PeteCowie

A friend of mine wants to know what are the largest wheels he can fit on his FD with Pettit GT Wheel Arches fitted. Also what size would you recommend? Any pictures would be appreciated!!

Pete

Lost Time

I believe Cam has a 315 out back on his.

daiSho

sorry to resurrect an old thread, but i am considering picking up the pettit flares for my FD while it is in the bodyshop, and was wondering how wide of rims need to be used w/ these to make them look properly filled... i have 18 x 9.5 Manaray's for my FD, too narrow? would spacers be appropriate in some fashion, or should i just forget about it w/ rims this narrow? thx all..

dclin

iTrader: (4)

18X12 +25. At least this is what SPO-RX7 had under his Pettit flares, if I remember correctly. It would not be practical to adapt your current rear wheels, whether with spacers (you would need a 2 in spacer, if it was available) or other wise. Plan on getting new wheels (at least the rear) if you go this route.

Alternative sizes (based on 18X12 +25) include 18X11.5 +19, 18X11 +12, 18X10.5 +6, or 18X10 +0, give or take a mm or two either way). All will have basically the same front spacing, which is what you will need to maintain so that the wheel extends out far enough to fill out the fenders.

I would get this in a heartbeat, if not for the fact that I do not like the rivet look. Thought about molding it in, but heard and seen too many horror stories about the FG cracking where it was bonded to the sheetmetal..

Hope that helps.

daiSho

thx for the reply dclin (another local FD freak here houston, cool!)... ok, that settles it; i like my Manaray rims too much to ditch them for a wider wheel, no arches for me! thats one issue settled, thx friend..!

Lost Time

dclin, I was looking at Pettit's limo the other day and they have the flares molded in. They looked really good. If you weren't familiar with the car you wouldn't know it wasn't oem. So it can be done.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Yes, he didn't mean it can't be done. The problem with molding is that it can/will crack. Most body shops will try and sway you away from molding body kits for this reason unless it's a show car (that won't be driving on streets).

CCarlisi

That's too bad. I would love to install a widebody/fender kit, but I wouldn't want it to look like an afterthought (ie M roadster style not porsche 993 GT2).

I wonder how hard it would be to buy some M roadster rear 1/4 panels and weld them on

-Chris C. taking rotary blasphemy to the next level

dclin

iTrader: (4)

No problem daisho.

Yes, it can be done, and we have a Houston RX7 Club member with it molded in, along with other FG parts. Execution is flawless, though the combo of body kit parts is extreme imho. I have pics from the car show earlier this year, but I'm temp on dialup and will upload later. (stupid cable will not go into new neighborhood for another couple weeks) *edit* pics here at HTRX7 Club site: http://www.houston-rx7.net/events/20...show_apr_2002/ - Ceasar's car.

It's because FG and sheetmetal expand at different rates under temperature extremes that causes most jobs to crack where the FG is bonded to the sheetmetal. If you have a shop that is not familiar with the process, they may not bond the part together correctly/sufficiently, and problems will develop as well.

I had though about buying a set, then sending it off to the guy that did the PFS widebody Miata to duplicate in sheetmetal. Him or any one of guys specializing in sheetmetal shaping can do this - how much is the question hehe. http://www.pfsupercars.com/bdypags/g...a/pfmiata.html

http://www.metalshapers.org/

May still do this, but not on this current FD. I just need to get it DONE, and not go off on a tangent like I normally do... I do have some subtle custom sheet metal ideas that I want to do to this one though, heh heh...

dclin

iTrader: (4)

From www.metalshapers.org :

http://metalshapers.org/cgi-bin/comm...=9990102756165
WOW


Nut case...

*edit* put the pic from metalshapers.org on our site and sub a link instead, rather then linking off of thier site. Don't want their webmaster to get pissed at the extra bandwidth consumed everytime somebody opens this thread hehe...

dclin

iTrader: (4)

.

CCarlisi

"It's because FG and sheetmetal expand at different rates under temperature extremes that causes most jobs to crack where the FG is bonded to the sheetmetal. "

Hmm that sounds like trouble in the NE...

Single7

Here is a pic of SPO-RX7's rear tire next to a stock tire.

the_glass_man

iTrader: (2)

I think you can fit some 335's in there. Butter baby.

Flybye

It's funny cause I was thinking about the same thing today. Should I or should I not get the fender flares and have them molded when I get the FD painted.

Am I the only one to think the rear fender flares are TOO ackward looking for the FD's clean body?

dclin

iTrader: (4)

I've decided to get the flares. IMHO, I think flares ruin the FD if it's left looking like it's tacked on, or at the very least if it's obvious that they were not from the factory.

As someone said earlier, something very subtle - flows with the body - like the M3 Convertible or M3 Coupe (the bread wagon) would look terrific on the FD.

This is what I want to acheive (the rear 3/4 anyways):

http://www.overboost.com/feature.asp?id=556

I also feel that a smaller set of flares up front would balance it out aesthetically, so I'm trying to source Little Garage over fenders for the front.

I've decided to have the flares made out of sheetmetal, and have found a shop that does custom work. I've talked with the manager, and he is willing to share in the process, so I may have pics and a write up to share later. Got my Pettit flares in this week, now just need to get the front flares. Should be interesting...

Flybye

Is your metal shop going to use the pettit flares as a template?

dclin

iTrader: (4)

Yes, the Pettits will be used as a templete in the rear. I want it flow as much as possible, so it will be slightly different, at least towards the bottom (less of an angle where the new sheetmetal and body meets)

Here is a thread I posted a little whiles ago:

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...hreadid=123776

Btw, meant the M3 Roadster (not convertible) rear bulges in the post above.

Ltr!