C2 Front License Plate Bracket

[Garry E.]

I ordered a replacement front license plate bracket from L.I. Corvette for my '64..... When I attached it to the chrome cross bar, the bracket (and license plate)is not "verticle" to the bumpers and ground. Instead, it is angled with the top slanted back toward the grill. Is this correct? All the pictures that I have seen of originals shows a verticle alignment....

Also, since the attachment bar on the bracket is not positioned in the center of the bracket, the bracket can either be positioned "high" with the bulk of the license plate above the bar, or "low", with the bulk below the bar. Which is correct

Thanks....

Garry

[Wayne M.]

Re: C2 Front License Plate Bracket

Garry

The black licence bracket bolts to the bottom of the chrome bumper bracket; ie, the "window" of the bracket lies mostly above the horizontal chrome bracket. This is how it shows in the AIM (assembly instruction manual), and, viewed from the front, positions the licence plate and frame just slightly above the centerline of the bumper bracket. If the licence plate is not vertical, then bend it to satisfy.

I don't want to sound picky, but depending on whether you will have your car judged, make sure your bracket has the "ds" or "sd" (depending on orientation) stamping, and the small square holes [if I remember, 0.220" to a side] for the plastic/nylon screw anchors. The pic below is of an original '64 or '65; note the original "large" rubber bumper (backside view).

[Garry E.]

Re: C2 Front License Plate Bracket

Wayne:

Thanks for the response..... I think I have the bracket upside down with the "window" below the centerline.....

[Alan Drake]

Re: C2 Bracket, a little more info

Wayne filled you in on all the important stuff, so here is a little more minor details; Bracket support is set to an 83 degree angle which slants top of plate back into car (just a little) Agree, if you don't like bend a little.

The bolts holding the bracket onto bumper are 1/4-20 X 5/8 and the rubber spacer (d=.75) is about the same thickness as the white round (d=1/2)plastic inserts that go into the square holes.

This is what I have on a Mar64 purchased in Aug67 with bracket taken off shortly after and stored since (still off). Making no claims of anything else - just that its what I have.

[Garry E.]

Re: C2 Bracket, a little more info

Alan.....

Thanks for the followup.... the slant of my bracket is much more than the 83 degrees you mentioned... All the pictures that I've seen of originals show them nearly vertical and/or perpendicular to the bumper brace. I'm going to make the appropriate adjustment....

Garry

[Michael H.]

Re: C2 Bracket, a little more info

Alan,

Pretty sure the top of the bracket leans forward, not back. I don't have a new one handy to look at and I don't have a bracket on my car to measure the angle but I believe it's about 10* off verticle. Sounds like we need a little more research here.

[Michael H.]

Re: C2 Bracket, a little more info

Garry,

This is a poor pic of a brand new 66 at the St Louis assy plant. The bracket appears to be "top forward" by 5* or 10*. The 63-65 bracket is a different part number because of the square hole size but the angle of the face is the same as the 66-67 bracket.

If I find a better pic, I'll post it later.

[Noel K.]

Re: C2 Bracket, a little more info

If i live in a state that doesn't require a front license plate, will i live judging points if i don't have the bracket ?

[Michael H.]

Re: C2 Bracket, a little more info

Noel,

I suspect points would be deducted if you show the car without the bracket, even though you live in a "no front plate" state. The car should appear as it did when delivered to the customer, including a NORMAL pre delivery new car get ready. All C2's were shipped with the bracket in place.

If the new owner requested the removal of the plate bracket at the time of delivery, that request would not fall into the "normal get ready" category.

[Alan Drake]

Re: C2 Front Bracket Angle

Michael,
If I just would look at the front of bracket instead of back I would of seen it is a forward lean as you stated. Sorry for error.

Also looked at a number of photo's in Adams Book and Cor News Supplement V6, No3.
Photo's in supplement all seem forward, while Adams is a mix (pg 157,186, 195,238,251,252,254,278,287) Remember Adams was putting book together back in 1984 so a number of his pictures may be of modified cars relative to the bracket angle. The Cor News has a copyright of 1963.

Boy a simple question can grow.

[John H.]

Re: C2 Bracket, a little more info

Mine's original ('67), and just for kicks I put my inclinometer on it, and it sez it's angled forward at the top by 8 degrees; how's that for nit-picky?

[Tracy C.]

Re: C2 Bracket, a little more info

Quick John..round up a bunch of these inclinometers and put them up on eBay. I see another niche market opportuniy right there along with the "broach buster" scopes... Maybe you can email that guy and hire him as your VP of marketing.

[Michael H.]

Re: C2 Front Bracket Angle

I agree Alan, the cars in the Corvette News pic's are new so we have to assume that the brackets are assembled correctly but for some reason, there's been a lot of confusion on this for decades and I suppose that would explain why many of the pic's in Nolands book show various different angles. It's been an ongoing debate for decades.

I have a whole stack of new 66-67 brackets and one NOS 63-65 bracket and all of the mounting tabs are at the exact same angle.

By the way, has the 63-64 JG been corrected on the usage of the 63-65 bracket with the small square holes?

[Michael H.]

Re: C2 Bracket, a little more info

John,

This sounds like an entirely new area for judging. One point deduct for each degree of inaccuracy, and two for each degree if it's a negative number. (bent back instead of forward.

By the way, speaking of the JG, was the "cold fast idle speed" test section of the 67 manual ever changed?

[Alan Drake]

Re: Plllleease stop, however

Michael
Have the 3rd edition, understand the 4th is out, however club has new ones for any judging so I have not purchased a new one.

The 3rd says 63 is 3/8 and 64 is 1/4 Mine is 5/16 or about .288 inches, not sure any more if I own a corvette.