Pimped by the Pidmeister

Sabre Tooth

Sabre Tooth

Well-known user
Oct 7, 2009
1,203
104
Leicester
Well as I'm sure a few of you have already guessed, I am in the process of a few more minor alterations to my cat's styling, courtesy of the skills of Al/Pid_16v.:)

Despite his own mammoth engine replacement, Al kindly agreed to fit & spray some more bodykit parts for me, I'm adding to my cat.(y)

I thought some of you might like to see the progress in real time, as it's happening.

Here are the pics taken so far :

Day 1
Removal of OEM rear bumper & a test prefit.
100_0918.jpg

100_0917.jpg


100_0920.jpg

100_0919.jpg



Holes drilled in rear bumper & test fitted, Lights placed and boot lid shut test fit, just before going in for the night.
100_0922.jpg


DAY - 2:

Side skirts taped in place to see how close the fit is.
A lot of "fitting" involved here. Sideskirts eventually dry pre-fitted, temporarily screwed into place.

100_0926.jpg

100_0925.jpg

100_0927.jpg


I'll add to this thread, as & when I get further updates from Al.............I think you'll agree he's doing a great job, as always........thanks Al.(y)

One minor hurdle to overcome, is the new rear bumper is made up for a US sized numberplate..............hence new numberplate required.:)

Here is a pic of the rear bumper already fitted to a cat............not too sure about the colour match though lol!
32636380001_large.jpg



DAY 3:

Things got held up a bit today,after removing the bumper to prep for primer, while wet sanding I found a couple of minor cracks in the fibreglass, easily and quickly put right, but then i had to repair the exterior of the gel coat as it had also cracked. This took time, mostly waiting time with me twiddling my thumbs. All eventually turned out ok and I carried on with the priming coats.

Cracks glass repaired. You can just make out the difference in colour and through the patch, you can just about make out the cracks:
100_0928.jpg

.
and the exterior just prior to a final "skimming"
100_0930.jpg

.
Primed and ready for the finish tomorrow.
100_0931.jpg

.


DAY 4:
It's ok! really!
The elements took a turn for the worst, so the car had to go back inside. Sideskirts are fitted and ready for painting, bumper is fitted and ready for polishing.
100_0932.jpg


DAY 5:
Ok, it's been another busy one, but things are moving on..................

Car jacked up and on axle stands, both wheels removed from this side. Side skirt fitted filled where necesary and fettled, ready for some primer.
100_0934.jpg


Just two piccies to whet Marks appetite.
Done but still masked:
100_0935.jpg


Masking removed, looking very nice. Now this has to stay like this overnight with the door wide open, I don't want the door seal to stick to the laquer. Don't worry Mark, i turned the interior light off o_O
100_0936.jpg

.

DAY 6:

Day 6, and i'm knackered. I've been out there all day today, very nearly there, just some final poilishing to do, some much needed cleaning of dust and overspray, but tomorrow's priority is the repair job on the front splitter.
Here's a couple of spy -shots. It doesn't show in the photo's, but the car is absolutely filthy with dust.

Sorry, i was so tired i took this piccy without realising i'd only refitted one rear light o_O all sorted now though.


100_0937.jpg


100_0938.jpg

.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Looking top notch there Mark - your in safe hands with uncle Al (y)

If getting a new numberplate is your biggest headache to date then it must all be going well :LOL:
 
worst case scenario, get a 'show' plate mate up, they do plates in this shape.

Not legal for a non-imported car, but i don't know a bobby who would challenge that!!!
 
Sabre Tooth said:
Oh-oh:eek:..............to have a numberplate made up in that size, would be illegal would it Si??:oops:
Click to expand...

IIRC correctly Mark - strictly speaking I think it has to be an import to be anything other than the standard size.

However, providing you stick to the legal spacings, fonts and colours mate I can't ever forsee a problem.

Start messing about with colours and fonts and then you are asking for trouble!!
 
Sabre Tooth said:
Oh-oh:eek:..............to have a numberplate made up in that size, would be illegal would it Si??:oops:
Click to expand...

Andy droidgordie said in his bumper for sale thread that he had checked out the american shaped number plates and that they are legal. I've not had a chance to check the legislation but iirc if the letters/numbers are the right size/shape/spacing then they are OK - plenty of taxis round here have them side by side with their taxi plate.

I'll check out the regs tomorrow (y)
 
Thanks for that guys, any updates & info on the numberplate issue would be greatly appreciated, as if it's illegal, I can't see how it would pass an MOT?

Pid_16V said:
Pots #1 updated, photo's and info added.
Tomorrow should see the first signs of paint (y)
Click to expand...
Fantastic Al & thanks for updating Post 1 for me.(y)
 
just checked with a high authority than me at work, and he is of the belief they are legal, providing you dont start fannying around with the size of the text or the font.
 
The basic rules for number plates:
  • You must display a number plate on the front and rear of your vehicle
  • Letters should be black on a white plate at the front
  • Letters should be black on a yellow plate at the rear
  • The background surface should be reflex-reflecting, but not the letters
  • Number plates should meet the British Standard
  • Rules on character dimensions differ slightly depending on whether your plates were fitted before or after 1st September 2001. Details are below.
  • Rules on character dimensions differ for traditional 'black and white' plates, which may be fitted on vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1973.

Number plates fitted after 1st September 2001
Any number plate made up after 1st September 2001 must meet the dimensions as below:
Character Height
79 mm
Character Width (except the figure 1 or letter I)
50 mm
Character stroke
14 mm
Space between characters
11 mm
Space between groups
33 mm
Top, bottom, and side margins (minimum)
11 mm
Space between vertical lines
19 mm

​



Number plates fitted before 1st September 2001
If you fitted a number plate before 1st September 2001, they must meet the dimensions in one of the two groups below:

Group 1
Group 2​
Character height
89 mm
79 mm​
Character width (except the figure 1 or letter I)
64 mm
57 mm​
Character stroke
16 mm
14 mm​
Space between characters
13 mm
11 mm​
Space between groups
38 mm
33 mm​
Top, bottom and side margins (minimum)
13 mm
11 mm​
Space between vertical lines
19 mm
9 mm​

​



Traditional number plates for vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1973
Vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1973 are allowed to display traditional style 'black and white' plates i.e. white, silver, or grey characters on a black plate.
The characters size must meet the dimensions in one of the two groups below:

Group 1
Group 2​
Character height
89 mm
79 mm​
Character width (except the figure 1 or letter I)
64 mm
57 mm​
Character stroke
16 mm
14 mm​
Space between characters
13 mm
11 mm​
Space between groups
38 mm
33 mm​
Top and bottom margins
13 mm
11 mm​
Side margin
25 mm
11 mm​

​



DVLA Rules for Motorcycle and Tricycle number plates
All motorcycles and tricycles must display a number plate at the rear of the vehicle. Motorcycles and tricycles registered before 1st September 2001 may display a number plate at the front of the vehicle but are not required to.
If you have a two or three wheeled motorcycle or tricycle that has a body type of a four-wheeled vehicle, you MUST display a number plate at the front and back of the vehicle.
Motorcycles registered on or after 1st September 2001 must display a two-line number plate. Motorcycles registered before 1st September 2001 may display a three-line number plate.
One-line number plates are illegal, regardless of the date of registration.
Here are the character sizes:
Character Height
64 mm
Character Width (except the figure 1 or letter I)
44 mm
Character stroke
10 mm
Space between characters
10 mm
Space between groups
30 mm
Top, bottom, and side margins (minimum)
11 mm
Space between vertical lines
13 mm
​



Euro (and other flags) on number plates

Since 1st September 2001 you have been able to choose to display a Euro flag, for vehicles registered in the UK. The Euro-plate is a number plate that has the symbol of the European Union (a circle of 12 stars on a blue background) with the national identification letters of the member states below it (for example GB). This symbol is located on the far left-hand side of the number plate.
Vehicles displaying this Euro symbol on the number plate no longer have to use the traditional oval shaped national identifier (GB) sticker when travelling within the European Union. All vehicles registered in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have, by international convention, the distinguishing sign GB.
On 28 December 2001, the Government announced the intention to permit the display of national flags and national identifiers on vehicle number plates. The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 are in the process of being amended. They will provide for the voluntary display of the Union flag, Scottish Saltire, Cross of St George and Red Dragon. Football team crests etc. are not allowed.




Number plate font

All number plates made after 31st August 2001 must display the mandatory font. Number plates made prior to this date must be substantially the same.
Examples of the font can be found here:

Number-plate-fonts.gif

Stylised letters (or fixing bolts which alter the appearance of the letters) are not allowed.



What you must not do with your number plate...

The law states that:
  • You must not alter, rearrange or misrepresent the letters or numbers
  • Characters must not be moved from one group to the other (e.g. A242 ABC must not be displayed as A242A BC).
That means:
  • No stylised letters
  • Don't move the space around
  • Don't misrepresent letters / numbers using screws or fixings
  • Don't misrepresent letters / numbers using squashed or distorted letters
  • No images other than the approved flags (no football emblems, etc)
Full details of the requirements are included in The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001



What's the British Standard for number plates?
The British Standard sets out the physical characteristics of the number plate. This includes visibility, strength and reflectivity.
The British Standard also requires each number plate to be permanently and legibly marked with the following information:
  • The British Standard number (currently BS AU 145d)
  • The name, trademark or other means of identification of the manufacturer or component supplier (The company that made the plate)
  • Name and postcode of the supplying outlet.
Other options:
  • A non-reflective border
  • Euro-symbol with national identification letters
 
Thanks Si, from reading through that, it does seem to indicate it's more about the font style/size/spacing & background colour/reflectiveness, rather than the overall size of the numberplate itself...................this is very useful info indeed, thanks for that bud.(y)
 
Sabre Tooth said:
Thanks Si, from reading through that, it does seem to indicate it's more about the font style/size/spacing & background colour/reflectiveness, rather than the overall size of the numberplate itself...................this is very useful info indeed, thanks for that bud.(y)
Click to expand...

:p:p told ya so :p:p

:geek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.