My wife has decided to treat herself to a pair of number plates for her Abarth and has asked me to fit them for her .The plates have been screwed on by the dealer (Lipscombs Maidstone) but I can’t unscrew the rear ?? Every screw just turns?
The front have just unscrewed no problem
Have they got a anti theft device so nobody can nick them?
I was going to use the old screws but don’t want to just break them because I haven’t any thing to reattach them with

Help:bang:

c100dave said:

My wife has decided to treat herself to a pair of number plates for her Abarth and has asked me to fit them for her .The plates have been screwed on by the dealer (Lipscombs Maidstone) but I can’t unscrew the rear ?? Every screw just turns?
The front have just unscrewed no problem
Have they got a anti theft device so nobody can nick them?
I was going to use the old screws but don’t want to just break them because I haven’t any thing to reattach them with

Help:bang:

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I don't know how it is on the 500, but the Panda has 4 plastic plugs in the rear hatch, if they brake then you can't unscrew them because they keep on turning with the screws, you need to take off the inside cover to get a grip on them.

The Pretender said:

I don't know how it is on the 500, but the Panda has 4 plastic plugs in the rear hatch, if they brake then you can't unscrew them because they keep on turning with the screws, you need to take off the inside cover to get a grip on them.

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Trouble is most dealer's don't seem to use them just drill two holes into the body and screw the plate through that

At least in cars I've seen

If the screws have been over tightened in the past then the threads will probably been striped out of the plastic plug and when you try to un-screw the screw then as there is no 'meat' left in the plug the the screw cannot back itself out, if you pull the screw at the same time as un-screwing it then this should assist it coming out, as it is a bit tricky to pull on the screw at the same time as in-screwing it then if you pull the actual number plate away from the car at the same time then this will have the same effect.
Hope this makes sense!
When re-fitting the new plates I would use double sided sticky pads to fit them as you then do not have to drill holes in the new plates and then have to try and line up the drilled holes with the fixing plugs! Also when you drill holes then water might get in there later and de-laminate the plates.
Tip, when fixing with sticky pads then any previous holes in the body work can be cover over with the pads to stop any water ingress.
Paul m.

chris3234 said:

Trouble is most dealer's don't seem to use them just drill two holes into the body and screw the plate through that

At least in cars I've seen

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And that's when the rust starts?

What really gets me is plates on, not level!

Had this on my last one. Sometimes if you hook a screwdriver under the plate and put outward pressure on the plate as you turn the screw it might come out. Don’t be tempted to break them and let the plugs fall inwards as they will rattle in the hatch.

Personally, I now use these: (but not with Fiat on them 'cause I no longer have a Fiat lol!)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-NUM...097173?hash=item4d466e0515:g:Kl4AAOSw0vBUfyV6

I also have pressed metal number plates, which meet BS au 145d, have the suppliers postcode stamped on them, are retro reflective, correctly spaced and Charles Wright font. I've had them on my own vehicle now for 3 years, and never had an issue with the Wooden Tops or MoT regs. And let's face it, if the Government really want to get serious about plastic waste, it's probably about time all number plates were made of metal anyway as they'd be recyclable, unlike the current ones. With the amount of European registered vehicles wearing metal plates currently running around all four corners of the UK, any argument that metal plates on UK registered cars are somehow 'illegal', look like a thoroughly stupid argument, but then often the 'Law' is too stupid for words anyway.

chris3234 said:

Trouble is most dealer's don't seem to use them just drill two holes into the body and screw the plate through that

At least in cars I've seen

Click to expand...

That’s properly what Lipscomb ashford does ? they sold me a
Dodgy car, so wouldn’t surprise me, maybe Maidstone lipcomb also do things by half’s? !! ?