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Making Fender Flares
Hello Everyone. I am new to this website and was unable to find any information using the search feature; so I figured I start a new thread.
I have a 92 Fullsize Blazer with a V8. It is begining to rust around the fenders. I was curious if after I cut, sandblast, and prep the metal; if there was a way of creating my own fender flares. I do not want to buy them as they tend to cost too much and I love creating things. My idea is to use Great Stuff expandable foam to get the initial shape. Once it hardens shave it down to shape and either fiberglass over or use body filler to create a hard shell. And then Paint it of course. I was curious if anyone has tried this or has any tips... Thanks KnightMaric |
I filled in the holes with the foam, and instead of shape it, i flattened it and in going to make flat rubber mudflaps that stick out all the way arourd. I got the rubber sheets free from a local rubber shop i ship for.
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Foam will soak up water like a sponge and holds it against the metal. Makes the fenders rust even worse.
Foam works great to build a buck for making parts but the only time its ok to leave is if you are working off a fiberglass panel. Even then most guys still remove it after the mold is made. |
^what he said, if u plan to use foam for your shape id line it in tinfoil before you lay your glass down so you can easily pop it off after and ditch the foam, and only use bodyfiller for a thin top coat otherwise it will crack EASY
i might be trying some custom flares once my cars out for summer so i can have some down time with the truck. my plan is foam pool noodle, fibreglass and paint/hardware... the pool noodle would only be for shape and removed once i had a few layers of glass on it |
Not a bad idea at all. Just use the foam to as a mold... This way I would only have to make two molds (Front and Back fender) Also as a side note, I know that Great Stuff expandable foam does not absorb water at all once hardened and can be pretty ridged.
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I once found a thread where a guy took an older bronco and completely redid the front and rear wells uaing foam and fiberglass..went with a prerunner look...looked great.
I will see if i can find the link. |
Great stuff dosent soak water up but the crack between it and the fender acts like a wick. The foam holds it there and it rusts. Same effect in the end and you don't want to leave a foam base on a steel body.
Pool noodles are hard to shape with a sander and get exact. Most of us use the green foam used to hold fake flowers. No matter what foam you go with make sure the resin won't react with it. Resin has solvent in it and heats up as it cures, this eats up most foams. You have to keep most of them covered with tin foil or tape. Here is the bronco2 the guy is working on. He has it on a few different forums. I'm pretty sure the first time I seen it was on pirate. Fiberglass Fender extensions - Fiberglass Forums I've worked with fiberglass since I was a teen. I'm actually working on bucks for first gen prerunner fenders right now. |
I once say a thread where garden edging was used for a flare. Just cut to size and screwed to fender lip. Seemed pretty economical to me.
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Cheap cost and looking, it does work tho
Flexyflare/garden edge flares http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...GVQSpWqoRa2hfl Doesn't solve the rusted out fender problem or help open up the wheel well. Prerunner fenders http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...2d-2uoc1lnHAhp Fiberglass flares http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...JsA8F8SChTqw-g |
Originally Posted by neo71665
(Post 497185)
Great stuff dosent soak water up but the crack between it and the fender acts like a wick. The foam holds it there and it rusts. Same effect in the end and you don't want to leave a foam base on a steel body.
Pool noodles are hard to shape with a sander and get exact. Most of us use the green foam used to hold fake flowers. No matter what foam you go with make sure the resin won't react with it. Resin has solvent in it and heats up as it cures, this eats up most foams. You have to keep most of them covered with tin foil or tape. Here is the bronco2 the guy is working on. He has it on a few different forums. I'm pretty sure the first time I seen it was on pirate. Fiberglass Fender extensions - Fiberglass Forums I've worked with fiberglass since I was a teen. I'm actually working on bucks for first gen prerunner fenders right now. My main reason was just to say that I know that guy personally, our wives went to school together. Just found it funny his build would make it's way onto the blazer forum. |
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