Fabbing 1g widebody front fenders?

[eclipsh]

So as I've been looking around at fender flares for my car I realized I am not very happy with any of them. I'd really like to have a full fender replacement setup that would truly give more area for tires to fit. Unfortunately no one makes a widebody fender for 1g DSMs.

So I am planning to make a set this summer. I'll be creating molds so I can make multiple fiberglass fenders that are direct bolt-ons. Would anyone else be interested in a set for their car? If I'm making the molds it makes sense to build a lot of these and sell them.

I'm also looking for styling cues and feedback. The plan is to just push the whole front fender out after the lights and leave the full door line of it vented above the side skirts.

I've seen fiber-flex kits available for other parts but I have no idea if it is possible to make these parts without special equipment I can't afford. Anyone have info on this?

Please post up links to your favorite widebody setups if you want. Obviously I won't be directly copying anything since it would be stealing.

How much flare would people want? I'm thinking 2" but a lot of kits seem to go out to 3".

 

[eclipsh]

Thinking about the profile of the flares I came up with a few options on how to style them. All these lines below represent a front-on view of how the fender will curve out from the top.

The line represents the whole fender profile, not just the flared portion.

 

[TalonTsi31]

i would stick to a 2'' flare i think 3'' may start to make it look like a cerealbox toy

 

[mavisky]

2" should be fine. That should easily accomodate 10" wide wheels.

D or E look the best to me.

 

[jongreene]

FINALLY, someone fabbing up good looking flares. D and E ftw

 

[eclipsh]

Thanks for the replies.

Issue two will be where to begin the flare and how to end it.

Here are three choices I am thinking of so far. The third one reminds me of an RX8 and might be too curvy for the lines on a 1g but I threw it on anyway.

 

[Dream On]

No 1gb love? I think this is good for the community, though I probably won't put them on my car.

 

[mavisky]

Unless you're going to offer a front bumper to match the curve I'd stick with the top option.

I don't see that air intake being feasibly used for much of anything. Might be able to stick a power steering cooler up in there, but then it would only be on one side and that might look odd. Not that asymetric design is bad, but most people wouldn't be a fan of it unless you could package a ps cooler mount and kit with it or something.

 

[eclipsh]

Though it'd be small, I was thinking the front vent on #2 could easily be adapted for brake ducting. It wouldn't take much to fab up a setup so a tube could be attached and run down to the front rotors. If that idea is appealing it would be easy to push the gap a little wider to get enough air in to really be useful. That might be too impractical though.

As far as the 1gb love... I wouldn't be opposed to making these for both models but I'd need sufficient pre-orders and deposits to make it worth my time/effort.

It will be a few months before I can get the first pair made. After that I'll see what people think and how much they'd be willing to pay for a pair.

I have no intentions of making a front bumper at this point. There are plenty of ugly front clips on the market already.

 

[mavisky]

Check the clearance back there, I know on my 1g there's not more than about 1 1/2" or so in that spot. Maybe with the flare you could improve that. Most brake ducting utilizes 2 1/2" or 3" tubing.

 

[Elvenhome21]

A or B and 2

 

[eclipsh]

A or B and 2

With A or B I would likely start the curve from the hood and just pull it out gradually rather than start part way down the fender like in #2. However, I could do it in such a way that it would just flare out behind the side marker and then taper back into the rest of the flare around the wheel. That would necessitate a dual-layer setup where part of the fender would continue along the lines of the original until it dipped behind the flare and then could move into a funnel for 3" brake cooling lines (if there is room). It would be a mess to design but doable.

 

[Elvenhome21]

Where are the actual brake ducts going to be. Are they going to be like a backwards naca duct or is that what the hole next to the side marker is for. I just put my brake ducts under the nose, they could be made to look nicer by putting a valance in between the ducts and around the bumper.

 

[Elvenhome21]

I think rolling the fenders looks better like what Collier did. Then you can use the headlight openings.
It might just be the angle of your picture but it just doesn't look right.

 

[laserspeeddemon]

I like A an B, but I am more simple, in the second example I would go with 3, but you may need to offer some sort of extension for the front bumper.

 

[Ludachris]

Nick, let me know if you need help with this. I'd try and make it so that any flares that are made fit both 1ga and 1gb cars. I like option 1 and 3. I've been really thinking of doing this myself too. I'll see about posting some drawings of my ideas in a bit...

 

[DarthBulk]

I was planning on making a custom set for my car this Spring, but I would prefer to just buy a set It sounds like you have some good ideas, I will watch this thread for more info. I have both a 1Ga and a 1Gb, so fitting both would be great.

 

[Ludachris]

I think rolling the fenders looks better like what Collier did. Then you can use the headlight openings.
It might just be the angle of your picture but it just doesn't look right.

Greg's fenders are flared, he did them himself, along with the front bumper mods to match the flares.

 

[Ludachris]

I was thinking of some flares that looked like the E46 M3, simple and rounded, not much more than 1.5-2" wider.

 

[Module Unknown]

I was thinking of some flares that looked like the E46 M3, simple and rounded, not much more than 1.5-2" wider.

Exactly what popped into my head when I started reading this thread!

 

[eclipsh]

Chris, thanks for the offer to help! Doing something like what you are suggesting would actually be a lot easier. I could just add some flares on, make molds off the originals and then make copies.

I had been planning on a total redesign like the stuff posted above. It'd require a lot more work with detailed measurements of bolt holes, curves etc and then fabbing a mold from scratch.

With the rear fenders not being bolt-on parts it'd require a stick-on and cutting the original fender if the owner needed more clearance (I do not, my tires never come close to rubbing in back, they just stick out towards the bottom.)

So if a full fender like what you are posting (for the front) and a stick-on flare for the back would make most people happy, I'd be game for mass producing them. It should bring the price down a bit too since less labor would be involved.

What about venting the fenders? Is that important to people or just a silly gimmic? It'd be easy to add a Bimmer style vent up high on the fender with the simple flair design.

 

[Ludachris]

I think we could get away with two stick on flares, but a full front fender (flared) would be nice. I think it would be easier too. I don't know that vents are needed but maybe a pop-out could be worked into the mold for those who absolutely need it.

 

[eclipsh]

Here are some links to fender styles I was thinking about adapting to our cars. Mutch better than my photo-mainips could ever be

Porche Boxter widebody

Rally Car style

Or of course something similar to Greg's car.

Chris, or anyone else, if you know how to make more flexible material than the rigid fiberglass I'd love to know how. I'd like these to be able to give a little if they are it instead of just shattering.

 

[Ludachris]

Here are some links to fender styles I was thinking about adapting to our cars. Mutch better than my photo-mainips could ever be

Porche Boxter widebody

Rally Car style

Or of course something similar to Greg's car.

Chris, or anyone else, if you know how to make more flexible material than the rigid fiberglass I'd love to know how. I'd like these to be able to give a little if they are it instead of just shattering.

I like those styles too, but for them to work (and look) right you need a front bumper to match up with it. That would be ideal but a lot more work. If money wasn't an issue I'd like something like this:
http://www.dieselstation.com/wallpapers/Rally/Seat-Cordoba-WRC-002.jpg

I really don't care for the Boxster design much the way it's finished up front. The rear part looks great though. I'd rather have simple flares like Greg's car instead of that.

I'll have to ask around on the material. I think the fiberglass is going to be our best option. A urethane piece would be nice but I know that gets expensive.

 

[eclipsh]

Chris, your link says it is forbidden. Can you upload the picture to this thread?

I don't like the finish on the Porche, especially the line by the headlights. I'd picture it as being more integrated and smooth. You are right about needing a bumper cover to make this design work well though. I'm not sure if I'm quite ready for that but I do have an Invader body kit waiting for me to pick up. I could try and use it for reference to design something. Of course, that would raise the price of a full kit up quite a bit. I'd like to keep this at a range where many poor DSMers like me can afford it.

I'm not sure how you can help out besides ideas given with our distance apart, but any help you can contribute is most welcome.