sen2two

iTrader: (10)

does anyone make wide body adapters for the rear in sheet metal?

i dont wanna add the weight and all the negatives of bonding fiberglass molds on. i would like to find some metal flares to weld on...

got some wide wheels with some offset i have to clear...

Hypertek

iTrader: (3)

you will probably have to do it custom with some sheet metal , cutting and welding

some random pictures i found on a japanese site, looks like an abandoned project

dawicka2

Metal is gonna weigh a lot more than fiberglass. Automotive epoxys have came a long way in the past 15 years (will hold metal together as good as welding) Oh....you are gonna have to use fiberglass anyway for finish work over your welds.

Out of curiousity, what are the negatives of properly bonding fiberglass?

john ny

turbodsm17

if your worried about weight, use carbon fiber...
sheet metal > fiberglass > carbon fiber

IaMtHeRuThLeSs1

um no. The difference between the weight of carbon fiber and a proper fiberglass or sheet metal wide body kit will be negligible.


+1 to getting a fiberglass kit and having a reputable shop do the install.

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

Pound for pound yes. But unless the fiberglass part is flawless, you'll be adding weight with filler to either one.

Yes, but they still cannot permanently fuse dissimilar materials forever. And they never will.

There's no negatives to applying bondo to metal, aluminum, or fiberglass if done properly. The problem is when you try to apply it to any two of the above at the same time. Metal heats and shrinks. Fiberglass doesn't really. (very, very, very little). They are both different materials that shrink/expand (or lack there of) at different rates and under different circumstances - thats where the negative is. Eventually - I don't care who does it - marks will show up. If the car never goes anywhere or never gets driven (ie. a show car) it may take a very long time if it ever did happen because the car never experiences anything a regularly driven car would (vibration, heat/cold............NVH)

I always advise customers against it unless they are dead set on it.

And no one makes metal flares for these cars - it would have to be custom. No one does metal working/custom metal anything nowadays because its a lost art. **** - most people probably don't even know you can

sen2two

iTrader: (10)

there is a better chance adding less weight using 22 gauge sheet metal than fiber glass. the fiberglass itself is light, yes. but the resin and epoxy (bondo of sorts) is not light at all.

the amount of metal added would be about 7-8 lbs of weight over stock (probly less), after cutting away some of the original panel and adding the new one. so the only metal to be added would be the metal to extend it outward.. a gallon of gas weighs 8lbs. in not racing in competition. i can spare 8 lbs...

and where classicauto really hit on it, is that no matter how skilled the body man. he cannot control the natural characteristics of the meterial. shrinking and stretching with added vibration creates cracks. and in time, your doing it all over again...


thanks for those pics Hypertek. they help out a lot! could you email them to me? my computer will not let me save them for some unknown reason.

sen2two@yahoo.com

Dltreezan

iTrader: (3)

wrong. Stock fenders are whay the hell heavier than fiberglass fenders I have had my hands on. Seriously though, lets say you add some metal fenders and do all the welding and whatnot, and lets say you actually save some weight which you wont, how much do you think that is going to save? 5 pounds? It isnt like you are trying to break the earths pull of gravity and reach orbit or anything. So no, they dont make any for two reasons:

1: It is much more expensive to make metal stamps to sell metal parts for such a small market

2: Fiberglass is much easier to make and tool for a small market.

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

But what do think you'll save for weight going with a FG fender?

The steel OEM fender isn't haevy anyways. I'll post some pics of an OEM fender (unmolested, brand new) and a raceon USA FRP fender on my bathroom scale.

The difference I garuntee you will be negligible. Diet and excersize will probably shave more weight then the difference between those two parts

Weight shouldn't be a concern when planning a body project like the proposed plan

RacerXtreme7

iTrader: (2)

Metal fenders get dings, fiberglass does not ding. In most cases there will be a tiny mark in the paint, but no ding. And if the impact was enough to crack a fiberglass fender, if it was metal, it would have a big DENT in it.

Some people will drive 30 minutes one way to save $5.00 on somthing rather then spend the extra $5.00 and pick it up locally. Makes no damn sence to me.

~Mike................