Why there will never be a production of F2 panels

Presha

six on the brain
Sep 17, 2007
188
0
Birmingham
Im definately getting tempted to go down the f2 arch route, with running vr6 running gear etc, but as its only half an inch either side wider i was hoping that some serious arch rolling and pulling will get the wheels in the arches lol. Until i get the car rolling on the new subframes though i wont be able to tell.

However, if i did have to wide arch it i personally wouldnt want to use fibreglass panels with having to graft it onto the existing metal, especially in the arch itself? (although my Dad does make fibreglass hot rod bodies for a living it would be easier) but as he's very clued up about panel work in general etc i was going to pick up a cheap donor car (which is cheaper than buying fibreglass copies lol) and take the front wings obviously and then drill all the spot welds and un-stitch the rear quarter panels to leave me with a pair of factory rear quarters, another set of arch tubs and a few sets of front wings.
These along with the panels i already i have on my own car (obviously having to un-stitch the rear quarters again) could easily be sectioned and widened to the width i need and then bolted on the front and then a whole new wide rear quarter welded on to give a factory looking wide arch finish and all in steel :D although being a longer process i feel this is the way to go in my opinion and also because my car is pre-facelift and i want to keep it that way (1st wide arched small bumpered vr6 powered ibiza? :p lol) would be easier to blend into the smaller bumpers etc.

Although, if anyone has the original panels and needs someone to make moulds and wanted to start selling kits my Dad could do this quite easily and im sure we could come to some agreement as its cash in both parties pockets :) plus moulds aren't all that expensive to make and you would only have to mould one or two sets to trial fit etc and iron out any decrepencies, after that they can be made as and when people want them so you wouldnt actually be losing much money! The moulds will always be there and people will eventually part with there cash if they really want them.
Plus this gives me a pattern to work to, to produce them in steel one off for my own car and gives whoever parted with the originals to mould off a few spare sets incase they dont want to use the originals on there car etc.

Sorry for the essay lol
Hope this gives people some ideas though.
Dan!
 

hakkow

KitCar Wanabee Racer
Jun 5, 2009
162
0
Netherlands
www.xclusion.nl
Wow thats a big story..

I understand peole saying they'd rather have steel panels but comparing these panels to the original steel ones, i'm happy with the fibers :) not that good of a welder anyways..
 

Presha

six on the brain
Sep 17, 2007
188
0
Birmingham
Oh yeah, and for the lights, because i had the idea to make a set too lol (great minds think alike ay?) i was going to use the set of gti lights that i've already seperated (see my build thread) and use the original reflective part and plastic back (where it bolts on the car) cut and chop the reflective part to fit a lamp into the round part then mould off the glass to make a cap that will cover the rest etc if that makes sense, therefore it still retains the original fixings both to bolt on the car and to fit the indicator to it and the factory wiring connectors so you dont have to cut the loom etc. Plus it allows you to still adjust the lights via the back of the original light fitting.

Just another idea, hope this helps.
Dan!
 
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m0rk

sarcasm comes free
Staff member
May 19, 2001
27,787
33
Clanfield, UK
Did you have to cut the original wings back? Any pics of what's under the new panel?

Am all of a sudden very interested in Mk2's again
 

Presha

six on the brain
Sep 17, 2007
188
0
Birmingham
Wow thats a big story..

I understand peole saying they'd rather have steel panels but comparing these panels to the original steel ones, i'm happy with the fibers :) not that good of a welder anyways..

Thats fair enough, plus you look like your halfway there with the fibres so abit too far to change your mind now ay? lol
Just my personal preferance, i wouldnt want to use them :) plus i'm not sure that it needs widening as wide as the kit that you have used, along with me wanting to keep the pre-facelift bumpers and not wanting to use 50mm spacers lol i think this is the best way to go for me!
Plus i can get donors for next to nothing and my Dad is a great fabricator so that also goes in my favour lol
 

hakkow

KitCar Wanabee Racer
Jun 5, 2009
162
0
Netherlands
www.xclusion.nl
Oh yeah, and for the lights, because i had the idea to make a set too lol (great minds think alike ay?) i was going to ...

I had the same idea! I was thinking of Golf 2 lamps :) I haven't used carbonfibers yet, so need a bit of practice with it before I could make something like that..

Did you have to cut the original wings back? Any pics of what's under the new panel?
Slightly.. I'm probably not with the car tonight, but I'll take pictures when I'm there (maybe tomorrow)
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
Am all of a sudden very interested in Mk2's again

Acro prop with a roller at each end - bolt a central spindle to the boot floor and spin it round adding 1mm to it at a time :) abotu 20 mins they'd be almost done :cartman:
 

hakkow

KitCar Wanabee Racer
Jun 5, 2009
162
0
Netherlands
www.xclusion.nl
uhu.. or you remove the excess steel :)
Hakko%20Seat%20Ibiza%20KitCar%20Project%20(5).JPG
 

Presha

six on the brain
Sep 17, 2007
188
0
Birmingham
Yeah me too lol seems the easiest way to go about it, i'll be using normal fibreglass for the caps as my Dads got rolls of the stuff so wont cost me anything extra.

Would be interesting to see what you've done inside the arch too...guessing the new wing is grafted onto the original wing?
 

Fl@pper

Back older greyer and less oilier but always hope
Jun 19, 2001
12,370
26
Gloucester
knowing how weak the rear end is i would have left the panels in underneath myself or at least retubbed the inners
 

Presha

six on the brain
Sep 17, 2007
188
0
Birmingham
From the pics it looks like he has left the majority of the rear quarter but chopped the outer arch away to stop it fouling the wheel i would imagine.

This is why i would do it in steel lol everything will be re-tubbed underneath and it will just be one skin of steel just further out (instead of the extra weight of the fibre wing ontop of the factory wing) strenthened inside using all factory panels and tubs etc you will have to look hard in the arches or inside to see whats been done when its finished
 

suj

Wheel Connoisseur
Jan 1, 2009
5,808
1
Birmingham
dan i'd be interested if you was to get them made, i never was a fan of fibreglass panels!

but steel...now you got my attention

it would be in like half a year when i could get funds etc, but i would love a wide bodied mk2, imagine the wheels i can have on her..
*rubs hands together*
lol
 

Dave_R

Save a Sheep...Buy Brembo
Sep 20, 2004
3,666
1
South Wales
dan i'd be interested if you was to get them made, i never was a fan of fibreglass panels!

but steel...now you got my attention

it would be in like half a year when i could get funds etc, but i would love a wide bodied mk2, imagine the wheels i can have on her..
*rubs hands together*
lol

But if you got for wide arches the only alloys that would like good on them are motorsport rims not your bbs's :)
 

suj

Wheel Connoisseur
Jan 1, 2009
5,808
1
Birmingham
But if you got for wide arches the only alloys that would like good on them are motorsport rims not your bbs's :)

how you work that out? standard bumpers, spoiler with wide arches....hmmm

i could run stupid width :D

and what you on about? have you not seen some the motorsport BBS wheels? like the BBS E30's, E50's etc? they are cool looking, super light, and stupidly strong (and if lips bent...buy a new lip, not an entire wheel) :)
 
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