Which Rockers and Valances for flares, "How do you know?" Options

[Kansas 914]

I want to replace the existing rockers and front and rear valances with ones that will better fit the flares.

How do I know which ones to get. The PO put these fiberglass flares on in 1998 but I don't know where he got them (but he did buy a lot of stuff from AA - I have the receipts).

Can I simply measure the distance from the exsiting rocker (for example) to the edge of the flare I find out who makes one the "flares" out about the same amount to meet the fenders?

This has bugged me since I got the car - it just looks wrong.

I can send more photos, closeups, if needed but this one shows the problem pretty well I think.



Thanks in advance.

[roadster fan]

Hello,

Nice car, what kind of wheels are those?

You can get the parts you need from many suppliers. Getty, GTRacing, AIR, AA, Ebay, Fiberwerks. You will find most have fitment issues (overused molds?) but most have said Getty has the best fitting parts.

Since they are 'glass, the fitting of the cheaper parts isn't hard just time consuming.

Do a google search for fiberglass 914 parts and you may come up with some more vendors. Some are selling the same parts from the same manufacturers so it pays to ask and compare pricing.

Hope this helps,

Jim

[r_towle]

Well, its not a happy answer.
To line up these parts correctly in an ideal world here is what you would do.

You would attach the flared rockers first.
Then line up the fender flares to match the rockers...
If you are lucky enough to have the rockers the correct spacing...good for you, but I doubt it.
Get the parts and assume you will need to modify them...its not the vendors fault, the flares car be mounted anywhere in a 1inch or more variation...so its just how it is...no blame game.

If it was me, and I am cheap I would customize the parts you already have.
You will end up customizing the rockers anyways...the new ones you buy..and probably the valances to make them perfect.
So, just do the ones you have there.

Go to the local craft store and buy the green foam used for making plant decorations...its the stuff that you can carve and sand easily.
It also stands up to the epoxy resins of fiberglass alot better than the pink or blue foam from HD.

Use gorrilla glue to glue blocks to the front and back of each rocker (sand the rocker clean of paint in that area)
Then carve the foam to the shape you need.
Once shaped, wrap the block in saranwrap for easy removal later on.
Fiberglass over the block, git it all the right shape and overlap onto the rocker a few inches so you can feather it all in with bondo later on.
Once the glass is dry and all major sanding is done, you can dig out the green foam block in as many pieces as it takes to get rid of it...or you can leave it there forever...up to you.


Rich

[Kansas 914]

Well, its not a happy answer.
To line up these parts correctly in an ideal world here is what you would do.

You would attach the flared rockers first.
Then line up the fender flares to match the rockers...
If you are lucky enough to have the rockers the correct spacing...good for you, but I doubt it.
Get the parts and assume you will need to modify them...its not the vendors fault, the flares car be mounted anywhere in a 1inch or more variation...so its just how it is...no blame game.

Rich

Hi Rich,

Thanks - Now I get it... Because the rockers are less "flexible" as to location one should start there and let them dictate the first match-up point of the flares.

I doubt the the flares are in the "right" spot - I mean what are the odds when mounting them free form?

Could I measure the distance from back edge of the front fender to the front edge of the back fender to see if I an even close enough to modify?

Now I have to go measure to see if the right side and the left side are even the same. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

All of a sudden the car ins't looking so bad... I do want to paint the black either way - maybe black won't look so much like a mistake as the same body color does.

Cheers!

[r_towle]

well, if you get fiberglass rockers and they happen to be to long...that may be a fairly easiy fix to cut out a section and glass it from the back.

the front and rear valance would be tricky...depends upon how they line up.

Rich

[Kansas 914]

Hello,

Nice car, what kind of wheels are those?

Jim

Hi Jim,

Thanks for you help on the body parts.

The wheels are good old Cragars (you would have to be an old muscle car guy like me to understand). They are model number 365. I don't know if they are still made in our 4 bolt pattern or not but here is a link: http://www.cragarwheel.com/catalogs_365.html

Cheers!

[Eric_Shea]

Pray the PO set them right (probably not, adjust expectancies accordingly).

I'd get fiberglass rockers and cut/copy/paste (if need be). It's fairly easy once you get into it. I may have a set available if you're interested.

For valances; you may want to look around at the usual suspects, Getty or GT seem to be the best. Rennspeed stuff needed a LOT of work.

Paint the rockers, valances and bumpers in a nice semi-gloss and you'll have a nice GT look going there.

[Kansas 914]

If it was me, and I am cheap I would customize the parts you already have.
You will end up customizing the rockers anyways...the new ones you buy..and probably the valances to make them perfect.
So, just do the ones you have there.

Rich

Rich

That is a great idea knowing what I know about how the flares were mounted - before the rockers. It just so happens that the rockers and the valances are all fiberglass so modifying them to fit makes even more sense to me. I will never be ables to buy "off the shelf".

I haven't worked with fiberglass since I did some boat repairs in Florida 30 years ago - I will never forget that smell - not a bad memory actually!

Cheers!

[PanelBilly]

Get creative and make your own. I bet they will fit better than anything you buy

[charliew]

I have been buying fg stuff since 1970 till now and have never gotten any part that met my expectations. I don't think the best is much better than the average part but there is really some REAL junk for sale but it all is usable if you spend enough time on it.

I have bought some side scoops for a fiero that I painted 5 times and the urethane kept making the glass bubble so each time the part got redone. After a week I gave up and used them. They look pretty good but just the paint cost made them very expensive. Not counting the time spent. I guess the resin makeup was not done correctly by some mexicans as thats where the supplier said they were made when I called and told about the fiasco I was involved in. Of course no monetary adjustment was offered.

Since the flares are mounted you are not much worse off just making nice fitting rockers that fit at this point. Just don't screw up the finish on the flares.

I think Rich gave a very informative description of the process to do the flares remember to leave the thickness of the fg allowed in the blocks so they will end up level with the flares. I think the blocks could be left in and also leave a nice front and rear form to also fg over, to make the insides look finished.

You will be amazed at the uses of fg that will allow you to overcome obsticles in car building. I just made my son a cold air intake in a very cramped subaru sti engine compartment. Airbox, airtunnel from the scoop and all.

I will probably use fg to enclose the front radiator and still have a front sealed trunk on the 914.

I would use stranded mat rather than woven cloth but if it is smoothed over with filler and then gel coated it will look nice and won't show schrinkage after a year or so.

I have bought some supplies from Fiberglast but I'm sure there are other suppliers also. Fiberglast also offers many dvds on all types of fg projects.