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Date:         Mon, 12 Dec 2005 19:27:43 -0800
Reply-To:     mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Organization: Fast Forward Automotive
Subject:      Re: Fender Flares - custom made
Comments: To: Derek Drew <derekdrew@RCN.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <7.0.0.16.2.20051212175235.06ed78d0@rcn.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I've seen the VolksCafe wheel arches, these are fiberglass ones that were made in Mexico. Buddy of mine in Seattle bought a set and we are both quite disappointed with the quality of them. They are strictly for looks rather than function and only for looks after a lot of work.

Derek is right; there are three variations of wheel arches.

1 - TriStar: No sheet metal cutting is required. These are big and do restrict the size of tire you can install by about 1" - I got rid of my TriStar arches on my TriStar as quick as I could due to the clearance issue.

2 - Syncro 16: You are looking at cutting 25 to 30mm of sheet metal at the rear of each wheel arch. These wheel arches fit very snugly and allow for larger tires to be used. I think Puch installed them to cover you the cutting they had to do to make the larger tires fit.

3 - Postal: These are not the fat style like the TriStar, they look like a 14" version of the Syncro 16 units. They were only installed on the front wheels. Now, the reason for this is the wheel arches up front attach to the DOOR an not the fender as many people believe. The reason for them to go on the door is so they cover the fender so when you are driving in the mud, open the door and then get out, you will not get your pants dirty - very important for the postie! The passenger side postal ones also have a small circle cut in them for clearance for the filler cap.

Also, the composition of the wheel arches is not ridged plastic like the Golf and Jetta II. They are more playable and have some give to them - almost sort of rubbery. The front door arches attach via pop rivets. The front body sections are attached via four M5 studs, requiring holes to be drilled. The rear ones have at least six or seven M5 studs again requiring holes to be drilled. I hate installing wheel arches!

If you are going for tires larger than 29" tall, then forget about wheel arches. Even with my 520mm hub to fender lift kit, my 225/75R16s will ever so slightly rub under full compression if I have the wheels turned just the right way. I might hear them rub say five or six times a year. So basically I have the largest that will fit up front with wheel arches. My camper with the 215/85R16 could never use wheel arches. When I get the body work done, I will be getting the fender opening extended rather than cut - so to the untrained eye the fenders would look normal, but if you measure, they would be about 30 to 35mm more open.

David Marshall

Fast Forward Automotive Inc. 4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3

Internet: http://www.fastforward.ca Email: sales@fastforward.ca

- Engine Conversions and Accessories for classic water-cooled Volkswagens - Electrical harness fabrication and customization

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Derek Drew Sent: December 12, 2005 14:56 To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: Fender Flares - custom made

Peter at Volks Cafe made some copies of the factory OEM originals, but he was so horrified at the poor quality of them that he is selling his copies dirt cheap and does not tell anybody about them.

His copies were made in Mexico.

I don't think he has them listed on www.van-cafe.com but you can email about it.

Believe it or not, there is also another type of flare that none of us knows about -- it is a special flare made for the German postal service.

I think I have 4 sets of the 16" flares here other than the set I installed on my van.

At 05:43 PM 12/12/2005, you wrote: >In a message dated 12/12/05 5:22:40 PM Eastern Standard Time, >inua@CHARTER.NET writes: > > > > > > Remember, if you copy crap, you end up with crap. > > > > > >well, lets make sure not to copy the Winkler ones then !! LOL > >chris

_______________________________________________ Derek Drew CEO ConsumerSearch, Inc. New York, NY & Washington DC derekdrew@rcn.com 202-966-7907 (cell) 703-408-1532

http://www.ConsumerSearch.com/ Time Magazine, June 19, 2003 "50 Best Websites"


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