New Owner, License Plate Question

[70red]

I just purchased a 1970 280 sl (red) from Brian at Motoring Investments in San Diego. Great to deal with and very helpful. I have a few questions and appreciate any help from more experienced owners.

1. In California have owners put on the front License plate. If not what has been the history, ie number of tickets or other issues. Obviously I would like to leave off the front plate.

2. Are there any updates, from earlier suggestions  posted , as to a good Mfg or Website that sells a quality back License Plate holder.

tks 70 red

[hill]

Definitely put on front plates. I have recieved two tickets for that when someone stole my DP plate. Congratulations on your purchase.

[thelews]

If that's the red one still showing on his site as for sale, that's a beautiful car.  Enjoy!

[Nate]

I've never put a front license plate on any of my cars in CA.  Maybe my 11-99 Foundation Membership and license plate frame has paid off...

[hill]

I've never put a front license plate on any of my cars in CA.  Maybe my 11-99 Foundation Membership and license plate frame has paid off...

You probably don't have meter maids. Thats who got me both times.

[abe280SL]

I never installed  front lic plate on my old porsche, bmw, and or sl.  I have never received a  ticket and I drive the cars frequently.  On  the SUV and family sedan, I do.  I think cops are little more fogiving on "classic" cars.  We don't have metered parking where I live nor have I parked my cars in a metered area.
Hill lives in our bankrupt capital....that may have something to do with it.
abe

[hauser]

If it were my car I would not mount it and take a chance.  If you do receive a ticket or about to get a ticket just say you are waiting on a license plate bracket from Germany.

By the looks of it seems to be inconsistent on weather you get ticketed or not depending on where you live and park in Ca.

[Dash808]

I am anti front plate.  I just leave it off on my vehicles and no hassle so far.

Actually I lied.  I did leave the Italian plate on the sl now that I think about it, since it has sentimental value.

[graphic66]

In  New York State we have jack booted thugs constantly looking for DWI and speeding motorists while our cities are rampant with crime and drugs.
     I have only once been told that I had better get the front plate on while getting a speeding ticket. I absolutely refuse to put it on. The car came with the white oval German plate when I bought it and there it will stay.
    I just received my second speeding ticket with my 230SL, I had just put in my new Vellemann electronic ignition and was out on a deserted State highway at 12:30 at night and decided to see how fast I could go, The lights came on just as I was about to reach 100MPH. The very nice police officer asked if I new why he had pulled me over, obviously having such a short attention span he must have forgotten why he had pulled me over while approaching my car. I very politely reminded him that I was speeding, just to help jog his memory. He did appreciate my reminding him and gave me a ticket for 70MPH in a 55, and said it would be reduced at court. Nothing about my front plate, I think these cars just always make people smile. So, $85.00 later I still have my German plate.
   I did get pulled over this S
  pring for having a pesky taillight out after taking the car out of storage, and the officer noticed my NYS inspection was almost a year out of date. He said that is a nice car, get home and fix your taillight and get it inspected. He really was only looking for a DWI, not a taillight and inspection. But, no mention of my front plate.l
  So, I say leave it off in the US, the rectangular plate does not look right on these cars. I'm sure they were designed for the nice German oval plate in mind as it looks very nice. 

[Tonys113]

I too am a prisoner of the Great State of New York, and refuse to place that hideous looking Blue & White plate on the front of my 280SL.
I did manage to get a Vanity Plate from NYS and subsequently found a very help place on the internet from Germany that makes EURO style plates to Order. Of course their name escapes my at the moment but I had them make me plate that has the same identification numbers for the front of my SL.
Now mind you, if I haven't been told once, I've been told a 100 times, 'Hey Mister you know that plate is ILLEGAL', both from law enforcement and the general public alike. Though I have been stopped a couple of times, I have not yet gotten a ticket for for this infraction. I am sure however that the tirade I may unleash regarding the vanity of the front plate may prove more hazardous than ....., well lets just same the NON CONFORMIST in me may come out.

Tony

[scoot]

Tickets for front lincense plate being missing is usually handled by parking enforcement.  If you park in a place that is patrolled (which can include the LAX parking by the way) you will eventually get a ticket.  At least in Los Angeles you will.  If you park in private parking you probably won't ever get a ticket.

I got a ticket a year or three ago for no front plate.  They made me take a picture of the car with the front plate installed and mail it to them and that made the ticket go away.  I'm not sure they are always so easy.   Thanks to the photo verification, I was able to attache the front plate with masking tape that came right off afterwards.

I have front plates on my "normal" cars just because I don't really care about the esthetics of a Prius or a Ford Ranger.

[Kayvan]

Mercedes makes one...I received it in a Mercedes box, with part #, etc from Germany.

Its not a squared frame....more like a X shaped support bracket  

[fmen3366]

Check these 2 sites on eBay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200380538577&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380162290714&category=50451&_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSI%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D10%26ps%3D63

I stilll have my original CA blue plates but the front is a little tired and needs restored. Until it's done, no front plates for me.

Andy