Here is a post from a Miata forum I am on. This looks like it would work on the S as well.

"On my '93, I had my front plate suspended from two 4" gate hinges.

There are two holes on the top of the grill opening that they can be mounted.

At 20 to 25 MPH the plate would swing up and out of the airflow and out of sight. Got stopped about
8 times for no front tag, got lots of apologies for being stopped as the tag was in plain sight when stopped.

Only had one trooper figure it out, he walked to the front of the car, gently kicked the tag,
smiled, and told me to have a nice day."

Now the Miata has a deeper cavity up front but it appears that would work on the S as well. You would have to mount the plate on the hinge so that it went above the pivot point of the hinge but I think that is what he did as well since only one trooper noticed that it moved.

 

Hmm. I dont think Id work with the S unless the plastic grill is removed.

 

That's pretty funny actually.

Dunno what the point would be though, since the time I hated the look of my front plate was everytime it was parked and I was walking up to it and saw this big dumb white plate on the front.

Very cute. Very Miata. jk

 

I actually have something similar, but a lot more simple.. i just have the license plate bracket zip tied to my front grill, and at speed is excess of 75+ the wind will force the license plate to flip down and lay flat.

 

Haha....that's funny.

I agree though, the reason I don't run fronts is because I don't like the look period. Parked included.

It would be funny just seeing cops get confused about it though but would get annoying getting pulled over all the time for it.

 

Got any pics??

 

Where is there room for the plate to flip down? Unless you mean you have it BEHIND your grill.

I have seen a pic and the Miata guy mounts his at the top of the opening and the wind forces it backwards at speed. Very simple, and yes there is room on the S, I just went and measured.

I think I'll stop and get a couple of hinges at lunch. Now if I can only find my license plate hole plugs so that I can cover up the ugly empty holes.

I ran for the longest w/o a plate but recent changes in Texas law have them paying attention to plates PLUS there is the fact the Laser guys don't have an easy spot to aim and it ticks them off.

 

There also is a motorized, remote controlled flip down bracket available... but the plastic grill does get in the way.

 

the top portion of my grill is cut out, so the lower portion is still there, i utilized the stock bracket and drilled into the plastic bracket a little bit to get it to hold still and it actually works quite well. i will post pics when i get the car back from the shop.

 

I can see where the grill would get in the way if you wanted the plate to disappear totally, but who cares if from the side you can see a little plate sticking out.

I will be mounting the plate on the hinge so that the plate covers the pivot point. This means it will clear the grill but when folded down the leaading edge of the plate will stick out a little in front of the bumper.

EDIT: I just found out that the man who does this on his Miata has a son for a cop and he is the one who suggested it. He says he does have to put a few drops of light oil on there occassionally to keep the hinges moving freely enough.

His is mounted so that the pivot point shows and hits something in the mouth of the Miata before it gets totally flat.