would be the dimensions of the number plate that is attached to it,

[svenedin]

I thought the front plate was mounted on an existing backing plate, in which case that would be the dimensions of the number plate that is attached to it,

Yes it is mounted on a backing plate. I think (by feel) my current plate is bigger than that backing plate. I will take the plate off tomorrow and measure. The bolts are looking very rusty though.......It was so cold today I could not stay in the garage for long.

[Bill_qaz]

Option that appears cheaper although not used them personally.
https://www.classicplatesonline.co.uk/

[ManyMinors]

Naturally there is always a cheaper option but you do get what you pay for in most things.
I bought a pair of plates from Framptons for one of my Minors. They supplied exactly what I wanted and the rear one was cut to fit the bootlid perfectly. The front one was larger, more than covered the backing plate and had a polished aluminium surround just like the original. I'm still delighted with them several years later. Yes: They were moderately expensive, but well worth the extra outlay I think.

[svenedin]

Naturally there is always a cheaper option but you do get what you pay for in most things.
I bought a pair of plates from Framptons for one of my Minors. They supplied exactly what I wanted and the rear one was cut to fit the bootlid perfectly. The front one was larger, more than covered the backing plate and had a polished aluminium surround just like the original. I'm still delighted with the several years later. Yes: They were moderately expensive, but well worth the extra outlay I think.

Thank you MM. I want to go with Framptons because the quality is excellent and they seem to be the only people who cut the rear plate to fit the boot lid as you say. My car has had the same plates for over 30 years so per year a new set of plates is not that much.

Stephen

[svenedin]

I’ve ordered Framptons plates. Their special one specifically for Morris Minors for the boot lid and 21 3/4” x 4 1/2” for the front. The special back one has no silver border so the front plate has no border either to match.

[philipkearney]

Cheap number plates are just that, cheap. The quality and aesthetics are often very poor. Framptons are the retail arm of Jepsons - a long established maker of quality plates. Ace (if they are still in business) and Tippers are the other two suppliers I'd recommend. Both make the correct size and shape for the boot lid and the quality is always excellent. Expensive, but you do get what you pay for.

[neilmorey]

I bought plates from Tippers and they advised that they have specific sized rear plate for booted Minors, didn't apply to my Traveller but does sound like Minor saloons and convertibles use a specific size.

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

The rear wasn't always shaped to fit the aperture, it was whatever got ordered and by whom from the motor factors. I sold a saloon with its original 1956 plates rectangular at the back, and some dolt removed it.

[svenedin]

The rear wasn't always shaped to fit the aperture, it was whatever got ordered and by whom from the motor factors. I sold a saloon with its original 1956 plates rectangular at the back, and some dolt removed it.

OK. Well I've ordered a rear plate that is shaped to fit the boot aperture. The tatty plates I am taking off were not original. I fitted them 34 years ago. I really cannot remember what the plates were like before that. It is too long ago but I have a dim recollection they may have been black and white plastic rather than black and silver aluminium. I took them off because the plastic had delaminated and become brittle.

[kevin s]

Ours is a 1969 car, on the rear it had a pressed alluminium plate with black letters and a yellow reflective background I think this is original on the front it had a smaller white reflective plate with plastic letters and slightly smaller than the backing plate, there was evidence of poorly repaired accident damage at the front so I think this had been replaced.

[philipkearney]

It seems that quite a lot of late sixties and early seventies cars had pressed aluminium plates in yellow and white for back and front rather than black and silver all round. I once had a 1969 ex met panda car and it had pressed plates and the rear one was shaped to fit the boot aperture.

[svenedin]

A follow up post. The Framptons "Morris Minor" sized plate is as expected a perfect fit for the boot lid.

As to the front, it is more complicated. My car did not have a backing plate for the number plate. Presumably it rusted away years ago but I never knew there was supposed to be a backing plate. I ordered a new backing plate from ESM. This is 21.5" x 4.5". That does not correspond exactly to any of the standard number plates that Framptons sell. Their standard plates are too long and will overhang the backing plate. This does matter because the backing plate is not just a flat sheet of metal, it has a raised lip. One way around this could be to use the standard 21 3/4" long plate and use adhesive pads on the backing plate accepting that the plate will overhang the backing plate. If screws were used to hold the overlong plate on it would be bowed in the middle unless a packing is used. Alternatively, the Morris Minor size plate for the back can be used at the front as well. This is a little too short at 514mm, 20 1/4" approximately (514mm). Or a custom sized plate can be ordered but this is far more expensive.

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[myoldjalopy]

I don't think my car has a backing plate - what is its purpose (strengthening?) and how important is it? I'm guessing not very important as I've done without one for decades!

[svenedin]

Purpose? I think it helps to hold the number plate flat and is more rigid than a number plate but my car did not have one for 34 years……

[philipkearney]

I was unsure as to whether the backing plates were a factory figment or left to the whims of the supplying dealer - much like the style of number plate you got. However, I've found quite a few photos of vehicles on the assembly line at Cowley and awaiting despatch with backing plates fitted so must have been standard across all vehicles.

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They would be there to add rigidity to the number plate as its positioning is quite vulnerable but they seem to tend to disappear over time. I've had plenty of cars that didn't have any, some that do have the backing and others that have a backing made from another number plate. If the mounting tabs on the bumper are sound and you tend not to drive into kerbs a lot, you should be fine without one.

[svenedin]

I was unsure as to whether the backing plates were a factory figment or left to the whims of the supplying dealer - much like the style of number plate you got. However, I've found quite a few photos of vehicles on the assembly line at Cowley and awaiting despatch with backing plates fitted so must have been standard across all vehicles.

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They would be there to add rigidity to the number plate as its positioning is quite vulnerable but they seem to tend to disappear over time. I've had plenty of cars that didn't have any, some that do have the backing and others that have a backing made from another number plate. If the mounting tabs on the bumper are sound and you tend not to drive into kerbs a lot, you should be fine without one.

Thanks for posting the photos. That's very interesting.

The other advantage of a backing plate is that it enables the fixings that secure the number plate to be placed in the best position to hide the fixings (e.g. a black bolt through a gap between the silver letters). With mine it was not a problem to do that with the number plate attached without a backing plate for many years but it might be awkward with certain letter/number combinations.