So after spending two days welding flares onto my car I was kinda wondering how the factory did it?

I'm sure they didn't spend all this time butt welding the flares.
Did they spot weld?
Did they just stamp the fenders with flares already ?
thanks!

Butt weld. It's the proper way to do it and it takes time to do it right.

As this is the Originality and History forum, I am kinda wondering when did the factory do this to a 914-6?

All the factory GTs and you could order the m471 package which was basically a 914-6 with a few goodies, including the steel flares.

And yes, they were butt-welded.

The benefits of low minimum wage. In 1973 minimum wage in the US was 1.60/hr so I imagine the Volkswagen guys made far less.

During what step in the assembly process were the flares welded on?
Prior to assembly
On the Line
After car completed on assembly line?
Prior to paint?
After paint, then repainted?

At least they didn't have to deal with 1/4 inch bondo like me.......

A few were factory, a few were dealer, kits were also sold. Remember, 914-6 were finished in the Porsche factory, not VW and only a very few had flares installed. Dealer installation must have been after paint. I think the total number of factory flared cars is ~40-60 (just a rough guess - guys here have more exact #'s). Current cost to have flares installed typically run $1,600 - 4K

Nice topic! Well done guys! Fits here perfectly!
Pat

AFAIK the bodies were full painted,when they took it from the line and transferred it to Porsche Sports dept. There they added all the additional sports parts ,including the flares. Then the fenders were repainted.
Lately I had my factory M-471 painted new and took some shots of the naked flares. You won´t see any seam or traces of welding or tin.
They are done so perfect !!!
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Here is GT List

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smg's car is a Factory car with Factory Installed Flares

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My Car has one of the 400 Factory Kits

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smg giving my car the Finger

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Mine were done the exact same way.

I wish I knew what car they came off. I got all 4 for $600.00 of eBay years ago. They were yellow on top and purple as the base coat if I recall. They came out of San Diego, where the car they came off was outfitted for wider flares.

I immediately had them media blasted and the seams were amazing, just like those. I was shocked. I'm such a lousy welder, I didn't think anything like that was possible.

Makes me "REALLY" wonder what car they came off.

Here is my car getting Factory Flares
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yes, the "factory guys" did do butt welding

a clean picture of the LF factory flare on my m471 - as done in 1971

butt welded - no overlaps underneath -

the work is so good you'd swear the fender is one stamped part -

plenty of disbelievers have run their fingers under my fenders only to be convinced

taken when i stripped the car to bare metal in 1981 - .

.

Practice makes perfect!!! Those guys could weld!

OT-Eric- do you ever get tired of standing in your driveway and looking at those mountains?

Back on topic- I marvel at the bottom edge treatment of each factory flare how they blend with the body lines. Very difficult to do with the current aftermarket flares.

Somewhere the stamping molds for these flares exist....

Missed another car that had them from the factory...916

No.