In a message dated 98-11-24 13:38:09 EST, kenyonkt@maple.lemoyne.edu writes:
> My '72 Spit MKIV currently has no windshield and, somehow, the commission
> number plaque attached to the drivers side of the windshield post has been
> flexed enough to break off. I still have the piece that came off.
>
> Any thoughts as to what I should do? Can I get a replacement and rivet it
> in? (might look suspect) Maybe just do a big glob of epoxy to hold it on?
> Ignore it and don't worry about it.
Kirby,
I don't know if the commission plaque on a MKIV Spitfire is the same as on a
TR6, but if it is, I have a perfect solution for your problem. Go to Radio
Shack and buy one of the small plastic "project" boxes, with the aluminum lid.
This lid is the same width and thickness as the comm plate, and surprisingly,
the screw holes even match. All that is required is to cut an inch or so off
to get it to the correct lenght, and round off the new corners to match the
old. Next, take it to a trophy shop (we have a shop called "rememberances" in
all of the shoppng centers around here - you may have one similar where you
live) and have them engrave the commission number on it for you, using
lettering to match the original. You can try to stamp the letters/numbers, but
it is nearly impossible to get a good match that way.
After you've had it engraved, roll it over a pencil or a pen, and form the
curves in the plate to match the old one, paint it, and pop rivet it in place.
No one will be able to tell the difference.
> The car still has the commission plate on the door post. Do I even need
> the one by the windshield?
Yes, absolutely! This is the place the police will look for your commission
number - it must be visible without opening the door, and it MUST be the
original, and in the original location. I am assuming there are ways around
this if you contact the DMV before hand, and get the proper paper work
proccessed, but I haven't checked it out yet. There has to be some way to
handle this on a car that's being repaired, and the plate damaged either
during the repair or during the wreck.
> The car will be registered in New York State. I just don't want anyone
> claiming it is a stolen vehicle.
>
> Being paranoid (again) in NY.
You have every reason to be paranoid. In Tennessee, the police will
immediately impound your car if they discover the commission plate missing,
and you will NOT EVER get it back. This is considered prima-facie evidence of
a stolen car. It will go to the crusher. If don't imagine NY is any different.
Here in TN a few years ago, a young man bought his first car from a somewhat
shady used car dealer, and the car didn't have the commission plate on the
dash where it belonged. He read in the paper about the importance of having
this plate, and being the honest kid that he was, he took it to the sheriffs
dept to ask about it. He had to call his dad to come and get him, because the
car was confiscated on the spot. His only recourse was to sue the dealer, and
I never heard the outcome of that.
If you have any doubts, check with the DMV to be sure.
Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN
'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/Masters/index.html
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition - slated for a V8 soon
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74
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