And further more folks that ran with a front plate had overheaing problems and were advised to remove it.
About 5 years ago I conveyed that little factoid to the WSP Captain who was in charge of authorizing front plate exemptions here in Washington St. His reply? "I'm not buying it." 'Sent him pix showing how much of the radiator the plate would block and the whole 9 yards. 'Didn't matter. 'No exemption.
Soooooooo, I told him he might just as well pick up the phone, call his boys up north and tell 'em to be on the lookout for me 'cause I wasn't gunna drill holes in a $200K car - nor was I gunna battle overheating problems simply to satisfy Olympia...especially given the fact the state doesn't apply the front plate law equally to everyone (per post #10 above).
Aaaaaaand, as far as I know, #1079 still has no holes in its nose to this very day.