W126 - Is Your License Bracket FACTORY Bent? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Ken300D · #1 11-26-2003, 07:43 AM

I've recently brought in a 300SD from a non-communist state where they don't require a front license plate. Here in Virginia, you must have a front plate so that electronic revenue collection can take place whether you're coming or going.

So, I purchased a new front plate bracket from Performance Products and received it yesterday. It actually has the MB logo on it and they are just reselling it. My question is, should the bracket be bent slightly to follow the shape of the front bumper? That's the way this one is shaped. At first I thought it had been bent in shipment, but the box is OK and it is a perfect bend.

So what do you W126 owners do in the other communist states? Do you carefully bend your license plate in the middle to fit the plate bracket? Or is there some kind of spacer system in use?

Thanks,

Virginia State Motto:
Sic Semper Tyrannus (Thus Ever to Tyrants) (Yeah, sure!)
Virginia Tobacco Tax is only 2.5 cents a pack. Who owns the government here? Phillip Morris?

Ken300D

kennysin · #2 11-26-2003, 07:57 AM

It is attached straight. It is also the same in the w123 which has a curved front bumper but an unbent plate.

#3 11-26-2003, 08:18 AM

I noticed that every vehicle I own has a bent down front plate. I obstruct the rear plates when I can with a bike rack licence frame

. It seems to go well with my tail and brake light cut off switches.

If you really want to have some fun with the "photo cops", put on a Micheal Jackson mask and run a few red lights.

Ken300D · #4 11-26-2003, 08:41 AM

Hmm. I guess my description of what I received is not all that clear. I'll try to take a picture of it along with a license plate this evening.

It's not that the license plate bracket is bent down somehow top-to-bottom. It's bent side-to-side, as if you gripped it at the 9:00 and 3:00 positions and then put your knee into the center of it and pushed with your knee from the rear of the bracket.

So, I can see how this bend fits the front bumper of a W126. On the other hand, a W123 bumper is straight across (sideways) and so a factory-fresh license plate bracket is not bent.

(But of course if anyone hits it the first thing that will happen is bend it down or sideways somehow -

)

So with a bent W126 bracket like this, I'd have to either bend the plate to fit or come up with some kind of spacer system. This makes me curious about what most of you have from the factory.

Ken300D

Ken300D · #5 11-26-2003, 09:10 AM

See how nice the front looks without a license plate? Going to be a shame to put a front plate on her........

Ken300D

fredjj · #6 11-26-2003, 02:47 PM

I drilled holes in the license plate matching up to the holes on the bumper where the bracket should have been. Attached the plate with some sheet metal screws. No bracket...no problem.

PaulH · #7 11-26-2003, 10:44 PM

When I bought my 300SDL new in the ultra communist state of Md, the front lic. bracket was bent. I thought that MB designed it that way, but, I guess that the Md MB dealer might have bent it. It's like the plate doesn't look correct when it's straight and it doesn't look good when it's bent slightly.

Hatterasguy · #8 11-27-2003, 10:52 AM

It looks so good without the front plate! You could just do what we do here in CT and wait until someone says something.

Brian Carlton · #9 11-27-2003, 12:06 PM

OK Ken, I also live in the communist state of New York and I understand the precise problem that you have. If you bend the bracket around when you tighten the screws, the plate looks lousy. So, what to do?

Get a set of two stainless steel spacers, with an O.D. of 1/2 inch and an I.D. of approx. 3/16 inch and a length of 1/2 inch. Place the two spacers behind the bracket and in front of the bumper. This will allow the center of the bracket to clear the bumper and allow the plate to sit perfectly flat on the bracket. You probably will want to use a license plate frame to stiffen the plate.

The plate and frame will stick out about 1/2 inch on both sides, however, this is far more preferable than the look of the bent plate.

kennysin · #10 11-27-2003, 10:43 PM

I just had a close look at my 83' 126 and the front plate is just very slightly bent in the middle. However my front bumper has a recessed area for the plate to sit in which I don't seem to notice in your picture. I presume the difference is that mine is Euro-spec.

As a consequence, the plate does blend in somewhat with the bumper curvature.

Ken300D · #11 11-28-2003, 12:44 PM

I appreciate the feedback on this issue. It just seemed very strange to get a license plate bracket that was bent.

With some fitment tests done yesterday, I can see that it is the correct bracket for the car.

So, you either bend the license plate slightly to fit the bracket (not an issue at all with the thin aluminum license plates) or you use spacers.

In my case I like to protect the front plate with a clear plastic hard cover, so I may be going with spacers.

Thanks for all the input here.

Ken300D