Fabrication of arches

[Stuart]

A quick question for all of those fabricators out there

If I wanted to make up some arch extensions for the BMW, would 2mm aluminium be suffice or would you just go for steel? I know that there are pro's and con's for each style of material as in ease of use, cost etc but it's the actual strength of the things that I'm interested in.

I will be having a play around with some designs but essentially it will just be the box/DTM style ones found so prevalently on 190's, old school E36's etc

Nothing posh but very functional.

Any advice or guidance before I commence will be great. I know young Rob is more than capable of helping, designing and making these but relying on his ridiculous level of knowledge takes the fun out of it.

[Daniel]

i cant see what would be wrong in using 14 guage aluminium (apart from maybe being a bit soft) but if you wanted something a bit substantial then i wouldve thought that 14 guage steel would be better. will they be rivveted on or welded to the car?

[Stuart]

I'd prefer riveted as that can be done in the absence of an adult

I imagined that the extension would be almost like a right angle section, maybe with a small return towards the tyre. Surely that would give a bit more strength. It would need to be pretty tough, just in case I go *ahem* off the track to avoid *cough* a slower car

[Daniel]

riviting would be better should you have a *mishap* on track and need to replace lol, so maybe we need to go up a few guages to make sure it's pretty tough! 12 or 10 gauge will do (2.5mm - 3mm)

[maff]

Ok bear with me i know its a datsun, one fo the girls at work has a husband that makes fibreglass bits, for scoobys normally, but ive asked for some copies of whats on this... still early stages, but if he can make them from scratch, he can make das barge versions.

http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/JT-PERFOR ... QQ_armrsZ1

and

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUBARU-IMPREZA-BO ... .m14.l1262
(yes i apreciate those ones are just trim pieces and you'll be hacking your arch away, and tubbing it).

Besides, what strength do you need there? unless your worried about the tires at the inside of the Esses.

[Stuart]

The S13 ones are cool as they actually serve a purpose. The other ones are gash (in my opinion) as they do fook all other than act as 'trim'

Please enquire young Maff but I think I'll be visiting the metal merchants

As for strength, bits of rubber and mud at 100+ bend things

[Gerry H]

2.5 - 3.0mm steel is verging on plate and banger spec. You'll find it difficult to cut and work with the tools you have. Stick with light weight which will yield under impact rather than transfer the shock to the rest of the wing/chassis and will be relatively easy to pull/knock out again without resorting to the need for oxy/acetylene.

[RPS13]

After our chat at the unit I have a plan Stu ( well, 2 actually but 1 is lazier and can be done quicker). Can discuss over a beer or see you at the unit soon. I am picking up the new toy this eveing so want to bring it over and put it on the ramp for an inspection soon.

I would go 20gauge steel for simplicity, and you wont have to worry about galvanic corrosion.

[Stuart]

After our chat at the unit I have a plan Stu ( well, 2 actually but 1 is lazier and can be done quicker). Can discuss over a beer or see you at the unit soon. I am picking up the new toy this eveing so want to bring it over and put it on the ramp for an inspection soon.

I would go 20gauge steel for simplicity, and you wont have to worry about galvanic corrosion.

I was only thinking that whatever is used for Betty can, in theory, be used for any E36 and if we/you're clever maybe other similar cars too

[maff]

I know your stuck onm metal, but i found these

http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.c ... e=1#897942