fiberglass fenders install ??

[xxjoeyxxeb]

Hey guys,

Trying to see if I want to get some fiberglass fenders for the front of the Z. I know that if you put ZG flares on, you have to cut the fender, then reweld it. What happens if you take off the metal fender, and bolt in a fiberglass fender? Would that weaken the car, or is there some other thing to install that I'm missing?

[Mr Camouflage]

go over to hybrid z there is an excellent post in the bodykits an paint section about fitting zg flares, and has all the gory photos of somone chopping up a z to get the extra clearance for the wide mags on a lowered car.

Heres the link: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=113064

[Mr Camouflage]

Ok. I re-read your post, and am not sure what you mean. Are you talking about replacing the front metal guards with FG guards. If so, nothing needs doing, and it wont weaken the car structuraly.

[Kiwi ZX+Zed]

one good way to ruin the resale value and botch a good classic.

Ill be finishing the ZG flares im making soon,i was thinking of running a set with a layer of CF as to make them exclusively from CF is a little fiddley to say the least.

[zguitar71]

The cutting and welding happens on the rear fenders, the fronts do not have to be welded. If you do not weld the inner fender back to the outer (on the rear) then the structure is weekened considerably, the fronts do not have an inner fender like the rear.

[zguitar71]

Go to this, it has a very good write up and pictires too.

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=665748#post665748

[xxjoeyxxeb]

Ok, so with the zg flares, the inner fender has to be rewelded to the outer in the rear.... but not the front?

And to Kiwi's comment, I think the V8, and many other change will change the value of the car, but I'm not looking at the resale... so thanks

[jmortensen]

The rear fenderwell is a big part of the structure that supports the strut towers. If you cut the rear fenderwells then you need to weld them back for support. No point in putting on flares unless you're going to cut the fenderwells IMHO. The point of the flare is to put a wider tire on. If you hang the flare on the back and don't cut the fenders, then you either cut up your wide tires on the fender lips, or you end up with a car that looks like it needs more tire in the back. In the front the structure is the upper and lower frame rails, and the fender is hung onto that structure just to cover the wheels. The front fender is not structural, so you can trim it without any structural consequence.

[xxjoeyxxeb]

Awesome, front fender Q is solved... I knew about the rears being structural, but now I know about the fronts. Thanks

[Kiwi ZX+Zed]

I know what you guys mean about structural support,ive been in crashwork for nearly 20yrs...Even thought im putting the ZG flares on my Z,i just couldnt attack it with a cutting wheel to do it.Just my opinion thats all,good on those that do it,just not my cuppa.

[Mr Camouflage]

Kiwi ZX, I dont think Americans are particulary concerned with resale values of zeds, when they do this to them. They got so many of them, they arent exactly rare or expensive to buy. Have you seen how cheap they are over there?

[Kiwi ZX+Zed]

I see your point on the resale,but i still wouldnt do it,again jmo.

On the value of Zeds over here,take a look sometime on www.trademe.co.nz and tell me a 240z is cheap!!

One on there for $14000

Even the 260z goes for around 6G,dont know how much you guys have to play with in the way of money,but in my books,that aint cheap.

Hell,ive even seen ZX's sell for close to 9g......we dont use salt on our roads over here so most times they are pretty cheese free,for the most part.

Even my gs31,being a jap import,its got no chassis rust or rail rust,just cosmetic stuff,caused by nissans liberal:sick: use of paint,