Rear Large Black Number Plates

[Deleted]

Does anyone know where to get a pair of Black Number Plates made with the rear the larger size to fit the recess of the P5 Boot?

most online sites I have seen have pairs in rectangular or oblong shape but none mention the size to fit the P5.

Thanks

[Phil Nottingham]

This has been covered at length use SEARCH set to 2000 days - you either get teh Rover ally backing plate and have the numbers/letters pressed in it or just have them pressed into a blacl unedged plate of the correct size to fit inside the Rover backing plate.

Cannot remember who does these now but I had one done 15 years ago but others have had them in teh last year

[Deleted]

The previous owner of my car had painted the plate black,and used a sort of silver foil to coat the letters.
Whilst it is quite effective,I wish they had left it alone with yellow/white reflective plates and raised black lettering.
It looks more period to my eyes,after all in 1973 most new cars would have now been on reflective plates anyway

[Phil Nottingham]

My very point in the previous threads - blacl plates do look nicer in my opinion but npt many had them by the early 70's althoughthey were cheaper. Mine still has its original rear reflective although its stained. As the car was registered in Jan 73 it had to but the law now allows historic vehicles to have black plates so I can legally fit them

[Deleted]

Thanks to both, I see Wadhams sell the Backing Plate, presumably I can get this from them then take to Motor Factors to produce. The Car is Sept 71 so will be fine, like Phil I too think the black looks nicer and want to keep the originals in case I wish to revert.

[Deleted]

For what it is worth, I have recently had new 'Black with raised Silver' plates made up by Framptons in Waterlooville, Hants. - excellent quality and, service.
email [e-mail] or, tel [phone].

If you specify the size (just take the dims off the existing plates) and, he will provide. All you have to do is decide wether or not to have a raised aluminium edge bead or, not. BUT, make sure you specify the size of radius you want at the corners otherwise you will be sent 'square' corners !!

You have the responsibility of drilling the holes for mounting purposes !

On the basis that the rear mounting plate (on my Coupe) has a raised bead, I opted for without so as not to get double vision !

Hope this helps, John A.

[Deleted]

If you research the thread you will see that I ordered the backing plate from JRW and promptly sent it back because it was cr*p. He always denied receiving it and never refunded me.You have been warned!!.
Why don't you get the proper pre-drilled backing plate from one of David Green's scrappers and restore, fill it and then order a new B&W plate from somewhere like "Craigs Plates" who have a detailed internet site. Stick the new plate on the backing plate and use the existing holes in the boot and it will fit perfectly just as Rover intended. If you search picture gallery you will see my finished plate WKP835J.It looks great on the car.

[Deleted]

Sorry, but the image is not currently on the host site so I will reload it when I have a minute.

[Deleted]

Points noted, thanks for the advice, sounds stupid but have most of you fitted the new over the old one?

[Deleted]

Here is the image. The advantage of buying a separate number plate is that you can easily cover the holes left by the old numbers and can use the holes left to pour some adhesive through to help secure the plate which is only stuck on with adhesive double-sided tape. With all the gales in the Westcountry recently, mine has not blown off yet! The backing plate was already drilled and lined up perfectly with the pre-drilled holes in the boot. Naturally, it is a heavy piece of cast aluminium with a decent raised bead.
You will need to strip the old backing plate and prime it with etch primer followed by satin black rubbing down between coats.

[Deleted]

Now its clear, thanks Crossplies.......

[Phil Nottingham]

If you use search you will se an assortment of various pictures of how the plate can be fitted all of which were done when cars were new apart from perspex plates

[theroveringmember]

Having a standard plate lost in the middle of the large backing plates Rover used (not only on the P5) always looks wrong to me. It's even true of the modern 75.
Just my opinion of course.

[Phil Nottingham]

It may look wrong (I agree!) but this was an option sometimes used right from the start - see Peter Harrison's green Mk1 on JT's book cover and inside.

Some rear plates are onliners and some are on 2 - see earlier pics

His plates are stainless steel and pressed by his own firm who are haulage contractors so they had number plate equpiment to do plates for their fleet

These are pics I posted last year. The top plate is "original" on top of the Rover backing plate. The middle was fitted by the dealers (Nottingham RR dealers then) direct to the backing plate. The bottom is a plain black plate on top

[Deleted]

Nice clear images Phil!

[Phil Nottingham]

Well I never said I am as good as my Royal by marriage namesake at photography

[Deleted]

Rover did provide a very generous recess for the plate and Phil's images show the alternatives. As the digits are legally set at 3.125" high for pre 73 cars, you are limited as to how the space can be filled. On some cars, the number was put on slightly lower to allow for Country recognition or,for example, "GB" with touring cars.

I suppose some may argue that a modern plate stuck on as with mine would look better without the beaded edge which draws the eye towards the comparatively small size of the new plate. I do think any arrangement looks better than a large expanse of reflective yellow. To me the most important thing was to have a proper backing plate which was removed by Hurst Park when they stuck their huge yellow thing on back in 1980.

[dorsetflyer]

If you had Phil, you would have been more interested in Armstrong Siddeleys.

[Deleted]

Thanks for reposting the pics phil. I will see if there is a backing plate on Dad's if not will get one from David Green.
Thanks again.

[theroveringmember]

Our backing plate is Stainless which was pressed on a CPC machine by a friend. He also did the same with the underbonnet brackets (wiper motor..etc), rad shelf & remade the under-parcelshelf brackets in Brass for us. His mechanic brother, trained on the Rover V8 rebuilt the engine for the price of his motorbike insurance.

[Deleted]

Found a supplier for anyone interested:

Steve Hartley Motor Engineers
1A Parkway Avenue
Sheffield
S9 4WB
Tel [phone]
Mob [phone]

Made a large rear that fills the recess perfectly, Pressed Aluminium gloss black with polished letters without a border and also a standard size matching front one. Cost was £35.00 inc Postage and fixing kits.

He can make any size rear plate just needs dimensions.

May be of interest if anyone else found it as hard as i did to get back one.