Ford Focus ST Front License Plate Bracket

thingiverse

I purchased my 2017 Ford Focus ST and discovered that the dealer had not installed the front license plate bracket. A quick search online revealed that my state, New Jersey, requires a front license plate, so I attached the stock bracket to the car's body without drilling any holes or using screws. Standing back, I cringed at how the center-mounted plate detracted from my new car's aggressive look. Later that day, after driving about 50 miles, I returned home to find that the stock bracket and license plate were missing! After waiting in line at the DMV and paying $7 for replacement plates, I searched online but couldn't find an alternative bracket. Determined to create a secure and unobtrusive solution, I designed my own bracket using 3D printing technology, which can be installed without removing the grill. UPDATE 10/30/17 Three times, my mount has been broken due to incompetent parallel parkers in my community who hit my car while parking theirs. Each time, the connecting rod snapped, but no other parts were damaged and no marks remained on the car. With this experience in mind, I highly recommend adding a zip tie anchor to the design. Now, I keep a pair of cutters in my glove box so that if the plate becomes loose, I can remove it until I repair the mount. Taking it a step further, you could also store spare connecting rods and an Allen key in your car for a field repair. I considered redesigning the mount to increase its strength and rigidity, but these incidents have actually been enlightening. The connecting rod served as a "break-away" part, failing to prevent damage to my car's body. If the connecting rod were stronger, it's possible that these impacts would have put more stress on the grill and increased the likelihood of damaging it or the car's body.