Today, for the first time in 100+ years, the state of Ohio no longer requires a front license plate. Does anyone know if XJ6 series III cars that were originally sold in jurisdictions where front plates were not required if there were plugs available for the holes in the front bumper? Do any of you have a solution to plug the holes? Here is what my 87 currently has. Thanks.

 

FWIW, I've never seen any official plugs for the holes.

In the back of my mind, though, I think I've seen some that would work. Might take some time for me to bring it to the front of my mind!

Cheers
DD

 

Jeff,
the same plugs used in two of the oblong holes for the rear license plate will fit the front, but they will not cover over the rubber cover around the aluminium holes, Been there done that.
I have two of them if you want them, send me a postage paid mailing envelope.

On the other hand those two oblong holes in the front bumper aluminium serve to allow air into the condenser and radiator. So plugging them is not such a great idea. Up to you.

 

My car has the same arrangement.
I found some small vacuum hose, cut off 2 sections about half an inch long and squeezed it into these slots.
Mounting screws will then hold the plate securely and are completely removable if you wish.
(';')

 

Various decorative Jaguar Motive inspired plates are on the market. As CA requires a front plate, I put one on my shop wall. Along wit the flag, Forty Niner emblem... Giant emblem to follow???

Catl

 

this is how the plugs look in the front bumper. As you can see, the plugs do not cover or go over the rubber cover.

 

I think the car would look pretty classy with a European plate on the front. Like I've done on all my Mercedes I've ever owned. This is my current E320:

 

this one came with my XJ when I bought it and I inmediately removed it. It is scratched and the cat is wounded as you can see in the picture. Stainless steel plate and a large chrome leaper with a nice black frame.

I saved it because it has 4 beautiful polished stainless steel screws and stainless nyloc nuts behind.

Not sure but I think this was a dealer accessory back in the 1980s.

 

Thanks for the comments and suggestions so far. Question: the U.S. cars have an indentation in the front bumper size of a U.S. licencse plate and the mounting holes match U.S. plates. Are European bolt holes spaced the same and is there the U.S. sized indentation in the bumper or is the bumper set up specifically to accept European number plates.

Until I decide what to do I am going to start by using a little brush and carefully paint the aluminum slot peeking out flat black. Another idea is to get 1/8" black rubber and make my own plugs. I found This rubber sheet that I could use. Inexpensive. The SBR is a type of synthetic rubber that is used in a bunch of stuff including tires. The 70A is the density where 30 is a rubber band and 70 is about like the sole of a running shoe.

Jose, I had thought about using a leaper plate like you showed but then you have two leapers on the front of your car. One is good, two is redundant to my eye.

In the meantime I got down there this morning and cleaned the connections for the horns, put dielectric grease on them and insulated the hot ones and then tucked the wires up out of sight.

I'll report back on what I finally come up with on this trivial aesthetic project.

Jeff

 

Jeff,
too many leapers looks pimped.
I even removed the leaper emblem from below the trip computer panel and installed a vintage Revolving Ashtray which (you guessed it) has a leaper emblem.

Fortunately the ashtray leaper is tiny. I also have a Momo steering wheel horn push which (you guessed it) has another leaper emblem.

I am sick and tired of leapers.

I like the hot rod look of the 1950s where they removed all emblems from the trunk lid and the bonnet. The Silent look.

 

Early on, I got palate edgers. One with a gold leaper and the other a silver cat. Same except for color. teh eBay vendoe inquired, if that was an errorl. No, intended. differen!!


Plus a V8 under the XJ6 on the boot sill.

But way back echrome was in my lexicoan

 

I did the English version....
doesnt blow up well on my phone. But i also scored a tax disc from 83. To ho woth the A reg.

 

This what I was thinking of as a possibility. These rubber plugs were used a millions of cars with drum brakes. They cover the holes where the shoe adjustments are made. The pic shows the NAPA part number but they're available from many suppliers.

Not sure if they'd work. But they might !




Cheers
DD

 

Doug,
you can go to any Firestone, Midas, Discount Tire, Goodyear stores and pick those up on the floor. They throw them away or I suppose, replace them with new ones when doing drum brakes.

They are too small, or smaller than the plugs used by Jaguar.

 

Why not just put a numberplate on the front?!

 

Drum Brakes?? What's That??
(';')

 

Thanks for the suggestions. Not only drum brakes but back when you had to adjust them by hand. I have a slightly used tool to do that if anyone needs it. I think they were called brake spoons. Doug, you have an amazing memory, it took a few days but, boy, you still have it. I called NAPA and unfortunately the dimensions of the plugs are smaller than the hole in the bumper rubber.

But I did find a solution that may work. I found some black rubber exactly the right thickness with sticky back and it looks just like the black rubber bumper material. About $7 and it is 36" x 2". It's kind of hard, more or less like the bumper rubber so it should match really well. The question is, can I accurately cut it to fit nicely. I'll post a photo when I get it done.

I’ve got enough to do a couple dozen cars so if anyone needs some let me know.
Andy T., I thought about that but I believe the mounting holes on the U.S. cars don’t match the U.K. number plate holes and I don’t want to drill more. I think if I can fab black rubber plugs it will have a nice clean look.

Here is the link to the material I ordered. Rubber strip

Jeff

 

Check out Pocket's rear axle!!

Carl

 

Yup ! Brake spoons. Used one just today, in fact, on a '56 Chevy. I work on a lot of older cars so drum brake 'stuff' still gets well used by me

Here's pic grabbed from the net to complete the stroll down memory lane




Cheers
DD

 

Success! The material I used shown in the above post worked great. I could cut it with scissor or an exacto knife. I wound up using a small square, a metal washer 5/8" outside diameter and the exacto knife. The finished plugs fit snuggly in and with the adhesive back I don’t think they will come out. The 1/8" thickness was perfect. The finish is slightly different but I can smooth that out and after I put rubber conditioner on it I think it will look perfect. I wanted there to be a tiny bit of outline so if a future owner needs to mount a front license plate there they can dig it out with a screwdriver.

Jeff