Rear arches will cost me about $500 or 250 GBP over here. I was thinking of making some from ali sheet, shaped around my wheel, and adding commonly available universal fender flares on the edges, glued on.

How would they attach to the car, and is this a possibly good idea or not? Trying to save a bit as my costs are very high here in Canada, and I've needed to hire people for things like electrics, fuel system and turbo intercooler installation.

Im also thinking about making my own arches due to the high costs involved. I think your idea is quite a good one

It might work - depends on the look you would be happy with.

To attach to the bodywork, I would make a former out of wood the right shape, then cut triangle sections out of the inside edge of the wing, bend the wing round the former and hammer with a soft headed hammer to make it follow the curve. You could strengthen it by bonding on a piece of curved ali to hold all the tabs together, then drill through and bolt it on. Crap pic attached
Rescued attachment rear arch.jpg

Robin hood cars use this method on there lower models, appears to work ok.

Robon Hood cars site

Also Here for the arch edges themselves.

ATB Dan.

[Edited on 6/5/08 by scutter]

Hi RK,

Firstly I should warn you that metal shaping is addictive.


Method 1

Make a former from thick plywood ( 3/4" ) the shape you want the arch to end up, plus 2" on the bottom edge.


Cut holes in the former about 1" in from the edge so you can get G clamps in to hold the sheet to the former.
(If you go with this method I'll do you a drawing to explain this better.)


You will be able to knock over a 1/2" edge without needing to cut V's.
Plenty if you fix to the body with 3/16" bolts


The pic below shows my scuttle corner. (5" rad)
By cutting down the width of the flange it was easy to knock the edge over without ripples using a rubber hammer.

I will post method 2 later.


HTH
Paul G
Rescued attachment scuttle-corner-s.jpg

Method 2

Using a shrinker.

Fold a 1" bend on a sheet.
Shrink the inner edge of this flange with the "special tool". (multi pass)
(note the block of rubber glued on the top jaw to space the jaws from the bend)


I payed £80 for the shrinker but I believe they are considerably cheaper in the US.
(don't know about Canada though)

You could always sell it after, but I think you would want to keep it.


HTH

Paul G
Rescued attachment Rear-arches-m-s.jpg

It seriously looks a bit beyond my abilities (which consist of bending a diffuser plate up and over my lower rear horizontal bar at the back). I am having trouble understanding what you are suggesting. Do you mean a heat gun? I have one of those I use to burn powdercoat into unrecognizable marshmellows.

I appreciate the ideas in any case! Keep them coming people!

quote:

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Originally posted by RK
It seriously looks a bit beyond my abilities

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I appreciate your optimism, but I really don't know what you are trying to get at here: what is a former, and what do you bend the ali around to get a nice neat job like you've done? What clamps to what and where?

quote:

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Originally posted by RK
I appreciate your optimism, but I really don't know what you are trying to get at here: what is a former, and what do you bend the ali around to get a nice neat job like you've done? What clamps to what and where?

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Rescued attachment drw-arch-2-s.jpg

Cut a rectangle of ally and clamp to your plywood former.
It will bend easily around a radius that big.

Allow 1/2" of ally to protrude above the former. This is the edge you will knock over 90 deg.

Pic below shows the clamps holding the ally to the former. In this case just a rough mock up for the camera.


Are you with me so far?

Paul G
Rescued attachment 000_0280-s.jpg

Now I think we're getting somewhere. Ingenious! You are using plywood or whatever, and only attaching the ali to the edge. Neato!

Question: did you use several clamps or can you just move two or three around to the spots you are bending?

Yup, Loads of clamps.

Once the edge is formed the arch will stay in shape. Until then it needs to be held tight to the former.

Another way is to run a "ratchet tie down strap" around, then only use a couple of clamps either side of where you are hitting.
(You might call these something different in Canada.)

The important thing is to knock down the flange in stages.
Work along the edge tapping over to 30 deg, then to 60 deg, then to 90 deg.
It can't be done in one pass.


Paul G

Very good! Thank you very much. I feel like I can at least give it a try now.

We call them zip ties (Americans call them zap straps), and they are used extensively in downhill mountain biking to hold on brake lines etc, since the suspension movement is always knocking them loose.

Hi again,

It may pay you to measure the size of the fender flares that you intend to use, then make your plywood former the same radius.

It also pays to use pieces of wood under the feet of clamps so you don't mark the ally sheet.

Below is a pic of the jig I used to form the curved outer edge of my arches. Note the red "ratchet tie down strap" that holds
the ally tight to the ring of pipe.
You could use a similar strap to hold the sheet to your former.


Good luck with your project.
If you need any further advise, just ask.


ATB
Paul G

p.s. Anyone else tempted by this thread?
Rescued attachment 000_0285-s.jpg

Not what I was thinking at all. That would be a mini Herc strap as we used to say in the aviation business.

I have to give this one a miss. It's way too complicated. Thanks anyways 907! It's bound to help someone!

[Edited on 8/5/08 by RK]

Paul, great post. Thanks. Even if I know it's not as easy as you make it out to be .
Any tips for the outboard edges? They would need a shrinker to get the longer vertical edge right?
I need some wide fenders and wouldn't mind them out of aluminum. Im painting mine so a little body filler will hide a lot

RK, to your origional idea one of the N. american locost companies was making fibreglass edges which you could add your own width of aluminum too. May have been Coveland.

quote:

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Originally posted by 907
Below is a pic of the jig I used to form the curved outer edge of my arches. Note the red "ratchet tie down strap" that holds
the ally tight to the ring of pipe.
You could use a similar strap to hold the sheet to your former.

---

quote:

---

p.s. Anyone else tempted by this thread?

---

quote:

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Originally posted by RK
Not what I was thinking at all. That would be a mini Herc strap as we used to say in the aviation business.

I have to give this one a miss. It's way too complicated. Thanks anyways 907! It's bound to help someone!

[Edited on 8/5/08 by RK]

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Yup, I'm there like ten men. Nice one Paul.
The offset of my wheels is fairly large so they stick out by about 35mm from the Luego Velocity rear arches.
I'm thinking that a large radius router bit could be used to shape the edge. Instead of ply, you can use super wood

Phil

quote:

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Originally posted by C10CoryM
Paul, great post. Thanks. Even if I know it's not as easy as you make it out to be .
Any tips for the outboard edges? They would need a shrinker to get the longer vertical edge right?
I need some wide fenders and wouldn't mind them out of aluminum. I'm painting mine so a little body filler will hide a lot

RK, to your origional idea one of the N. american locost companies was making fibreglass edges which you could add your own width of aluminum too. May have been Coveland.

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Rescued attachment rear-arches-015-s.jpg

quote:

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Originally posted by TheGecko

quote:

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Terrific posts - thanks very much for these details. I've been deliberating about making my own guards and nosecone and this certainly makes the guards look possible.

On the subject of your curved jig with the pipe: that would be fine if I had easy access to a ring roller (which I don't). Do you have an opinion about making the front former from hardwood and routing a rounded edge around it?

Also, am I right in assuming that you formed the rounded edges of the guard directly over the pipe former without any use of the shrinker?


Thanks again,

Dominic

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Hi Dominic, cheers.

It's all about using the tools that you have, or are prepared to buy.

Your idea of using a hard wood jig is perfect.
Layers of ply, glued & screwed together would work as well.


I did use a shrinker 'cause I've got one.
I also have access to a ring roller at work, and I have an understanding boss.


Paul G

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David Jenkins - 9/5/08 at 09:13 AM

quote:

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Originally posted by 907
... and I have an understanding boss.

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That's not what you usually say about him, Paul!

[Edited on 9/5/08 by David Jenkins]

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TheGecko - 9/5/08 at 11:27 AM

quote:

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Originally posted by 907I haven't got many pics of the various stages but this pic should scare the sh*t out of you.

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Funnily enough, that pic doesn't actually scare me too much. I've been watching a set of instructional DVD's from these guys (2 minute Google video preview linky) and they show pretty clearly how the metal can be made to cooperate. The amazingly cavalier way they start smacking into a flat sheet with a big hammer to start the shaping is quite a shock They are of the firm belief that you don't need a lot of fancy, expensive tools to achieve good results.

Thanks again for your help. I'm going to hunt around for some dollies and hammers and have a go at some small bits and pieces.

Dominic

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907 - 9/5/08 at 12:21 PM

I can't help noticing that, apart from David who is trying to get me shot, that all the interest seems to come
from far and wide. Canada, South Africa, Australia...
Where are all the Brits? G/F bodywork must be too cheap here me thinks.

Pic below shows my test one. I added bits on the bottom to blend to the body better, and the gap at the top didn't look right
so I welded in a crescent shaped piece after forming the rad and cutting off the damaged edge the shrinker made.

Paul G
Rescued attachment rear-m-g-4-s-t.jpg

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907 - 9/5/08 at 12:56 PM

I wish I could say they are now finished.
Although I have filed off the weld there is still some final cleaning up to do.

Every time I do something I learn a bit more.
Each time there's room for improvement, but then, that's life.

If I can spur someone on to have a go at metal bashing then my time has been well spent.

Cheers All
Paul G
Rescued attachment 1-rear-wing-002-s.jpg

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timf - 9/5/08 at 01:30 PM

looking at that paul it must be close to sva time for you

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RK - 9/5/08 at 02:19 PM

You have a beautiful car there 907!

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907 - 9/5/08 at 03:19 PM

quote:

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Originally posted by timf
looking at that paul it must be close to sva time for you

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If I take much longer the tyres will have perished.



Thank you RK


ATB
Paul G

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C10CoryM - 10/5/08 at 02:45 AM

Thanks Paul.

I will probably do my scuttle, bonnet and back panel and see how I manage with those before I try arches.

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RK - 10/5/08 at 04:10 PM

And when you do, I want to go see them next time I'm back on the coast!

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Humbug - 10/5/08 at 06:07 PM

Lovely bit of work, 907... I am thinking I could make some ali front wings for starters - maybe even cheap and use the glass fibre ones as formers

btw, what thickness of ali did you use? different for front and back, or not?

Cheers,

Simon

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907 - 10/5/08 at 07:13 PM

Thanks Simon

My front ones were made on the same pipe jig, but I didn't knock over the full 90 deg.

If you think you might do rears it may pay to make a jig that will do both.

I have used 16swg (1.6mm) on all my bodywork.

Good luck

Paul G

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