License plate, rollpan or tailgate?

[GreyHoundSteve]

Opinions wanted! I currently have a rollpan w/o the plate holder and just ordered a smooth skin for the tailgate. I need somewhere to mount my rear plate and it looks like my options are either to buy a new rollpan with a plate holder or to put a plate holder in the new tailgate skin. Im not sure which would look better. On one hand the whole point of relocating the handle was to have a clean look on the tailgate but on the other the rollpans with plate holders have the plate hanging a few inched below the rollpan which i dont think looks very good either.

What do you guys think looks better?

Rollpan or tailgate?

[longnlow72]

i think it looks better frenched into the tailgate, you see them in the rollpan all the time, tailgate looks more custom, but it matters what kind of truck(style) you are going for. JMO
-Ben

[GreyHoundSteve]

If anyone has a pic of one in a tailgate please post it.
Thanks

[longnlow72]

just 67-72's or any years?

[GreyHoundSteve]

preferably 67-72's

[longnlow72]

these are the only 67-72's i could find, the gray gmc is 2low72's truck and i found the other one in the colloge(sp?) , the one with the smooth tailgate looks really good i think. i have pics of non 67-72's if you want too

[67ChevyRedneck]

I've never been a fan of plates in the tailgate. Can you modify your rollpan yourself to put the plate in it?? jmho

[sactoC10]

I have been considering the same thing for the same reasons. Currently I have no bumper or pan. I like pans, but don't like the way the plates hang down about 2 inches. I am thinking that there must be a way to angle the plate back, so that it does not protrude down, no?

As for putting it recessed "IN" the tailgate, that reminds me (personally) of the eighties too much, or it seems dated or something. Although, on certain vehicles that are SUPER smooth it works pretty good. I'd keep looking for an alternative...exactly what, I don't know!

[GreyHoundSteve]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

I've never been a fan of plates in the tailgate. Can you modify your rollpan yourself to put the plate in it?? jmho

That is an option too but i would probably prefer to just get a new one and sell the old.

Longlow- is there a larger pic of the smoothed one? I wasnt going to tilt mine but i'd like to see a close look because it looks pretty cool. Anyone know whose truck that is?

[GreyHoundSteve]

Originally Posted by sactoC10

I have been considering the same thing for the same reasons. Currently I have no bumper or pan. I like pans, but don't like the way the plates hang down about 2 inches. I am thinking that there must be a way to angle the plate back, so that it does not protrude down, no?

As for putting it recessed "IN" the tailgate, that reminds me (personally) of the eighties too much, or it seems dated or something. Although, on certain vehicles that are SUPER smooth it works pretty good. I'd keep looking for an alternative...exactly what, I don't know!

I had another thread going about alternative locations but there really arent many. Someone posted a link to a place that a sold motorized thing that lowered it from behind the rollpan but it was a couple hundred dollars and looks bad when its down. One option i though of was to fab a bracket and mount it on top of the back of the bed so that it sits at window height but i dont know if its legal in TX to display your rear plate that way?

[meathead95]

the one on the right is nsane68's truck try looking on his web site

[RON WOODGEARD]

GHS, where you are Smoothing your tailgate, It would look good to put the plate holder Frenched in the tailgate and at a angle...


Also I don't know Texas law, But as long as it is at the rear of the truck Lighted, and well Attached. I don't think it would be a problem. Check with one of your local Highway Patrols.

[longnlow72]

the pic on the right is just a pic a copyed and pasted from the collage, i dont have any other pics or info, sorry

i like how this one is a little more molded in

[GreyHoundSteve]

Originally Posted by RON WOODGEARD

GHS, where you are Smoothing your tailgate, It would look good to put the plate holder Frenched in the tailgate and at a angle...


Also I don't know Texas law, But as long as it is at the rear of the truck Lighted, and well Attached. I don't think it would be a problem. Check with one of your local Highway Patrols.

Thats what im leaning towards right now except im not going to angle it. I'd like to keep it off the rear all together and mount it somewhere near the back window but that might be pushing it with state tag display laws. I dont like the tilted/angled look because like someone mentioned before .... it reminds me of the 80's although on the truck above it looks good. If that is nsane68's truck then it looks alot different than the one ive seen him post pics of. If anyone knows him maybe ask him to post some pics for us.

[dylan1970]

If you still want to keep that clean look, I would mount the licence plate inbetween the box and the cab. Make a braket that it will be able to fit on with an acctuator and be able to recess it when you are at a show and bring it back up when you are driving. Or do the same thing only under the rollpan!

[RON WOODGEARD]

Originally Posted by dylan1970

If you still want to keep that clean look, I would mount the licence plate inbetween the box and the cab. Make a braket that it will be able to fit on with an acctuator and be able to recess it when you are at a show and bring it back up when you are driving. Or do the same thing only under the rollpan!

I'm quite sure that the plate is actually to be mounted on the rearmost portion of the vehicle. As far as state plate laws go. Now I've seen a lot of trucks that the plate is placed in the rear Window. But I have been stopped for the plate being there.. It all just depends on the Cop and If or If not he wants to stop you..

I do remember a truck somewhere, that the plate was on an electric motor driven bracket that was just behind the cab in between the cab and bed. The plate came up when the truck was started and went down when turned off.... "Very cool" but not legal if they want to push it...

It's just like a RollPan in Nevada, I checked, It's illegal. The LAW requires a bumber.

I haven't made up my mind if I want to do it anyway or not...

[TugOwar]

There is a later model Chevy truck here in town with a smoothed tailgate. I've seen it a few times but not close enough to get specifics. But anyway, the licence plate sits recessed into the tailgate. And I mean recessed like 2" or more! It is boxed all the way around except a space at the top. He has a clear cover that fits flush with the outside of the tailgate. The tag light is above the plate, INSIDE the tailgate. At night its like a backlighting effect, like a dispaly case. It actually looks pretty cool.

If you could actually form the plexi-glass cover into the tailgate and make it flush, with no edges, to retain the smooth look. Then access the licence plate from inside the tailgate, it would look sweet I think. The plexi-glass would get scratched in the process but I'm assuming it can be polished out like aluminum, right?

[modifiedGMC]

Here's mine. It's a modified stock rear bumper made into a roll pan In order to keep the "bumper look" without the bumper. The bottom of the tag is only one and a quarter inches below the bottom up the pan/bumper.

[GreyHoundSteve]

Originally Posted by dylan1970

If you still want to keep that clean look, I would mount the licence plate inbetween the box and the cab. Make a braket that it will be able to fit on with an acctuator and be able to recess it when you are at a show and bring it back up when you are driving. Or do the same thing only under the rollpan!

Im going to try and check state laws on this tomorrow because if this is leagal thats what i want to do. I think you can do it in either the roll pan or the tailgate and make it look cool with enough work but i simple bracket like this would look cool and be easy to make. Gotta see if its legal though. Anyone know the website to look on?

[GreyHoundSteve]

Alright, after spending about an hour on the TX DOT website i could only find this:

§ 503.069. DISPLAY OF LICENSE PLATES AND TAGS. (a) A
license plate, other than an in-transit license plate, or a
temporary cardboard tag issued under this chapter shall be
displayed in accordance with board rules.
(b) A drive-a-way operator who has been issued a drive-a-way
in-transit license shall display the operator's in-transit license
plates on each transported motor vehicle from the vehicle's point
of origin to its point of destination in this state in accordance
with the laws relating to the operation of a vehicle on a public
highway.


Now as you can see it states nothing of relavence so i called the local police department and after talking to 5 different officers who didnt know the law i finally reached one who told me that the law only states that the plates have to be mounted on the furthest most point of the front and rear of the vehicle and that the rear plate needs to be lit. He went on to tell me that if the plate is mounted in any position on the rear of the vehicle so that it is visible from the rear of the vehicle that the judge will usually alow that.

I dont really trust that explanation because imo it depends alot of the officer and the judge so its probably alot safer to just mount it to the rear rollpan or tailgate but i think im going to take my chances above the front of the bed and see what happens. I think an old Chevy truck will get more leadway than a new ricer from most cops and judges.

I think its pretty sad though that i had to call the dps the tax office and 6 different police officers before i could find someone who knew the display laws and even then the cop was stating his interpratation of the law rather than the facts of it.

[71Rat]

i have a vacuum license plate holder that folds down to allow my plate to be shown when the truck is running. i also have a smooth roll pan but my gate is just a repro w/o letters... kinda trick because when the truck is in a parking spot or just sitting off. the plate isnt shown and it is smooth back there but once the truck is running and driving i am legal, it has a light and everything for it just when the vaccu of the engine dies down with my cam and higher RPM's the plate starts to go back up..... cant hold it at 3 grand for more then a min or so.

I'll try to find you a pic..

http://www.angelfire.com/nj4/america...ssemble71.html
The last picture on that page has it sitting at a car show with the old gate on it, sorry i dont have one were the engine is running

[2low72]

If your going to sell the Non plate roll pan and it's for a fleet side, let me know I'm looking for one. plus i'm in the dfw area till sunday

[GreyHoundSteve]

Originally Posted by 2low72

If your going to sell the Non plate roll pan and it's for a fleet side, let me know I'm looking for one. plus i'm in the dfw area till sunday

Will do.