Hi guys,
I was looking at some fender flares that add on to various cars, and was kinda shocked about the price.
I was wondering if anyone has ever made flares on their own? I know local shops sell sheets of fiberglass to patch small holes (the sheets that require mixing of liquid resine to make hard..).
Anyways, if one were to buy a few of these sheets, or one bigger sheet, and somehow mold it into the shape of a fender flare, do you think it would look somewhat good once it's added to the car?
Anyone have an experience in this or know any websites that explain how all this stuff works?
I was thinking about helping a friend of mine flare his wrecked geo. Just to see how it works out...
Any comments always appreciated!
Thanks
Mike

 

You need a mold.. a lot of glass and resin.. and a good working relationship with fiberglass. It is not easy stuff to work with.

Would it look good? Depends on how you do it and if you have an idea on how to do it!!

 

Go to a marine supply, they will have the materials you need and books/videos on how to use the stuff. For a small investment, you can find out whats really involved, and perhaps try it out. I've done a few small projects, it's like anything else, patience and practice.

 

Thanks guys.
I was told about asking marine suppliers...gotta try locating one!!
If I find out anything, I'll keep you posted.

 

If you do a search under "fiberglass part production" you will find a ton of info and suppliers. I gained an enormous amount of knowledge after reading up on the process...so much, actually, that I decided that it was too hard to work with!

 

Check out Aircraft Spruce. They have all kinds of products for composite construction:

<a href="http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catmain.php?dest=cathome.php" target="_blank">Aircraft Spruce</a>


And now they have an automotive catalog.

 

You could do what the Lindseys did on their race car. Cut slits into the fenders and spread them outward. Fill in the gaps with fiberglass and do lots of sanding:

 

Depending on what your purpose is, I would strongly recommend avoiding doing this if you have not done it before. If your goal is to have some widebody fenders, go buy them you'll be much happier. If your goal is to save money, then consider that it will cost you quite a bit in materials and time to roll your own fiberglass parts on your first try; it gets far better once you have experience. If you just desire to build something unique, or just want some experience building fiberglass parts, I'd say go for it... but be super patient.

Actually, fiberglass is relatively easy to work with, but it does require a lot of tedious preparation and a lot of forethought when designing the mold/plug. Additionally, there is a bit of cost involved in initial supplies.

Generally, you need to build a plug (an extremely accurate mockup of the part you want to build). Then you need to build a mold off the plug. Finally, you can build your part from the mold. There are quite a few steps in each process, and when all is said and done, expect to find find flaws that you will have to work through... or expect to throw it all away and start over again.

There are quite a few books, and online resources, on building fiberglass/kevlar/carbon-fiber parts. A plastics/fiberglass supply store or hobby store should have books on it.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Regards,
Abdul