ZG Fender Flares on a FB!
i need to buy these, but i dont have the money to widen my wheels now. i plan on putting on 16x8 on the front and then ill buysome more lips and probably make the rears 9 or 10.
Yeah I'm really trying to go 9" wide in the back. I'm going to wait to measure though once the flares are on...but I still am not quite sure how much of the existing fender I need to cut. I'm not a bodywork guy, but I'd imagine cutting where the fender "bubble" begins...I wouldn't think that bolting the flare to the beginning of the bubble would be good for anything...::headscratch::
Check that out and try to follow up with it. You may or may not get somewhere. They do look somewhat similar to the ZG flares though.
Last activity was yesterday. He should still be around here somewhere. I too would like to see better pictures of the finished product. All the others seem kinda dark, and it's hard to make out the details of how the flares actually look. Some daylight pictures would be awesome...
Daily check-in!
I might just ask a painter I know -- he does a lot of body work (used to work for Ford) and he might just know exactly what I need to do. If so, I will post everything I find out.
I might just ask a painter I know -- he does a lot of body work (used to work for Ford) and he might just know exactly what I need to do. If so, I will post everything I find out.
It's not old news -- unless you have a comprehensive installation tutorial.
I spoke with the aforementioned body-guy and he said I should NOT cut the fenders at all but pull out the existing fender material and make a new 90 degree lip (the fenders already have one, obviously to bolt the new flares on. I'm going to try that this weekend. It's not easy to describe without pictures, I know, but I'll hopefully have something for you guys this weekend. I'm borrowing his tools for the "procedure."
In the worst case, he'll do them for me, but I'd like to do it myself.
I spoke with the aforementioned body-guy and he said I should NOT cut the fenders at all but pull out the existing fender material and make a new 90 degree lip (the fenders already have one, obviously to bolt the new flares on. I'm going to try that this weekend. It's not easy to describe without pictures, I know, but I'll hopefully have something for you guys this weekend. I'm borrowing his tools for the "procedure."
In the worst case, he'll do them for me, but I'd like to do it myself.
Yes he suggested this and I mentioned that the quality job posted up here had a fender liner. Nothing like collecting extra wet in the form of rocks and dirt in the fenders! We differed on taste -- he wants me to fiberglass (mold) them on while I like the exposed look.
I know you all have probably forgotten me as another one of those guys that doesn't follow-through...well, school became more demanding and whatever, you have heard all that before I'm sure.
This weekend I finally got time to tackle the flares. I had imagined a science for approaching putting them on the car but I really think it's completely up to the imagination as to how to mount them and what looks acceptable to you.
I worked the fenders flat, pulling the existing fender lip straight. I'm going to cut all of this off but since you can easily take metal away but it's very difficult to add it back, I thought this would be the best approach. I took one of the ZG flares and tried to match it up as best I could and taping it into place. If you are worried about your paint, invest in some 3M tape that's designed NOT to take paint off. Be smart. Here's the mock-up:
After I was satisfied with how the flare looked, I drilled through the flare and body and then secured the flare using some temporary screws. I'm going to find some better hardware for the final fit, but in all honestly, looks are not what my car is designed for...I'd rather look inconspicuous (I know, why get flares, right? Well I have to put the power to the ground somehow...). At any rate, here's what it looked like after securing the flare with those screws:
Now the rear became a bit more complicated. My car is a GS and has trim all around the exterior. This became a problem as the ZG rears would not fit (conform to the body) and also fit between the pieces of trim around the fender. I used a flathead and pulled back both trim pieces which are secured by glue. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the trim, but I ended up taking off the piece in front of the fender and just letting the rear trim hang loose because it's REALLY attached to the car:
Any suggestions as to what I should do are welcome. I mocked up the rear much like the front:
After I was satisfied, I drilled some holes and secured it with screws:
The most difficult part has been making the left and right sides match with respect to distances. I originally used the pinstripe as a guide...that's a BAD idea. The pinstripes are hardly identical. Make your best guess for a "good" measurement and eyeball the height using a rolling stool or get on your knees a good distance from the front of the car. I know, an incredible amount of science, but as I've state it's not really a matter of science!
This weekend I finally got time to tackle the flares. I had imagined a science for approaching putting them on the car but I really think it's completely up to the imagination as to how to mount them and what looks acceptable to you.
I worked the fenders flat, pulling the existing fender lip straight. I'm going to cut all of this off but since you can easily take metal away but it's very difficult to add it back, I thought this would be the best approach. I took one of the ZG flares and tried to match it up as best I could and taping it into place. If you are worried about your paint, invest in some 3M tape that's designed NOT to take paint off. Be smart. Here's the mock-up:
After I was satisfied with how the flare looked, I drilled through the flare and body and then secured the flare using some temporary screws. I'm going to find some better hardware for the final fit, but in all honestly, looks are not what my car is designed for...I'd rather look inconspicuous (I know, why get flares, right? Well I have to put the power to the ground somehow...). At any rate, here's what it looked like after securing the flare with those screws:
Now the rear became a bit more complicated. My car is a GS and has trim all around the exterior. This became a problem as the ZG rears would not fit (conform to the body) and also fit between the pieces of trim around the fender. I used a flathead and pulled back both trim pieces which are secured by glue. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the trim, but I ended up taking off the piece in front of the fender and just letting the rear trim hang loose because it's REALLY attached to the car:
Any suggestions as to what I should do are welcome. I mocked up the rear much like the front:
After I was satisfied, I drilled some holes and secured it with screws:
The most difficult part has been making the left and right sides match with respect to distances. I originally used the pinstripe as a guide...that's a BAD idea. The pinstripes are hardly identical. Make your best guess for a "good" measurement and eyeball the height using a rolling stool or get on your knees a good distance from the front of the car. I know, an incredible amount of science, but as I've state it's not really a matter of science!
I think they look pretty good but I still have some work to do. The plan is to cut away the existing fender as much as possible and also put a layer of 3M automotive acrylic tape between the flares and the body. Here are some additional shots (don't mind the dust!):
The gap will be taken care of when I use rivets -- the fenders are loosely screwed in -- and the tape will help out a lot.
To give you an idea of how much clearance you'll gain, here's a shot of the inside front fender. The spacing in the back is at least as wide as the front:
More to come next weekend!
The gap will be taken care of when I use rivets -- the fenders are loosely screwed in -- and the tape will help out a lot.
To give you an idea of how much clearance you'll gain, here's a shot of the inside front fender. The spacing in the back is at least as wide as the front:
More to come next weekend!
nice. ill be watching you closely. i need flares and thie may be the route i go.
how flush are they with the body? are you going to use double sided tape between the fenders and body? ive never heard of acrylic tape.
you gained about what, 2"? did you try heating the tips to try to get them to conform to the body better?
the rears look great. the fronts look...odd or something. maybe its just the pics.
how flush are they with the body? are you going to use double sided tape between the fenders and body? ive never heard of acrylic tape.
you gained about what, 2"? did you try heating the tips to try to get them to conform to the body better?
the rears look great. the fronts look...odd or something. maybe its just the pics.
I agree on how the front looks weird with the front of the flare extending down past where the rear of the flare ends.
If you could get some skirts for the side with a little bit that comes up to meet the flares then massaged the flares and the skirt together it would look real complete
If you could get some skirts for the side with a little bit that comes up to meet the flares then massaged the flares and the skirt together it would look real complete
nice. ill be watching you closely. i need flares and thie may be the route i go.
how flush are they with the body? are you going to use double sided tape between the fenders and body? ive never heard of acrylic tape.
you gained about what, 2"? did you try heating the tips to try to get them to conform to the body better?
the rears look great. the fronts look...odd or something. maybe its just the pics.
how flush are they with the body? are you going to use double sided tape between the fenders and body? ive never heard of acrylic tape.
you gained about what, 2"? did you try heating the tips to try to get them to conform to the body better?
the rears look great. the fronts look...odd or something. maybe its just the pics.
I'd say it's about 2". I'll put a tape measure up there for the pics.
The tape I have is 3M acrylic double-sided tape and it was recommended to me by a painter/body work individual that offered to do these for me. I decided to try it myself.
I agree on how the front looks weird with the front of the flare extending down past where the rear of the flare ends.
If you could get some skirts for the side with a little bit that comes up to meet the flares then massaged the flares and the skirt together it would look real complete
If you could get some skirts for the side with a little bit that comes up to meet the flares then massaged the flares and the skirt together it would look real complete
