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Suitable Rear Wheel Archs


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#1 alowry

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Posted 29 January 2012 - 09:30 PM

I've run into a problem trying to get a set of carbon arches to cover the rear wheels on my race spec' zcars mini. My first set were miglias from Curley & at about 4 1/2" wide don't come close to covering my wheels. The wheels are 7 x 13 & protrude 5 1/2" from the bodyshell when viewed from above. I've now a set of Arc Angels mega miglia arches, more than wide enough but they simply don't fit as when centered over the wheel they overhang the rear of the car!
Anyone had similar problems, or found a solution? I really don't want to buy Zcars own rear arches as I don't like the look of them & really want an exposed carbon miglia to match my fronts.

Adam,

Edited by alowry, 29 January 2012 - 09:44 PM.


#2 Tupers

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Posted 29 January 2012 - 09:41 PM

Sadly when you go crazily wide you're left with very few options. The only thing I can think of that might cover that is a wide Fortech kit.

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#3 vtecmini2

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Posted 30 January 2012 - 08:32 PM

HI Adam when i had my carbon fibre arches made i had to hold the front of the were i want it, then push the rear of the arch into place as i had a similar problem, fix that into place then trim them down to suit, i thought it was just me at first not fitting them right, even though i had me made to order.

thanks
john

#4 Custom_Minis

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Posted 30 January 2012 - 10:17 PM

Hi,
Is the problem down to you having front arches on the rear??
We produced some very wide front Miglia style for Huddersfield Spares a few years go but the order was for fronts only. i know there are a few other companies now doing fronts only.
We have modified a set of fronts in the past to replicate a standard rear arch but at the same larger width.

Can you post some pictures of your car - sideways on

Also, have you moved your rear wheels back to increase the wheelbase, most Z Cars do !!

Les.

#5 alowry

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Posted 31 January 2012 - 03:44 PM

Hi, thanks for the replies.

John, sounds like the same problem as I'm having if I understand what you're saying. I can flex the arches to the correct radius & make them fit with some trimming, however the brackets would have to be stressed to hold the arch in its final shape meaning they'd almost certainly fail at some point in the near future.

Les, i'll include a few pic's when I get to my own computer. The first arches I tried were Curley front miglias, I could have made them fit with a little bending before fixing my brackets but they simply weren't wide enough to cover the tire. I suspect the mega miglias from Arc Anglels are fronts as you suggest, i'd hoped that the reduced radius achieved when trimming them to width would allow them to fit but it seems they now won't. As I mentioned above there's simply too much stress on in the arch if I bend them to fit. My wheel base is longer than standard as you mention which exaggerates the problem.

Adam.

#6 alowry

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Posted 31 January 2012 - 04:12 PM

Pics of mega miglia arch
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#7 Custom_Minis

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Posted 31 January 2012 - 08:13 PM

Hi Adam,

Looking at your pics you do have rear arches, not fronts as i thought.
They also appear to wrap around more of the wheel than our ones.Obviously, because they are longer I think this is the cause of your problem. Without being there unfortunately all I can suggest is to leave the rear as wide as it is but trim the front part narrower (as much as possible). For example 5" for 4/5 ths with the back part being 7" allowing it to oversail and curl round the rear of the car , if you understand that ??

You mention the front Curley ones would have fit, these (I think) would have been not as long. You can see how you go, if you get stuck - I could send you one of our wide fronts to mess about with if you cover the postage ?

Les.

#8 vtecmini2

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Posted 31 January 2012 - 08:54 PM

HI Adam looking at ur pics thats the same problem i had with mine. I had to just keep triming them down like Les says. If i remember right i put a few marks on the body so each time i took the arch off to trim it went back it the same place.

As for the brackets i made me own and i bolted them, not bonded to the back of the arches, are urs already bonded to the arches??

i think u can just make out the small bolts which hold the brackets too the arches

#9 alowry

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Posted 31 January 2012 - 10:43 PM

Les, cheers for the offer, much appreciated but i'm hoping it won't have to come to that. Do you have a website by the way? I'm trying pretty much exactly what you've suggested but it's going to take a bit of pulling when I fit the brackets to get the rear where I want it.

John, i've been experimenting with a few different bonding agents but no, nothings on those arches yet. I had been reluctant to bolt through the arches but yours look great so i'll probably go with that unless I come across a bonding agent thats as permenant.

Really appreciate the advice guys, i've been putting of sending the car to the bodyshop for paint until I drill the holes for the arches. Had to walk away from it several times due to arch rage!!

Adam.

#10 cptkirk

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Posted 01 February 2012 - 03:03 PM

I really don't want to buy Zcars own rear arches as I don't like the look of them


Me either but I'm stuck with em now............

#11 Custom_Minis

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Posted 02 February 2012 - 11:12 PM

I've took the web site down for a while as its being re-vamped.

Les.

#12 alowry

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Posted 05 February 2012 - 10:07 PM

I've four curley carbon exposed weave arches now on ebay if anyones interested! Item number: 280821123346

#13 alowry

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Posted 17 February 2012 - 11:03 AM

A few pic's of what i'm thinking of doing by way of a compromise. The arch overlaps the rear light but this does allow me to mount it without flexing or stressing it.

Can I ask a few of you to give an honest opinion of how you think it looks? I know its a compromise but i'm not sure if its worth leaving like this.

Adam.

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#14 cptkirk

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Posted 17 February 2012 - 02:43 PM

My only word of caution is you'll need more vertical room for your wheel to move in.

Its difficult to say what to do, the arches look great other than the clash with the lights, I wish I could help.....

#15 alowry

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Posted 17 February 2012 - 03:04 PM

Cheers, for that, the arches are taped onto the car with enough room to allow full travel in the suspension, so I wouldn't need to mount them any higher. In fact I've the rear spring removed & the wheel jacked up to the bump stop in a the first two pics. It's really the clash with the lights I'm concerned about, I've still to finish trimming the arches so they will end up neater but the pics represent more or less how they'll look.




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