Question about wide body modification
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Western Kentucky
Question about wide body modification I've been talking to a body shop about doing a wide body modification with my 2002 Trans Am, along with a few other fixes. Anyways, I happened to be browsing through Hawk's the other day and was wondering if anybody knew anything about the "98-02 Camaro Sinister Fiberglass Wide Body Quarter Panels"? I'm asking because I know to a certain extent that some parts are interchangeable, I know not all parts are obviously. But I was thinking since the rear quarter panels are very similar besides the tail light end of it. Are they similar? The Sinister Wide Body doesn't seem to look like it goes all the way back to the tail lights and I'm just wondering if it would maybe possibly work for a Trans Am. I'm sure if it does it would need some more fiberglassing and such. But I honestly have no idea and hoping someone could point me in the right direction otherwise.
Im no expert but I would believe that those Hawks pieces could be worked to fit a TA but that greatly depends on the skill of the body guy. I have been debating them myself for my Camaro and the fact that an award winning hot rod builder is less than 5 miles from the house*
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 609
Likes: 6
From: jacksonville,fl
Not working at all might mostly be a matter of not having the right body shop.
Part of the beauty of fiberglass products is the ability to cut & modify. Not familiar with the hawks kits, but most similar types of fiberglass body parts are simply bonded onto the perimeters of factory panels with panel bonding adhesive, such as 3-m #8115. Strength of bond is not an issue with this stuff when properly used but expansion & contraction where the new part meets the old part is an issue with shadowing. So unless bonded on parts meet at a contrasting angle where the expansion/ contraction can be mostly hidden, the part should run the full length of a panel for best hidden results
Just quickly looking at the hawks panels, they say you have to modify existing quarters anyways for wide tires & not for amateur installation, which means they can be some extra work to make fit the intended car. Also noticed they don't end at the rear either.
My guess from just comparing pictures & from other experience is they likely could be made to work well, BUT whether the Camaro or the firebird , you'll be at the mercy of the skill & hourly rate of a shop if you can't do yourself. The $650 shipped pricetag of the parts would be the smallest portion of the cost.
Part of the beauty of fiberglass products is the ability to cut & modify. Not familiar with the hawks kits, but most similar types of fiberglass body parts are simply bonded onto the perimeters of factory panels with panel bonding adhesive, such as 3-m #8115. Strength of bond is not an issue with this stuff when properly used but expansion & contraction where the new part meets the old part is an issue with shadowing. So unless bonded on parts meet at a contrasting angle where the expansion/ contraction can be mostly hidden, the part should run the full length of a panel for best hidden results
Just quickly looking at the hawks panels, they say you have to modify existing quarters anyways for wide tires & not for amateur installation, which means they can be some extra work to make fit the intended car. Also noticed they don't end at the rear either.
My guess from just comparing pictures & from other experience is they likely could be made to work well, BUT whether the Camaro or the firebird , you'll be at the mercy of the skill & hourly rate of a shop if you can't do yourself. The $650 shipped pricetag of the parts would be the smallest portion of the cost.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Western Kentucky
Haha, yeah. It's a long project I have planned out. Gonna have new bumpers, new side skirts, underside redone because of damage and rust, new sail panel, and all new paint job. I've talked to the body shop about it already and they were researching the black Trans Am that did it. I can't think of the name of the write up on here at the moment. But buying the panel might just make it a little cheaper then them having to fabricate something from scratch. I'm not for sure though. I appreciate the input though.
