I know there's been conversation regarding adding fiberglass FLARES to a street car and that's NOT my question in this thread. I'm wondering about running a street car with a FG front hood, rear deck lid and door skins (FG skinned/ OEM steel frames)? Is there anyone out there running this type of configuration? or Is this just a crazy talk?

I have these pieces (in the classified along with other FG items) but was thinking - what if I ran the hood, lid and doors on my 1.7 project for a better power/weight ratio - because why not? thoughts?


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Lots of guys do glass hoods and bumpers but skip the doors (safety), not that early 914 doors without the safety bar are all that better. Just be aware that fiberglass has no impact protection.
By lots of guys, I mean other Porsche models and other marques.

Sheridan made a kit that we bought the tooling on and have been making improvements on. I think it was one of the most complete.
We are looking at putting together a package in one box that includes the front section complete as shown below, as well as the front and rear hoods back flairs, lower rockers with flairs and door skins.
Heres some pics

Door skins

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Mine is all glass except for the doors.Click to view attachment

Hoods in carbon fiberand OEM matt GT style

Rear quarters

Rear GT

FWIW, my car uses the Sheridan body (Ultimate 914) which was acquired by 914 Rubber.
Click to view attachment

Thanks guys, nice - but I already have the FG items.. I wouldn’t be needing to purchase.


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My spare doors DO have the stock internal impact brace/bars .. but still, I get your point and had thought of that.


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Thanks Mikey and Steve for showing us the FG products, very nice. Mark

Ok… but for this thread it kinda distracts from the question at hand, no?

I mean, I welcome shots of street cars with FG installed, by all means post those please! So, Who else is running FG lids, doors on the street ?


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Quick detour... great job 914 Rubber for always looking ahead, congrats! And those are some scary nails on the hand model! WOW.
And that's a beautiful 6!
OK, back on track...

By all means, composite hood/trunk. Less weight is always better. But as others have pointed out, I'd not run composite doors on the street UNLESS you have some other sort of intrusion protection. I have pseudo door bars in my car but even then, I'd wonder if it's worth it. If you have early doors, you're saving weight vs late doors.
At the end of the day, unless you're after the last ounce (which on a street car...?) I'd go with "safety first".

FWIW, fiberglass flares, front & rear lids, bumpers and rocker panels on my street / occasional track day car. But, went for steel late model doors (with the reinforcing panels) PLUS full roll cage with door bar. If I was doing it all over again, I'd keep the roll cage door bar - but may look to lose some extra weight on the doors - possibly fiberglass skins.

- Tony

Click to view attachment

Random fact: My car weighs in at 2150lbs wet. Weight saving from fiberglass (and interior delete!) is offset by roll cage addition and steel chassis strengthening panels & material

I think are more cars out there running fiberglass than you would think.
Sheridan had been doing rac bodies nd parts for years. Many were track, some street.
Wasn’t Elloit’s screaming yellow zonker one?

My chalon has its share of fiberglass... Been on there for 35 years at least...

I'm running FG hood, trunk and bumpers on this one.
But has steel flares.

Will snap up some 914Rubber FG lids when they become available.

Oscar






Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

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Hey, I think Mark can wear his nails any way he likes.

Steve, that's a beautiful car. What is the weight?

FG hoods and bumpers. Cage and super stiff suspension makes it track oriented, but it is “street legal” and I run it to work or to C&C.

Click to view attachment

FG has potential issues for street use. It does like to crack, especially where it is bonded to sheet metal. That can be dealt with to some extent, but I'm not sure if the tendency will ever be completely removed. And things like rock chips can cause more serious problems than just cracked paint.

It isn't very strong, and doesn't dissipate much if any energy in a crash. It tends to shatter rather than bending, after all. I believe that the outer fenders and both deck lids contribute some to crash protection on our cars, so you will be losing some if you replace those parts with FG. How much do they contribute? Probably not a huge amount--but some.

You should try to make an educated guess about how much extra risk you are willing to live with. Myself, I probably would be OK with the lids replaced. Maybe fenders, maybe not. Not the door skins, though, as there's precious little side impact protection on a 914 as is.

--DD

I don't know about you, but I could easily lose (well, maybe not easily) the weight I would save using a light hood and trunk lid by just eating healthier....

Wrong car right topic...1963 vw bug, glass fenders with front and rear glass lids. Less than a year as a street car DD all the glass was cracked by parking lot pirates.

My 72 teener has been hit repeated times. Mostly from parking in the street. Not to mention the fact that the rear trunk area looks like a park bench I guess, had to chase people off of it. How rude. Steel is real

'75 chassis, aluminum 2.0 6 cyl. FG lids and bumpers. 2125 lbs.
Late doors with beams. Steel flares.
Soon to have ~250 hp 3.0 so 8.5 power to weight.

Ok, thanks everyone - I think if the FG parts that I have in the classifieds don't sell (at the practically give away price point that I have them set to), I'll consider using the front and rear hood skins, but skip using the door skins.

Great looking cars y'all


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2050 wet and without driver

The shortest path for an insurance company to not cover a claim is to identify modified safety components.

A younger/dumber version of myself ran FG bumpers on a few 914's. Not anymore, not if I want to drive on the streets, leave parked on lots etc.

Yes, you should confirm your policy coverage details and exclusions. My classic coverage requires me to assign a value and complete description of the car including photos. I have filed two claims over the years on my two classics (914 and 240Z) and both were processed to my satisfaction.

Took a look at your advertisement in the classifieds. Yes at that price you are giving them away.

Some input on the deck lids. These were the same as the Sheridan ones. Just a skin. The way they were mounted was by welding flat tabs on and attaching with dzus screws. This is why we added the substructure. Also the lids without reinforcement are very flexable and har to cut and buff unless you do it off the car on a bean bag.

They are however the lightest you can get. The set up you have is a track design and for a daily driver I'd pass. The time and money to do this would be more appreciated and cleaner to add displacement to the engine. A 2056 build would offer you a better power to weight upgrade (or at the very least be a wash) , that would be easier and retain more resale value for funds expended.

Or, list your mods when obtaining insurance in the first place. Yes it costs more, but at current 6 values it would be foolish not to.