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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Has anyone installed AA GT flares???

Posted by: East coaster Mar 31 2004, 06:51 PM

I just received my Auto Atlanta (I know, I know, AA sucks) steel GT flares and I would love to see some pics of someone elses install procedure. I plan on butt welding the flares on. I investigated bonding them on, but even 3M states that they don't recommend using bonding where ghosting is of concern. They recommend welding for this type of application. Ghosting is described as a visable bond line through the final finish. This would piss me off, so butt welding it is!

I've held the flares up to my car and it's obvious that alot of trimming/fitting is required, just wondered if anyone took pics of this process when they did their's??? I promise to post pics of mine as I do them.

Here's what arrived.......

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flares_001.JPE ( 15.36k ) Number of downloads: 0

Posted by: East coaster Mar 31 2004, 06:52 PM

Jus' pretending!

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flares_002.JPE ( 14.64k ) Number of downloads: 0

Posted by: kwales Mar 31 2004, 07:16 PM

Saw one of the first sets on a car at Maumee last year. Search for Maumee pics- a nice blue car with Carerra lettering on the side. Buck Toengs said he placed the flares on the car, drilled a couple of holes into the outer edge and fender and screwed the flare in place on the fender.

Next he took an air powered saw and cut the flare out around the outer edge. This matches the cut on the fender and the flare so the cuts don't have to be perfect.

Then he unscrewed the remaining piece of the outer edge off the fender and placed the flare into the cutout in the fender. Place a couple of tack welds to hold in place, finish butt welds.

Buck explained he welded on the rears and couldn't get the fronts to fit. Then he realized that he had two left fronts and needed a right.

Then he discovered he had welded on two lefts :

Both rear lefts looked great though

Ken

Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 07:21 PM

Iused factory flares but they are probably close to the AA ones,use your rocker panels to center them over the wheel wells then take a black marker and trace around the flare, you could butt weld but I think it creates too much heat and distortes the panel,its also more difficult. After tracing your lines cut 1 inch below the line that you traced,this it what you weld to. Then take a 1/4 drill and put a hole about every inch around the outside edge of the flares about 3/4 inch inside from the edge,in essence you will buttonhole weld them on the fenders.As for the extra sheetmetal at the bottom of the flares,that is to make the channel that runs the length of the car for the rockers,but I just cut it of to sit flush with the exsisting channel,A fellow here in Kansas City has a factory M471 car that I eye fucked one day for about 6 hours and to my amazment they did the same thing at the bottom (instead of putting in the channel) From what I could tell the rest of the flare was butt welded AND metal finished!! Fuck that! I spent a long time researching so If you need more help let me know. I probably have more knowelge on instaling the things than Porsche themselves (not bragging or any thing)

Posted by: Brad Roberts Mar 31 2004, 07:28 PM

We installed them. They work fine. They have wrinkles at the top in the corners of the rears that will need to be addressed.

B

Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 07:35 PM

OOHHH Better bust out the english wheel

Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 07:36 PM

Brad,Is it me or does your Avatar change every 5 minutes

Posted by: Brad Roberts Mar 31 2004, 07:37 PM

When they stamped them..it appears they didnt have enough draw beads in the dies and it caused a slight wrinkle.

B

Posted by: morgan Mar 31 2004, 08:10 PM

you can buy some cool little clamps at harborfrieght .com for 4.99 a set of 8
Or go to east wood and pay 45.00 for the same thing just 4 clamps less.

JM

Posted by: East coaster Mar 31 2004, 08:23 PM

They look pretty damn good. It looks like there's a bunch of excess to trim off at each end at the bottom like agentblr stated. I didn't notice any wrinkles, I'll have to go check again!

So nobody has pics of these being done yet???

Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 08:54 PM

finished pics

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Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 08:54 PM

chjyctyj

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Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 08:55 PM

rthruhj

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Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 08:55 PM

hmndgyj

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Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 08:56 PM

uilnkjml

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Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 08:57 PM

fart

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Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 08:58 PM

I have install pics but I dont have a scanner will take to office tommorow and scan to post, hope this helps B

Posted by: East coaster Mar 31 2004, 09:01 PM

Thanks dude..........they look great! The pic from underneath helps. I see how you trimmed them to fit the factory channel.

I just checked my flares and yup, they're wrinkled alright. It seems like just the rears and the wrinkling goes pretty much across the whole top of the flare. Nothing major, more like a little wavy than wrinkled I guess. That's why they make dollies, right?

Posted by: 415PB Mar 31 2004, 09:05 PM

I recall reading about AA putting the flares on a one of their resto projects. Check this, I think it is on week 3 or 4.
http://autoatlanta.com/service/914makeover/makeover-intro.html

Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 09:07 PM

Thats right! My factory flares were a little wavy too but you just metal finish those with an english wheel if you can find one if not my buddy does if your up for a drive tp KC

Posted by: agentblr Mar 31 2004, 09:12 PM

I love how they put that up on their site and then plaster all over '' DOCTOR 914 DOES NOT APPROVE'' what a bunch a fuckwads,I hate those guys! :finger2: