Re: how to flare fenders

[DeWitt Harrison <de@aztek-eng.com>]

At 02:19 PM 12/6/99 EST, you wrote:
>>  The technique may be sound enough, and heaven knows I'm not above
>>  changing the look of the car, but this will still look exactly like what it
>>  is - you took a baseball bat to the car. 
>
>I think it depends upon the car.  The rear fenders of the Type 044 chassis 
>cars are double-skinned, which makes doing a really neat job with a bat 
>difficult (but not impossible).  On the other hand, flattening the inner 
>fender lips and/or minor flaring of the fenders on a 4k is almost impossible 
>to screw up unless you're really ham-handed.  Personally, I think it's best 
>to have a professional do the job if you can afford it but don't be surprised 
>if their tool of choice is also a well used baseball bat...

I am not faulting the method and do not mean the result will look rough
or lumpy. Sorry I gave that impression. My point is that this mod, no
matter how carefully done will look "home-brew." The bulge you get, even
a small one, sticks out like a sore thumb aesthetically speaking imho. I
think even calling this "flaring" is misleading. It is "bulging" which looks
nothing like flared fenders. To my eye, it resembles the way sheet metal
above the rear wheels tends to swell outward when the car has been hit from
behind.

This may suit many people just fine; these folks will want or need the extra
few millimeters of rubber badly enough to do this to their ride. It's a typical
SCCA sort of thing to do to a car. But if someone is sitting on the fence
on this, they should definitely look at someone else's bat job before
proceeding.
It's hard to change your mind on this one.

DeWitt Harrison
Boulder, CO
88 5kcstq