? on Custom Flares

[JRust]

I have read many posts on duplicating factory flares. I have no experience working with metal. This is just my thoughts on the matter. I do like the GT flares on the car. I really like those that have custom flares done though. I like the flares most that keep the original style/shape of the 914. I wondered what the possibilities were of getting a rear quarter off a junker. Then kinda extending the rear quarter out at the top. Cutting out the old quarter & adding the one from the junker. Is this making sense to anyone. I'm afraid I can picture it easier than I can explain it. I have a 75' project on the side of hte house I'm thinking of doing this on! Am I kidding myself. My project I can afford to screw up as I got it cheap. Engine will come last so I really am not to worried if it doesn't work. I do have a good buddy who's been racing for years & has done alot of welding. Anyway your thoughts are appreciated!

[Zeke]

If I understand what you are saying correctly, you don't like the 916 style flares so much. Neither do I. But instead of making one fender out of two, you can cut upwards from the wheel arch and form the part of the fender over the wheel arch to your liking. You then will have to weld in pie shaped pieces to fill in your cuts. Usually you would make the first cuts at 10 and 2 o'clock on the arch. The more you beat on the metal, the more it stretches. Many have brought out the fender lip and metal directly above by pounding it out and smoothing the metal. If you use a leather shot bag and a mallet from the inside, you can get another inch and the car will look stock to most. For 2 inches, I think you make the cut.

[mike mueller]

Like this?:



It was a bunch of work, but once done, it was hard to tell that the fenders had been pulled out an inch. The rear rims are 16x8 with 225/50/16's.

[JmuRiz]

Here is another example of how to make your own subtle flair...

Then again this car has a 400+HP V8 and 245/45-16 tires on 16x9 rims...but you get the idea. You can only really tell it has these serious flairs from the front 1/4 view.

Nathan

[confused]

Geeze Mike it looks like you went the hard way. I am pulling my rear fenders out now to fit 15x8" Fuchs. First cut the rear fender supports and then relief cut the bottom of the fender in one or two places and get 3 strong people to firmly pull. Like the other guy said you will have to fill the reliefs with pie or pizza shaped fill metal. I have seen this done on many street cars and track cars. I have a friend with 15x9" rears just by pulling the fender out with relief cuts. I don't think you really need to cut up the whole fender.

[mike mueller]

Hey Confused,

Yea, that was my first time doing anything like that, I totally agree with you now, it was way too much work for how I did it and for the size of the rims and tires.....

There are plenty of other ways much better and easier now that I've already done it, too bad I didn't think of asking anyone for advice, but oh well....it came out okay.

What is really sad is about six months after completeing those flares, I parted the car out and threw the shell away.

[Brant]

Milt, and Confused....

when I did my fenders with the slit method... I trashed most of the original lip on the rear fenders and had to contend with rebuilding that stock looking lip....

got an tips about how you avoided my mistake... (I'm about to do a 2nd car and would love the pointers....)

can you guys draw a diagram to show me where you put your slits?

thanks for the help
brant

[farleyd]

Here is my result in crafting GT steel flares from sheet metal.

[Zeke]

Brant, here's my 2 cents:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?threadid=77059