Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Wife is working graves... must be quiet during the day, kids sleep at night... Must be quite then too!

What do I do?

Well I don't like the looks of most flares on the rears...



I have the flare forward of the arch and behind the arch shaped how I want, but over the arch really needs some work. I don't know of I will keep it this fat. Right now at the center of the arch it is 3.5" from the inside lip of the sheet metal to the outside surface of the foam. Trying to get the section over the arch to be less bulbous, and get it to flow more fluidly into the top of the fender profile.

I built a wire frame for the arch shape I wanted and then grafted front flares onto the rear fenders. They flow perfectly into the fender and look like they came from the factory that way because they match the fronts(for a 68+). It takes a lot of welding and hammer dolly work though.

eye wrote: ↑Tue May 19, 2020 6:20 am I built a wire frame for the arch shape I wanted and then grafted front flares onto the rear fenders. They flow perfectly into the fender and look like they came from the factory that way because they match the fronts(for a 68+). It takes a lot of welding and hammer dolly work though.

Very Nice! I have a picture in my head of how I want it to look, now I just need to translate that to reality.

Just came up with an idea, I will make a mold from the front fender flares, and can cast some foam from the mold.... then shape those perfectly how I want. Final product will be a bolt on CF flare.

I would really love to keep the side trim line intact.

Just really check your tire clearances because I had to get up to the trim line with the cutout to get the clearance I needed. I would have liked to have kept the trim line too but just couldn't fit the tires.
I think you have a good idea but measure it well. Also note that the left front flare fits better on the right rear mounted backwards if that makes any sense. The contours just seem to match that way much better.
No matter what you do it will be a lot of work.

eye wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 2:47 pm Also note that the left front flare fits better on the right rear mounted backwards if that makes any sense. The contours just seem to match that way much better.
No matter what you do it will be a lot of work.

That makes a lot of sense since the fender flow lines are reversed front to rear.

Did some work on the flare. Took it down to the trim line, follow contour of the top of the fender. I think I am going to fillet the top of the flare in tangent with the body at the trim line.




It looks like I am going to end up with near the same lines as with the front flares transplanted to the rears...

A few years and a divorce soon, I will be able to actually start working on this again.

In the time since, I have decided to go with a Getrag GS7D36SG trans from the BMW M3. This is a dual clutch automatic. I am going this rout since as I am getting older my knees are beyond crap, so pushing a clutch is now problematic.

It will be a few months as I get settled, but Now I have freedom to actually work on the car.

Good to see you are still with roadster and project!
SMG is neat but personally I never liked the operation at low speed (E46 M3). Have you considered a standard automatic with paddle shifters?

I had fun re-visiting this thread from page 1
Looking forward to your progress

Alvin wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 1:28 pm Good to see you are still with roadster and project!
SMG is neat but personally I never liked the operation at low speed (E46 M3). Have you considered a standard automatic with paddle shifters?

I had fun re-visiting this thread from page 1
Looking forward to your progress

With the HGT GCU, and can program the clutch pressure, shift points, output signals to engine management for things such as ignition for shift points.

I will run with a short sequential style shifter along with paddles.

I have an Audi A3 with a DSG, and I love it even without a tune.

Going from a 3 car garage that was a mess to a 2 car garage is rough!