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
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
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