Is this illegal??

[TimVYSS]

Before

http://www.imageark.net/image.php?id=109903

After

http://www.imageark.net/image.php?id=109904


Now I'm pretty sure that this would be illegal to do to a set of personalised plates, but thought I'd get your opinions.

So whats the verdict - illegal or not??

[team illucid]

Legal - It is the vehicle id that is registered when the cops call it in - you have the correct state and the colours are the same ..

[VYSHSV8]

I would have thoght that any modification to any number plate would be illegal so i would say YES TO BEING ILLEGAL, even though you own the plates its like a credit card it still remains officially theproperty of the licensing dept, as acredit card remains the property of the lending institution.

[SSBarney]

I was once advised by Vicroads that you can not put a dot on a number plate where there is not one, i.e to split up letters to suit what you want it to say.
And what ur suggesting is a lot more than a dot.

[KiWi]

since you lease the plates from the gov, (according to a cop who pulled me over) any modification or tampering of a government item is illegal

But i cannot state fact

Kiwi

[KeenGolfer]

In the ACT (may be different elsewhere) you have to use the plates issued by the appropriate authority - you can't make your own. I had a set of made up plates taken by the AFP a few years back as they weren't standard issue even though they looked the same as regular plates.

[SV300]

Go and buy an approved off the shelf number plate cover and you can get the same result.


James

[TimVYSS]

Go and buy an approved off the shelf number plate cover and you can get the same result.


James

Yes, my little bro just informed me of that, thanks. It does get rid of that white surround on the outside. Now need to just colour in the diamond in the middle.

Thanks

[boxhead]

I am fairly certain it is illegal to modify the plates in any way at all.
It is most likely illegal to fit surrounds or covers that make th eplates appear different to how they where made.

[Wayne@GM Motorsport]

Its illegal in VIC to modify your number plates in any way, its also illegal to have covers over them here.

[raff]

Go and buy an approved off the shelf number plate cover and you can get the same result.


James

SV300 is spot on. I have black custom plates with the white surrounds which looks shite. I went straight out a grabbed a black plate cover and it covers it up no probs.............. grabbed this pic off another thread of my car, shows the number plate with protector on it........
http://www.haroc.1337thing.com/ls1/raff/headlight%20host.JPG
Cheers

raff

[Brendan]

And don't forget the LS1 is only a 346, not a 350 - wouldn't want you looking like a goose now.

Unless you have an old short block chev in the car, then go fot it.

[HRT 8]

Its illegal in VIC to modify your number plates in any way, its also illegal to have covers over them here.
Why are covers illegal???? Never heard such a thing.
Is that like the old addage you cant have bare feet whilst driving, and you cant drink a can of grog while driving??

But yes as people have said, to modify your plates in any way will cost you $$$ in infringement notices.

[Muffdaddy]

And don't forget the LS1 is only a 346, not a 350 - wouldn't want you looking like a goose now.

Unless you have an old short block chev in the car, then go fot it.

I almost came to blows the other day with an uneducated lout. His SS had the plates ***.350( I have used *** to protect the poor fool). i asked him why 350 and he told me in no uncertain terms that 350 is for the motor. I asked him if he had it stroked four cubes and he said, "Whaddya mean?"....I told him that the LS1 is a 346 and not a 350.
He basically told me to go and fornicate my own mother :eek: .
I just laughed and said "Well your the fool with '350' on your plates. Everyone knows its 346. We're all laughing at ya, buddy"

[Wayne@GM Motorsport]

Why are covers illegal???? Never heard such a thing.
Is that like the old addage you cant have bare feet whilst driving, and you cant drink a can of grog while driving??

But yes as people have said, to modify your plates in any way will cost you $$$ in infringement notices.

Its to do with the speed cameras and flash reflection

[RedVX2]

Before

http://www.imageark.net/image.php?id=109903

After

http://www.imageark.net/image.php?id=109904


Now I'm pretty sure that this would be illegal to do to a set of personalised plates, but thought I'd get your opinions.

So whats the verdict - illegal or not??
I have similar plates to yours (mine are the retro ones) and with HSV plate covers on they cover the white surround of the plate. (Slimline front and normal rear plate). Looks heaps better and its legal.
With regard to losing the dot, your best bet would be to check with Qld Transport and see what they say.

[Rt!]

i see plenty of SS commos with ???.350
hehe

[TimVYSS]

i see plenty of SS commos with ???.350
hehe

I realise that the engine is 346(I didn't know this b4 i joined the forum), but how many people besides us LS1 enthusiasts know this. The average Joe on the street wouldn't know this would they I thought that they would have assumed being a 5.7L chevy engine that it'd be a 350 like the old ones.

Is this a fair assumption - what do you think?

Tim

[GHZ28]

In Queensland, and I suspect elsewhere, it is illegal to modify a registration plate in any way. Even so little as bending it to conform with the shape of the vehicle. Also, you are changing type of plate with and without the diamond between the letters and numerals. I originally ordered USA style plates for my camaro, they were sent out as XXX-28, which was incorrect, and they were re-issued as XXX28, the originals had to be surrendered as they were a "different" plate.

Just shows how picky they are.

Garry

[Brendan]

I realise that the engine is 346(I didn't know this b4 i joined the forum), but how many people besides us LS1 enthusiasts know this.

Ahh - but now you do know it, don't you want to feel superior to all the uneducated oiks who think it's a 350?

[TimVYSS]

Ahh - but now you do know it, don't you want to feel superior to all the uneducated oiks who think it's a 350?

Yes I do, I was chatting to a guy I know who has a VU SS and I showed him my dyno graph, he said "186 is that all, i thought they were sposed to have 225kw's?'. :confused:

I thought how can u have had that for 3 years and still thought that. He's a fitter at Hastings to, so I'm sure he'd think it was a 350 if he was asked/

[Wayne@GM Motorsport]

Yes I do, I was chatting to a guy I know who has a VU SS and I showed him my dyno graph, he said "186 is that all, i thought they were sposed to have 225kw's?'. :confused:

I thought how can u have had that for 3 years and still thought that. He's a fitter at Hastings to, so I'm sure he'd think it was a 350 if he was asked/

But Tim it does have 225 kw's, just that its 225 flywheel kilowatts no rear wheel like your dynosheet is saying :cool:

[bobg]

Why are covers illegal???? Never heard such a thing.
Is that like the old addage you cant have bare feet whilst driving, and you cant drink a can of grog while driving??

But yes as people have said, to modify your plates in any way will cost you $$$ in infringement notices.
It is NOT illegal to fit number plate covers in Victoria but there are some provisos.

Reg 222 (c) of the Road Safety [Vehicles] Regulations 1999 states:

any cover on a number plate -
(i) is clear, clean, untinted and flat over its entire surface; and
(ii) has no reflective or other characteristics that would prevent the successful operation of a device approved for use under a law relating to the detection of traffic offences.

Because of 222 (c)(i) a number plate cover that hid the surrounding line on the plate would be illegal in Victoria just as are those ones with fine black lines across them - they are not "clear over their entire surface".

Regards

Bob G

[Wayne@GM Motorsport]

It is NOT illegal to fit number plate covers in Victoria but there are some provisos.

Reg 222 (c) of the Road Safety [Vehicles] Regulations 1999 states:

any cover on a number plate -
(i) is clear, clean, untinted and flat over its entire surface; and
(ii) has no reflective or other characteristics that would prevent the successful operation of a device approved for use under a law relating to the detection of traffic offences.

Because of 222 (c)(i) a number plate cover that hid the surrounding line on the plate would be illegal in Victoria just as are those ones with fine black lines across them - they are not "clear over their entire surface".

Regards

Bob G

Great work Bob

I was trying to find the exact detail on the Vic Roads site but it was all to hard.

[raff]

It is NOT illegal to fit number plate covers in Victoria but there are some provisos.

Reg 222 (c) of the Road Safety [Vehicles] Regulations 1999 states:

any cover on a number plate -
(i) is clear, clean, untinted and flat over its entire surface; and
(ii) has no reflective or other characteristics that would prevent the successful operation of a device approved for use under a law relating to the detection of traffic offences.

Because of 222 (c)(i) a number plate cover that hid the surrounding line on the plate would be illegal in Victoria just as are those ones with fine black lines across them - they are not "clear over their entire surface".

Regards

Bob G

I dont know how you came to that conclusion, which part of 222(c)(i) says they have to be borderless. Clear- yes as in not opaque or tinted, clean- obviously dirt free and ledgible, untinted- again for reasons of visibility, flat- obviously so the plate can be read from varying angles. Im yet to see a borderless plate protector. Even the HSV ones have a black surround. I cant see how this would be 'illegal'. I certainly have never had any trouble nor heard of any such case of getting fined for having borders on there plate protectors.

Just my 2c :)

[HRT 8]

After reading the penalty notice code book this morning at work, RS(V)R 222 isnt covered.
There is no specific penalty notice to cover it, with the exception that it could be deemed as an obscured plate.
I have never seen or know of any person on either side of the law who have either issued or been issued with a TIN for having number plate covers, such as those sold by all Auto sales shops.
I think if you copped one, youve been let off something else which would have cost your wallet a bit more.

[bobg]

I dont know how you came to that conclusion, which part of 222(c)(i) says they have to be borderless. Clear- yes as in not opaque or tinted, clean- obviously dirt free and ledgible, untinted- again for reasons of visibility, flat- obviously so the plate can be read from varying angles. Im yet to see a borderless plate protector. Even the HSV ones have a black surround. I cant see how this would be 'illegal'. I certainly have never had any trouble nor heard of any such case of getting fined for having borders on there plate protectors.

Just my 2c :)
Thankfully I am no longer in a position where I have to interpret the law and make a ruling but RS(V)R 222 says "clear over its entire surface". I take "surface" to mean the "flat" area covering the number plate. If it has a black surround that covers part of the number plate then it is not clear over its entire surface.


After reading the penalty notice code book this morning at work, RS(V)R 222 isnt covered.
There is no specific penalty notice to cover it, with the exception that it could be deemed as an obscured plate.
I have never seen or know of any person on either side of the law who have either issued or been issued with a TIN for having number plate covers, such as those sold by all Auto sales shops.
I think if you copped one, youve been let off something else which would have cost your wallet a bit more.
The end of Reg 222 quotes a penalty of 2 penalty points [$220 at the current rate I think] for non compliance and there are plenty of other regs in the RS(V)R that do not have penalty notice codes allocated. It just means you cannot be TINed for that violation [unless the officer can find a suitable alternative like obscured number plate as you suggest] so the officer has to take you to court. THAT is the reason why you [or I] have "never seen or know of any person on either side of the law who have either issued or been issued with a TIN for having number plate covers, such as those sold by all Auto sales shops."

The old regs used to say the cover could not "obscure the number plate in any way" and a strict legal interpretation of this meant that even the fine black lines on many covers were illegal as they "DID obscure the number plate in some way". My recollection of when we re-wrote the regs was that "clear over its entire surface" was just a more specific and perhaps clearer way of saying it. The problem is if you accepted the current fine black lines you immediately enter into "shades of grey" in the law which is not a good thing. Where do you draw the line if someone made them with thicker black lines and someone else again with even thicker black lines and so on until the gaps between the lines were only as thick as the original fine black lines???

Regards

Bob G

[THE308]

since you lease the plates from the gov, (according to a cop who pulled me over) any modification or tampering of a government item is illegal

But i cannot state fact

Kiwi

In Qld & Vic you OWN your personalised plates you DO NOT LEASE them.

[SV8VY]

Its only a dot.Put a sticker on it and if it is a problem one day just peel it off and play dumb.Mines been painted for years.