As mentioned in my touring thread here: Mark's S54 Touring Build
I've designed a low profile license plate frame and mounting bracket to allow a North American size license plate to better fit the contours of the E46 Touring rear hatch. The OEM plastic bracket causes the plate to hang below the recessed area on the tailgate and does not allow for most aftermarket license plate frames to fit.
The new design moves the plate upward so that it fits within the recess on the hatch for a cleaner look. Before and after below:
This design is made up of a mounting bracket and outer frame. A layer of adhesive closed cell foam is applied to the bracket on the inner side to provide a cushion against the painted surface of the hatch. A layer of the same foam is also applied to the outer side of the mounting bracket to compress between the license plate and bracket for a secure and rattle free fit.
There has been interest in doing a run of these parts for other touring owners, so I'm looking at online laser cutting services to find an economical solution. The prototype I built was made from stainless steel and was prohibitively expensive for what most would be willing to pay for a license plate frame. The sets for this group buy would be made from 3/16" thick 6061 T6 Aluminum.
UPDATE: I can offer kits for $75 including shipping anywhere in the continental US via USPS flat rate padded envelope. (Pricing updated 2/7/22 to reflect increase in materials cost)
Each Kit includes:
1x Aluminum Mounting Bracket (Painted SEM Trim Black with foam layers applied)
1x Aluminum License Plate Frame (Painted SEM Trim Black)
2x Mounting Bracket Screws (Low Profile Button Head Cap Screws, Stainless Steel)
4x Frame Screws (Flat Head Cap Screws, Black Oxide Stainless Steel)
Printed Instructions
Printed 1:1 paper template for license plate trimming
Installation requires:
-Using the license plate frame and paper template to mark your license plate for trimming.
-Trimming your license plate using metal shears, sanding disc, or some other method of your choosing.
-3/32" hex key for the two mounting bracket screws
-1/8" hex key for the four frame mounting screws
If you are interested in purchasing a kit, please reply to this thread. If you prefer to do your own painting and would like to receive the parts raw and without the foam pre-applied to the bracket, please specify in your reply.
Here are a few additional photos of the painted prototype / final installation on my own car.
UPDATE:
PDF Installation instructions attached.
I've designed a low profile license plate frame and mounting bracket to allow a North American size license plate to better fit the contours of the E46 Touring rear hatch. The OEM plastic bracket causes the plate to hang below the recessed area on the tailgate and does not allow for most aftermarket license plate frames to fit.
The new design moves the plate upward so that it fits within the recess on the hatch for a cleaner look. Before and after below:
This design is made up of a mounting bracket and outer frame. A layer of adhesive closed cell foam is applied to the bracket on the inner side to provide a cushion against the painted surface of the hatch. A layer of the same foam is also applied to the outer side of the mounting bracket to compress between the license plate and bracket for a secure and rattle free fit.
There has been interest in doing a run of these parts for other touring owners, so I'm looking at online laser cutting services to find an economical solution. The prototype I built was made from stainless steel and was prohibitively expensive for what most would be willing to pay for a license plate frame. The sets for this group buy would be made from 3/16" thick 6061 T6 Aluminum.
UPDATE: I can offer kits for $75 including shipping anywhere in the continental US via USPS flat rate padded envelope. (Pricing updated 2/7/22 to reflect increase in materials cost)
Each Kit includes:
1x Aluminum Mounting Bracket (Painted SEM Trim Black with foam layers applied)
1x Aluminum License Plate Frame (Painted SEM Trim Black)
2x Mounting Bracket Screws (Low Profile Button Head Cap Screws, Stainless Steel)
4x Frame Screws (Flat Head Cap Screws, Black Oxide Stainless Steel)
Printed Instructions
Printed 1:1 paper template for license plate trimming
Installation requires:
-Using the license plate frame and paper template to mark your license plate for trimming.
-Trimming your license plate using metal shears, sanding disc, or some other method of your choosing.
-3/32" hex key for the two mounting bracket screws
-1/8" hex key for the four frame mounting screws
If you are interested in purchasing a kit, please reply to this thread. If you prefer to do your own painting and would like to receive the parts raw and without the foam pre-applied to the bracket, please specify in your reply.
Here are a few additional photos of the painted prototype / final installation on my own car.
UPDATE:
PDF Installation instructions attached.