[richard schumacher]

After a bit of fiddling I decided that I preferred it without a license plate frame. The mounting I liked best is the following:

0. Mounting the handle to the plate: two each of 1/4"-20 x 1/2" pan head phillips screw, nut and lock washer (all in stainless steel), with a nylon screw cap cover under/around the screw head. This last item looks like a plastic washer with a rim and a snap-down cover or lid. I installed this with the screw head and cover facing the car as finish protectors; thus the lock washers and nuts are on the outer surface of the plate. If your plate has an embossed rim you may want to use 5/8" long screws and add a washer between the handle and the plate.

I tried using plastic hex head (for their flatness) screws in the same orientation without the screw head cover, but they didn't look good, and they probably would deteriorate in Sunlight. Carriage bolts installed from the outside also looked good but I wasn't happy using plastic tubing over the free end of the screw as a paint protector and found no other way of "passivating" the ends of the screws.

1. Mounting the plate to the car: add some 1/8" thick nylon washers under the plate to keep it from touching the car's surface. The plate and handle thus stand away from the car, which looks interesting. Hmm, maybe I should post a photo...

The color of stainless steel hardware goes so well with the color of the car and its trim that I'll probably also replace the factory plate mounting screws with stainless steel. These are pan head phillips M6x12.

 

[gfranklin]

Hatch lid handle

WHAT "hatch lid handle"? Obviously, I missed an earlier posting regarding an aftermarket accessory. (Sounds like a good idea.)

 

[richard schumacher]

Here's one source for the handle I and others have used:
http://www.ultimatecupholders.com/trunkhandle.html

 

[gfranklin]

Universal trunk handle

Thanks for the prompt reply, Richard. I'm on my way to our local MB dealer to get mine. I'll have your directions for installation in my pocket.

Jerry

 

[richard schumacher]

You're welcome. Let us know what you think, and especially if you come up with something that looks/works better.

(I didn't state it explicitly, but of course the handle installs under/behind the plate.)

 

[gfranklin]

Installation of rear hatch handle

Yup. Figured that out. Tell me, though: Why not simply place the handle behind the plate (and nylon washers behind the handle to protect the paint) and hold both plate and handle in place with the bottom two license plate bolts (or prettier and perhaps longer replacement bolts)?

Thanks again.

 

[richard schumacher]

That would be nice, but there is no lower set of holes, at least not on the examples of the US Prius version that I've seen. I wasn't about to drill holes in my shiny new Prius!