Steel flares, any substitute?

[farleyd]

Hi to all, i remember coming across a topic saying that one might be interested into creating a replica of the original steel flare. No development on this side that i know of.

OEM steel flares are not a valuable $$$$ option for me, and i am not alone. So here is my question.

Is there a car/light truck or anything else commonly available in junkyards that could have flares that come close to the original OEM ones? That someone could buy cheap, cut, and do some sheet metal and get something interesting? Just asking.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

I don't know of any substitutes, particularly that look like the stock flares. Gwenn's 914-6 conversion (which John Larson has been building for a couple of years, I think!) http://members.rennlist.com/gogag has SC flares on the back. Yes, the rear fenders from a 911SC were welded on and smoothed in. I don't know the specifics, but it was evidently at least a moderate amount of work.

I've heard that Rabbit flares can work. They don't look anything like 914-6 GT flares, nor like the smooth SC flares above, but they will let you fit wider wheels.

I'm sure there are others that can be made to work.

--DD

[SteveStromberg]

See this site with some elbow grease and sandpaper you can put on some flares. www.rqriley.com/frp-foam.html

Steve

[This message has been edited by SteveStromberg (edited 03-21-2001).]

[John Rogers]

You might want to consider cutting several (3) slits in each fender and flaring the fenders out and then adding in small wedge shaped pieces of metal to fill the gaps. There are several cars in PCA Zone 8 and unless you put them beside a stock fendered 914 it is hard to tell the difference. This was done to my 914 by the PO and I can fit 9 inch wide slicks under the fenders.

[rallyman]

Jeeez I really hate to say this....BUT.....
back in the late 70's early 80's a friend of my father's cut the flares off of a .......
Gremlin....yes an AMC Gremlin......and tacked them onto a 914....after the car was finished and painted black it actually looked pretty good.....I figure a set of four flares off a Gremlin should be pretty cheap, problem here is I don't know how many decent Gremlin fender panels one is likely to find laying around! Once again not true GT Flares, but the look was really good...not unlike the 911 flares you see grafted on.....

[Rouser]

Since you're saying, "OEM steel flares are not a valuable $$$$ option for me ...", fiberglass flares (when "properly" installed) are looking like the best bang for the buck.

I can't see spending a small stack to hack & graft a set of "steel" fenders off a Chevy Stepside just for that "steel" look and personal gratification.

After all the cutting & shaving & grinding & welding & grinding & lead-filling & grinding & Bondo & priming & painting, I can introduce you to a friend who saved some major coins and had a "competent" body shop install "fiberglass" GT-type fenders all around.

7 YEARS LATER, nary a crack, split, rattle, or squeak, and he can even bear down on them. The shop even rolled the cut edges of the inner steel fenders and sprayed undercoating on all the inside surfaces. They told him doing "steel" GT-type fenders was going to cost quite a bit more.

But, then again, there are a whole lot of Gremlins in the recycle bins.

[This message has been edited by Rouser (edited 03-21-2001).]

[farleyd]

Interesting (previous post). The funy thing is that i ALREADY have a set of fiberglass fenders in my garage. I just read some advices about not going that way; cracks, splits, etc.

I am not a purist, just dont want to do it again in a couple of years.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

> ...back in the late 70's early 80's a friend of my father's cut the
> flares off of a ....... Gremlin....yes an AMC Gremlin......and
> tacked them onto a 914....

Wow, I think that instantly qualifies you for honorary membership in the CSOBOSC! ( == "Cheap SOBs of Southern Cal"; Rennlist in-joke.) If you're in Southern California, I think that's a qualification for full membership!!

If you're paying someone else to do the work, then grafting other cars' metal fenders on may not be a reasonable $$$ option. Frankly, I don't know what all of this costs as I've never paid for it myself. If you're doing the work yourself (or at least a significant part of it, like prep/welding/smoothing), you can probably save some real $$ by using junkyard parts.

I know a couple of people who have glass flares that have not cracked. I know many more who have glass bodywork with cracks. If I had to guess, I'd say that the difference is the prep work. Talk to people who deal with boats, and people who do lots of Corvette body work. (Or is that the same thing? ) Both should have a fair amount of experience at bonding fiberglass to metal. Just don't tell the 'Vette guys that the work is for a Porsche...

--DD

[sammyg2]

Funny that this topic came up: Last week I contacted a man who specializes in making metal body work. He takes a flat piece of metal and shapes it by hand to fit a pattern (big $$$). I showed him a picture of a steel GT fender, and told him that I could sell dozens of sets at least if he could produce them for $1000 a set. He seemed very interested, but said he had to do some more research. I haven't heard from him yet, but if I do and if he wants to get into this business, you can be sure that everyone will hear all about it.

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Gerald Gore II (Sam)
73 914 350 small block

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Sammy, no offense--but you're smoking crack.

You'll probably find dozens of people who say that they'll pay $1000 for a set of steel flares. But as to how many will actually buy them, I doubt you'll find very many at all.

AA's problems aside, I'd be very surprised if they got their 100 deposits on the $650 set of flares. Even if they weren't AA, I'm not sure if they could have gotten 100 deposits. And that's for 1/3 less than you're talking about.

Sorry, but I think 914 owners are too cheap to buy them. And you should know, Sammy--you're president of the CSOBOSC, after all. I think $10 pick-a-part Gremlin flares would be more your style anyway...

--DD

[Eduardo Castrejón Elbjorn]

Rouser: I´m agree with you about the fiberglass flares.
Farleyd: If you already have it, use it !
I do it my conversion some years ago and I don´t have any problems.
Dave Darling: I´m agree with you about the preparation of the fiberglass but is not dificult, I live in the coast then here almost every painter know how.
I´m a corvetteforum member too, nice people there, I don´t think that you have any problem if you said that is for your porsche but if you don´t want exists a tech articles that teach us how to paint the fiberglass.

I will soon convert my new 914 to gt flares but I want this time steel !, I want to paint all the car with polyurethane paint.
I ask directly to Porsche for the flares and gave me a price of 9000 usd., obviously this is not affordable but *********** sells for 1000, this are not cheap like the 150 fiberglass set (that not have any problem) but are steel and a lot more affordable than the factory set.
I have some photos of the process, if you want, I can send you.
What about brakes (5 Lug),the conversion improves the braking dramatically but if you don´t need this, drill the 5 lug into you 4 Lug.
What about wheels, In the photo I have 7" cookie wheels now I have fuchs 7" but I will use this for the front and I will buy a pair of 8" and a pair of 9" (I can´t wait to see that !)
About a substitute, I don´t believe that looks equal.
Eduardo

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1972 914 v6
1974 914 2180cc 916 Look
1984 944 Auto
550 spyder (replica)
My Page

[This message has been edited by Eduardo Castrejón Elbjorn (edited 03-26-2001).]

[Eduardo Castrejón Elbjorn]

1

[This message has been edited by Eduardo Castrejón Elbjorn (edited 03-26-2001).]

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Eduardo, you might try calling 888/280-7799. Pelican did indeed have a set of factory steel flares for a while. I'm not sure if they still do or not, but it is worth asking if you're looking for steel ones.

I hear that you can get them from Porsche for less than $2000. Perhaps your local dealer is jacking up the prices on you?

--DD