Gearheads have been using online social media to discuss their love of cars for years, but few of the existing outlets are aimed specifically at the car enthusiast.

The people at Monkeyplate.com are changing this. The website is the first to connect car fans in the real world using customized stickers to mark out your ride, allowing you to trace the owner's profile on the website.

It's apparently being dubbed the 'Facebook for cars', allowing you to immediately befriend anyone whose stickered-up car you've spotted on the street.

Upon signing up with the site, you can then customize a sticker to suit your car, which Monkeyplate will then send out to you anywhere in the world. Even if you feel that's a bit limiting, you can go to your local signwriter and get them to design a sticker for you - as long as the Monkeyplate brand and your username are visible to let people find you, the choice is yours.

Monkeyplate: Social networking for gearheads

Monkeyplate: Social networking for gearheads

Profiles are only fully visible to friends on the site, but you have the option to open it up to the public so fans of your car can discover more online. User privacy was a big concern for the team and they stress that you can fully control your profile's privacy settings.

The concept was devised by Oliver Thomas, a motoring journalist and professional driver.

“We wanted to make a direct link between enthusiasts, their rides and the internet. With monkeyplate, the car becomes a mobile billboard for whatever the user wants to show online. News, event pictures, track day videos… anything. It works 24/7, all year, anywhere.”

Best of all, it's completely free to sign up. Are you a gearhead longing for social interaction? Head on over to the Monkeyplate.com website.