DeTomaso Mailing List: May 1997, Message #298
     



From: pantera@shiseis.com (Shane F. Ingate)

Subject: Re: Flares

Date: Thu, 15 May 97 11:16:01 PDT



The following is a bounced message from tmitch@gte.net



From: "Ted A. Mitchell" <tmitch@gte.net>

To: <DeTomaso@wgate.com>

Subject: Re: Flares

Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 10:46:48 -0700

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Mike's suggestion to have the flares installed with the wheels and tires

mounted is excellent.  My flares were on the car when I bought it and are

mounted too far forward requiring me to grind out clearance at the rear

when I put larger wheels and tires on the car.



Many of the Group 4 flares are subtly different.  The main problem with the

steel flares is that (in my opinion) there is not enough fillet where they

are welded to the fender due to the cost of manufacturing the compound

curves by aftermarket shops.  This results in a kind of "tacked on" look

unless huge amounts of lead or filler are used.  A good body man should be

able to add a narrow strip of steel to the seam, after the flares are

attached, to flow the flare into the fender.  This is of course all a

matter of taste. Remember, the original Group 4 flare were riveted on

fiberglass, so when you are molding them onto your car, you might as well

get the look that you like.



I have had many compliments over the years about the way my flares look,

and if there a lots of pictures in the older quarterlies of the Vader

Pantera, or I would be happy to send some pictures showing the flares if

anyone wants them.



Also, I believe that Hall's 17 inch wheels are 14 inches wide.  I have a

set of his 17 inch Ultra wheels that fit perfect with the flares.



Ted (Darth) Mitchell

http://home1.gte.net/tmitch/pe.htm

http://home1.gte.net/tmitch/chpie.htm

----------

> From: MikeLDrew@aol.com

> To: DeTomaso@wgate.com

> Subject: Re: Flares

> Date: Thursday, May 08, 1997 1:32 AM

>

> Capt Mike Drew

> 150 Westgate Dr.

> San Francisco, CA  94127

>

> Home:   (415) 334-7860

>

> E-mail:  MikeLDrew@aol.com

>

> Scott wrote:

>

> I am having my 74L converted to GT-4 spec's.  I am having

> the steel flares welded on.  The problem is that when I started looking

> very close at pictures of other GT-4 cars, no 2 cars are the same.  The

> flares are slightly different in shape and how high they are mounted on

> the car.  I have Hall's 17" wheels with the correct offset, but the

flares

> are to wide.  Does anyone have an opinion/recommendation on this?

>

> >>>Just this; make sure your wheels and tires are mounted on the car

before

> welding on the flares.  There was a beautiful car in the ballroom Las

Vegas

> last year that had been absolutely massacred.  It was painted nicely and

all,

> but clearly the body shop doing the GT-4 conversion had no idea what they

> were doing, and welded the flares on while the car was without wheels.

When

> the went to put the wheels on, the flares were too low, and the only way

the

> car could be driven was to jack up the rear suspension like a dune-buggy!

>  Really, I compared with other nearby cars by standing behind the decklid

and

> holding my hand against my side, then walking to a regular Pantera and

seeing

> how much higher my hand was over its decklid.  How about eight

> inches????!!!!!!

>

> Also, it's not uncommon to see cars whose flares are either too far

forward

> or back (even factory Group 4 cars had this problem, for the same reason)

>

> Set the car up with the kind of ground clearance and rake you're looking

for,

> then mount the flares where they look right.  It's an eyeball thing,

mostly.

>  Maybe if you're real lucky ol' Bill Hohnhorst will go to his factory

Group 4

> car and measure from the top of the fenders down to the top of the

flares,

> and let you know how the REAL cars are set up.  But only if you're

lucky....

>

> As to your wheels being too narrow, remember that Group 4 cars originally

> came with 14x15 inch rear wheels, 14 inches wide is WIDE!!!  I would

daresay

> most aftermarket wheels aren't more than 12 inches wide, so that could be

> part of your problem right there.  Maybe if your studs are long enough

(or,

> more properly, if the wheels are thin enough) you can fit spacers to make

> things look better.

>

> Mike