Too much wheel gap!! please help
#1
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Too much wheel gap!! please help
sorry to bother you guys but im in desperate need of help. i had finally bolted everything down on my car. the fenders, hood, lights, bumper, bumper bar, and everything lines up and just as i thought i was done with the front end, i saw what i didnt want to see.
i had noticed before that when i was test fitting the parts that i had somewhat of a huge wheel well gap. but i thought ok ill just put bigger rims and an inch drop or whatever to fill up the gap and ill call it a day. but no. i had borrowed my brother in law's old 18's and it just pissed me off after seeing the results. the gap only decreased by a 1/2 inch. so i thought about it. if i drop my car and inch, ill be at about 3 1/2 of wheel gap. even if i did a 1 1/2 inch drop ill still have a 3 inch gap. what do i do or what should i do. i want at least an 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch gap only!!
please help me. im stuck big time.
this is the front end bolted down:
this is the 16 inch wheel:
this is the 18 inch wheel:
this is the measurement of the 16 inch wheel gap:
this is the measurement of the 18 inch wheel gap:
i had noticed before that when i was test fitting the parts that i had somewhat of a huge wheel well gap. but i thought ok ill just put bigger rims and an inch drop or whatever to fill up the gap and ill call it a day. but no. i had borrowed my brother in law's old 18's and it just pissed me off after seeing the results. the gap only decreased by a 1/2 inch. so i thought about it. if i drop my car and inch, ill be at about 3 1/2 of wheel gap. even if i did a 1 1/2 inch drop ill still have a 3 inch gap. what do i do or what should i do. i want at least an 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch gap only!!
please help me. im stuck big time.
this is the front end bolted down:
this is the 16 inch wheel:
this is the 18 inch wheel:
this is the measurement of the 16 inch wheel gap:
this is the measurement of the 18 inch wheel gap:
#3
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That is going to be hard to fill. I don't know. You can only drop a 7 by about 1" or so before you have problems bottoming out and such. You will still have a huge gap. I was thinking you could try to modify the fenders to fill the gap, but I don't think there is a way that would look good. The arch on the fenders are just way too high. Sorry I can't offer more help.
#5
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assuming its still an FB front suspension, http://www.racersareme.com/ has something that might help, and you can cut the springs a lil bit.. or buy 22's of hell, all 3, youve put yourself in a terrible position
edit: what are your plans for the back end?
edit: what are your plans for the back end?
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#8
kiwi from downunder..
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thats a sticky situation i though 17" wheels are the biggest thatl fit a 1st gen with no problems
your best bet would be different fenders as itl be hard to close the "4
3/4 gap
altho the cars looking really awsome can you give us some side shots how does the rear look with the fd front?
your best bet would be different fenders as itl be hard to close the "4
3/4 gap
altho the cars looking really awsome can you give us some side shots how does the rear look with the fd front?
#9
Anyway you look at this it is not going to be easy.
You are a going to compromise looks or functionality.
1. Bodywork
2. Run larger wheels with larger profile tires. This will mess up your gearing and a bunch of other stuff as well.
I would stick with option 1. Remove the body panels and cut them horizontaly and trany and extend the wheel slot in the downward direction.
Z
You are a going to compromise looks or functionality.
1. Bodywork
2. Run larger wheels with larger profile tires. This will mess up your gearing and a bunch of other stuff as well.
I would stick with option 1. Remove the body panels and cut them horizontaly and trany and extend the wheel slot in the downward direction.
Z
#13
The fenders are sitting way too high for the frame of the FB. See if you can possibly do some cutting to get the whole body kit to sit a bit lower, it looks like you have more than a few inches to bring the actual body pieces down. I have no idea how you would do this though.
#15
Senior Member
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I thought it would look good in the beginging. But that thing is fugly. Should've given it to a professional and not have done it urself. You fucked up ALL the bodylines, on both cars!
I would've taken better measurments, but then again that's just me. I hope you can fix this thing so it doesn't go on the street looking like that. Remeber that the fd has a wider wheel base as well as an ENTIERLY different suspension set-up, which by the picture could mean that the wheel sticks out farther and the axle and all of that good stuff sits higher even though the body is lower. Compared to the FB that is.
Good luck.
I would've taken better measurments, but then again that's just me. I hope you can fix this thing so it doesn't go on the street looking like that. Remeber that the fd has a wider wheel base as well as an ENTIERLY different suspension set-up, which by the picture could mean that the wheel sticks out farther and the axle and all of that good stuff sits higher even though the body is lower. Compared to the FB that is.
Good luck.
#16
MattG FTW!!!!!
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Come on this is a first time for anything like this, give this guy some credit, besides this isnt the finished product and the pics are the best. Give it time.
Only one word and only one option for the pickle your in. BODYWORK, and lots of it.
Only one word and only one option for the pickle your in. BODYWORK, and lots of it.
#18
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I think it looks pritty cool. Needs some refinment. I say lower the car an inch or 2, then run some 20in rims. I trust you will be getting more then 350hp out of your project so the 20in rims with the lowering should leave a minimal fender gap, and the power overcomes the larger circumferance of tire, so the acceleartion will not be barbaicly slow. However the top speed will be very high.
#21
Originally Posted by no_name
I think it looks pritty cool. Needs some refinment. I say lower the car an inch or 2, then run some 20in rims. I trust you will be getting more then 350hp out of your project so the 20in rims with the lowering should leave a minimal fender gap, and the power overcomes the larger circumferance of tire, so the acceleartion will not be barbaicly slow. However the top speed will be very high.
Holy **** 20inch rims:?!?!?!? Some one is gonna be ridin durty!!!
#22
love the braaaap
Personally, I don't think there is a way to fix that without making it look really stupid. The 3rd gen fenders were made for a larger diameter tire that the 1st gen, a tire that you can't fit onto the 1st gen suspension without having problems. The only way to fix that would be to close up the gap by making the arch smaller, which means a lot of fiberglassing and a result that may end up looking worse than the gap to begin with. Leaving the fender arch so large is going to mess up the unity between the front and rear fenders, and it will just look stupid, so bigger wheels are out of the question.
If you wanna know what I would do, I would just scrap the idea. It really isn't worth the headache of trying to fill in the fenders and still have it look right. I know you've probably put a lot of work into it, but to put any more work into it and not have the look you want is just a waste of time IMO. I hate to say it, but I think your in above your head here.
If you wanna know what I would do, I would just scrap the idea. It really isn't worth the headache of trying to fill in the fenders and still have it look right. I know you've probably put a lot of work into it, but to put any more work into it and not have the look you want is just a waste of time IMO. I hate to say it, but I think your in above your head here.
Last edited by 85rotarypower; 06-23-06 at 01:37 AM.
#23
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well guys, thanks for all the help/ideas/constuctive criticism that SOME of you guys gave and i finally figured out exactly what to do. ill post a pic when its done. it might take a while though, but ill get back to you guys.
.......and for the people hating, just keep doin it. it'll get you nowhere in life anyways.
.......and for the people hating, just keep doin it. it'll get you nowhere in life anyways.
#24
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What did you decide? Are you going to mod the fenders or possibly replace with a different style fender? What do you plan to do to the rear portion of the car?
Personally, it isn't something I would do, but it is your car. I like the stock lines of the car myself. I like FDs as well, but I don't think I would want both styles on the same car. Just my opinion. It may end up looking good, though. We will see when it is finished. Let us know what happens.
Kent
Personally, it isn't something I would do, but it is your car. I like the stock lines of the car myself. I like FDs as well, but I don't think I would want both styles on the same car. Just my opinion. It may end up looking good, though. We will see when it is finished. Let us know what happens.
Kent
#25
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Blownandtwisted...
I don't know what you have figured out.... However I have a suggestion. Way back in the day racing beat had a shock tower replacement. Basically they had a weld on shock tower that you'd cut out your factory one and weld this one that would bring your car down while maintaining factory suspenion.
I saw a few guys with this mod and it would work perfect for you. It would lower your front end by and 1 inch and a half. Then add coil-overs and you'd be back on track.
I wouldn't modify those fenders, There are many ways of fixing your problem. Next make sure that when lowered your wheels won't rub on the suspension... Proper offset is critical here.
Anyhow don't worry about others, Some people like it, some don't.... but from what I see so far you'll attact alot of attention!
I don't know what you have figured out.... However I have a suggestion. Way back in the day racing beat had a shock tower replacement. Basically they had a weld on shock tower that you'd cut out your factory one and weld this one that would bring your car down while maintaining factory suspenion.
I saw a few guys with this mod and it would work perfect for you. It would lower your front end by and 1 inch and a half. Then add coil-overs and you'd be back on track.
I wouldn't modify those fenders, There are many ways of fixing your problem. Next make sure that when lowered your wheels won't rub on the suspension... Proper offset is critical here.
Anyhow don't worry about others, Some people like it, some don't.... but from what I see so far you'll attact alot of attention!
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