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iTrader: (27)

I have been toying with the idea of making a one-off (at least for now) bolt on fiberglass mold for the rear fender. If my fiberglass guy (Justin Jolly @ KrackerFab in OK) can get this to work well on my car...we may just have a DH style panel after all. It would not be a replacement, just a piece you bolt on, mold, and paint over. That is pretty far in the future though...

First thing is first. I do not want to have a widened out rear fender with a "measly" 10in tire out back. What would be required to run a wheel/tire combo thick enough to fill in the space? I imagine the wheel would need to be about 12in long, what sizes are the DH Camaro wheels? Is any modification to the rotor, wheel well, backspacing, offset, etc required? Custom fabbing? I am completely new to wheel and fabrication work, I'm just willing to spend the money to have it done. Any input on this is great as I would like to get some cost figures and sketches/plans worked up. After he finishes glassing up my interior I'd like to present him with this info to see if I can't get something off the ground.

Please keep this thread related to running a wide enough rear wheel/tire combo to fill in the flare only. This project will never get off the ground if the only responses are "I'll buy one", or "Don't do that" and the thread ends up getting locked. Thanks guys

98hardtopZ

iTrader: (7)

go to berger's website and see if they list the wheel/tires that come on them. i think you will have to go with a wider offset and hopefully fit some 325's back there. i want some ccw sp500 18x13 for the rear on mine but thats alot of beaten and money away...goodluck with your search and be sure to post up progress pics on that fender!

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

At least 12 in wide. But.. if you are really doing this, make sure you do not lower your car, on the DH cars, they added on to the exisiting fender and build outwards, if you look above the wheels there is no room for the wheel to go if you bottom out lowered pretty hard and the fender will tear right into the tire. I believe some have undergone bodywork at the owners expense to elimnate this, but it costs $$

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iTrader: (27)

The car will not be lowered.

These are the specs from ChevyHiPerformance "The mammoth 18-inch 315/30 and 335/30 ZR-rated rubber is on 11- and 12-inch Fikse Profil 13 modular rims and stretches track width by 1.3 inches in front and 2.8 inches in the rear."

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iTrader: (27)

The more I think about it, I may try and get a "practice" piece made up in fiberglass and then up the coin for carbon fiber. I'm not so much worried about weight but the strength difference would definately be an advantage.

TTT for all you wide wheel savvy people out there

hpjunky98

iTrader: (3)

ok this may be a stupid question, but what is stopping you or any major vendor from making a whole different replacment rear fender? why just make a part and mold it on?

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iTrader: (27)

First of all, why won't a company or sponsor make a replacement fender?
They would have to either...
A. Make an entirely new aluminum piece with enough R&D to ensure it won't bend under the stresses of high H.P. applications
B. Make a carbon fiber mold, get a large enough supply of CF to make several different test items, and run the same R&D to guarantee strength.
C. With the new Camaro coming out, why would people continue to make parts for these cars? Look at the 3rd gens, no more new cars, no more growing aftermarket.
D. Ties in with C, they would have to have X number of people in order to make back the money spent developing it. Then, they would still need to make a profit. There's more money in hoods and spoilers, etc.

Now, what is stopping ME from making it? Well, I don't work with fiberglass or carbon fiber. A local guy I know has quite a bit of talent and he would be the one doing it if this goes through. What is stopping HIM from making it? Well, look at this thread...
I need to know the complications of widening the wheels to fit underneath the fender. If it is only $1000 for the bolt on fender pieces and another $1000 to mold and paint BUT another $2000 to make the new $2000 rear wheel/tire combo fit there probably won't be much interest in it so it wouldn't undergo production. IF it isn't a ridiculous amount of money and enough people will put money upfront for it, they will probably get them. That, however, is the very far off future people. I am just now beginning the research for this project.

Once the wheel/tire fitment issue is tackled, I will look at suspension, braking, molding, designing, materials, appliying, testing, etc etc etc. This is not a 6 month pet project.

Ok, hopefully a large enough explanation to keep the rest of this thread on topic. PM me with anything else not regarding the question at hand, including any talent you have in designing, carbon fiber/fiberglass, etc. Thank you.

WHEEL GURUS UNITE

'Trust'

iTrader: (24)

Most likely the huge amount of additional bodywork involved, fitting, adjusting, molding, painting, wheels, tires, rear bumper etc. etc.

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iTrader: (27)

To the top for the night crew. Someone out there has to know something.

SSilverSSurfer

iTrader: (8)

do a 19x13 with a 345 michelin pilot sport, will look sick as ****

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iTrader: (27)

Thanks for the replies but I do not need advice on wheels, I need facts on how to make them fit. It cannot be as simple as buying a 13in wide wheel and putting it on. There has to be some modification/fabrication. That is what I am worried about right now. Any cutting of the fenderwell? The actual fender? Grinding the caliper? Stiffer shocks? Different rotors?

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iTrader: (27)

*sigh*

I know there are some TECH guys over here on the TECH forum. It can't be all "what wheels should I get" threads. Where are you boys at???
This is my only stop, I can't dream of getting knowledgable responses on LS1.com...

GETGONE

iTrader: (5)

Ok..why is it you think you need to modify/fabricate something to put wider wheels on? Look at all the guys running 17x11's. they have to do a LITTLE hammering and perhaps roll the fender lip for clearance but that's it. Same for a wider wheel if you have the flare covering it. If you get the proper backspacing on the wheel to fit the inner part of the wheel well, the outer part of the wheel will stick out into your flare. There's nothing magical about putting on wider wheels. You'll want a stiffer spring/shock combo to keep the wheels from slamming into the fender and flare. I saw a DH car at Camaro Superfest that had been driven and apparently hard since when I looked at the underside of the wheel well the tire had rubbed the paint and wore pretty good into the fender flare. DH cars just use bonded on fiberglass fenders over the original. Why do you think you need to change/modify the caliper or brake rotor?

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iTrader: (27)

Dick Harrell cars do not use a molded on piece of fiberglass. It is an actual aluminum fender replacement if I remember correctly. That is why no one would tackle the project for so long because no one wanted to make a new fender. I may be wrong, but that is what I thought I remembered reading.
As for the difficulty in fitting the wider wheels... I knew people had to grind rotors when running certain prostars with meaty Thompson's out back, I thought I might run into the same problem if running a 12 or 13 in tire out back. I just wanted to see what problems I may or may not run in to.
So the simple answer is to run the proper backspacing, roll the fender lip, run hard *** rear suspension, and make the flare out of carbon fiber instead of fiberglass (less chance of breaking). The car will not be lowered so I'm not to worried about the wheel well. If that is that, I guess it is time to hit the drawing board. I will probably have to get a spare set of rear fenders to use to make the molds. The rear fenders ARE aluminum and not fiberglass, correct?

98hardtopZ

iTrader: (7)

the magazine in camaro performers on the dh cars shows them glassing over an original fender so i know it can be replicated, its just hard as **** getting them all even. i dont see why you cant make a 325 or whatever you want to fit, knock in the fenderwell, roll the lip, get stiffer suspension (of course) and go with it....

98hardtopZ

iTrader: (7)

let me go find my magazine and ill for certain let you know..

LS1_Disciple

iTrader: (1)

Will yours look better than this? - http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-C...spagenameZWDVW

ohsofast

iTrader: (6)

that is terrible

Kracker_Fab

Thats just a fender flare If a make one it will be a complete extension fender that will revit on over the excisting one and mold in.

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iTrader: (27)

Justin (Kracker) will do it the right way. We still got some interior work, but now is definately the planning time. Those pieces and payment are on the way too Justin. I'm going to try and find some time to work on some drawings for the doors, dash and fenders.