Info Only "Retracting Liscence Plate"

Please if you have comments save them for someone who cares, i posted this thread to get some help, and ideas on how i can do this, so i dont need any lessons on the usefullness off this.Like i said before i want to use this at car shows, and not for mischief!

thanks( If you dont know what i mean heres a couple of pics) the complete video is on http://www.hondahookup.com

http://www3.sympatico.ca/darknights/images/light1.jpg
http://www3.sympatico.ca/darknights/images/light2.jpg
http://www3.sympatico.ca/darknights/images/light3.jpg

Have you seen it done before, live or on video?

i've seen it live 2-3 times...

Those things are Crazy Bright!!

so basically - if I am understanding you correct - you want your license plate to flip up and reveal some type/kind of light - correct?

OK I'm just writing while thinking so ...

well the first thing that comes to mind is the fact that one is going to either cut out the area behind the plate and place a plexi-glass window (too seal it from the elements) or shave the entire license plate area creating a 1"-2" sapce to work with - still very difficult so I would look into option A.

Hooking up the lights is easy. running a switch to your dash or whereever and the license plate will need to be on a hinge or two - so I guess the issue is the motor to "lift" the plate. A possible solution to this could be as near as your Radio Shack or toy store. A lot toys have parts that hinge or lift or do just what you want them to and they just run off those little 12volt motors. Might consider looking around, finding some application similiar, buy, and disassemble.

But that is me just thinking outloud :D I'll be pondering that night and give another solution tonight or tomorrow.

thanks yeah, thats the problem im running into, i cant find i real good motored device that willl flip the thing up or down....

do you think they just put different light bulbs where the liscence plate bulbs are?

i don't think they have some crazy retractable plate, cuz they would have to make an area for the plate to retract to, and it would require the use of linear actuator which is $$$

i seriously think they just replaced the liscense bulbs with something else.

they must have used a dual filament bulb and then had a switch to make both filaments light up at the same time.

good luck

Would it be possible to get another WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR and modify it to make it flip the plate up and down or whatever?

I think that would be hte best cuz thats the only that comes into my mind that its actually powerful enough to retract the plate.

notice in the second picture that the bottom right most area of the liscense plate is still visible, thus it does not move. the light is coming from right above the plate

this thing is gunna be hard to finish, and it will take some time for me to do it, so ill wait till the summer when it gets a bit warmer, cause up here it freezing
thanks for the replies

why is everyone ignoring my comments?!:bloated:

Originally posted by igo4bmx
why is everyone ignoring my comments?!:bloated:

I heard j00... :finger:

which video~~~!!!!!!

Um i think its video 5 or 6
http://www.hondahookup.com

You gotta look close though cause it happens pretty fast.

You could just use a Servo motor from a electronics store.

Originally posted by markpa
Um i think its video 5 or 6
http://www.hondahookup.com

You gotta look close though cause it happens pretty fast.

I checked video 5, but I don't think it's in there. And unfortunately, video 6 is corrupt so I can't check that. Boo =(

its video 5..and thats pretty phat man
i like it.... but i dont understand whats so special about it...is it just a light..or is it a neon or something?

that' is freakin cool.......only thing i don't understand is how a motor is going to pull the license plate back up and in......i don't know........confused!!!!:confused: :confused: :bloated:

you people should listen to me... the plate does not RETRACT!!! look at the movie closely. why would someone spend money on a retracting liscense pplate? he prolly just put dual filament high wattage bulsb instead of his normal liscense plate lights and the brightness comes from a camera recording in a really dark area.

wait......i don't understand.........i'd rather spend my money on a retracting license plate than on some bright lights.........the license plate thing would've been cool.......bright lights aren't all that great.......:rolleyes:

I did a retracting liscense plate on my Honda a few years ago. Ohio requires front plates and I personally feel it ruined the car. I used a headlight motor from a Ford Probe and the rest was kinda jigaboo but it worked. Flip a switch and down dropped the plate.