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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Sebring flares/wings/guards/fenders

I am trying to find some photos of a roadster with Sebring style flared wheel arches.I have found numerous GT's but few roadsters. Also I am unsure as to the variety of flares available - I expect there would be everything from stick-on flares to full replacement guards? I need to make this decision as it will set the path for wheel choice; suspension mods, etc. I am not looking to build a radically different looking car, but want to include wider tyres/track than standard body work will allow.
Photos/links/opinions welcome.
Steve

Steve, I sent you some info on my flares by email. Hate to rouse the defenders of allmighty board integrity by shilling here.
Thomas Rynne

Steve,

I just got my Rover 3.5/Sebring Roadster conversion on the road in January so would be happy to pass along photos of the project.

I purchased my fender kit from the MGOC in the UK. They provide full front fenders and rear quarters. Because of the work involved in getting the front fenders to fit correctly, I would suggest cutting off the flares and bonding them to a good set of steel fenders. A lot of work went into getting the shape correct where the fenders meet the windshield. Original metal fenders would have made this a lot easier.

The rears are less work in terms of fitting but still takes time.

As for running gear mods, not a lot except for lowered springs front and rear (bodyshell started out as a '79 RB, now converted to CB). Otherwise, stock MGB RB front x-member and rear axle with 3.07 gears. I'm using 15x7 Minilites with 205/60-15's. I could have put 215's on the back but wanted all 4 tires the same size.

Here's a link to an American company selling just the Sebring flares:

http://www.morspeedperformance.com/bumpers_replicas.shtml

If the link doesn't work, just go to www.morspeedperformance.com and click on the "bumper replicas" link. This is the kit I'd use if I wanted to do it all over again.

Contact me if you'd like to see what a roadster looks like with the kit. Just got back from a car show today and had lots of compliments on the look.

Cheers
Simon
Simon Austin

I too am thinking of sebring flares.
Just wondering how the handling is affected especially the steering with wheels a good few inches outset than standard.
How do they drive compared with standard?
Do different kits vary in the width of the flare?
Im running 15x7 wheels with 205/50 tyres under the stock bodywork and would like to go 225/50 at the back on custom wheels by Compomotive to give the right outset.

Mark
Mark

Simon- yes please on those photos! I had heard that there is a lot of work to fit the MGOC kit. Currently not sure if I am totally sold on the rears as i think they might be a bit "square" - which i think ties in OK on the GT but is not quite right on the roadster.
I have a panelbeater who is very good and experienced with fibreglass also - we will be discussing options including hand making flares from sheetmetal, so looking for different methods/kits people have used.
Handling is another matter - I will have ps so not sure how much it matters! Does anyone have stories/ details of excessive suspension wear or loss of drivability due to wide front wheels? (and what was done to fix?)
Steve

Hi Steve,
I totally agree with Simon's comments. I bought my kit from MG Motorsports in the UK, great quality but (like Simon's experience) hard to fit the fronts as they all seem to be for the GT not a roadster like mine. If I did it again, I would cut the front flares off and fit them to the steel fenders. In fact, Doug Smith at MG Motorsports suggested this route when I purchased them, at the time it sounded like a lot more work, but with the benefit of hindsight I wish I had listened to him.
Regards
Tony
Tony Bates

Steve- I'll get you some photos to you today.

Mark- what offset are you using to get 205's to fit the standard bodywork? I've only seen 195's fit under there. My 205's with the flares only give me about two fingers width between the flare and tire.

I'd love to see a steel flare kit but would think the cost would be prohibitive. I seem to remember there was someone here on the forum who had posted pics of his conversion with steel flares. Very impressive.
Simon Austin

Just sent you the pics, Steve. Let me know when you get them.

Simon Austin

Steve there are some pic's of my flared BV8 at www.mgbconversions.com. I do have some photo's of the flares in progess also. If your interested I can try and scan them and send them to you.
Bill
bill jacobson

Steve,

Just got an auto-reply back from your email address stating undeliverable. Might have to adjust your filters a bit to receive anything from us.
Simon Austin

Simon - try this email - should not have a size limit.
I have received some photos so if not from you thanks to whoever! (Black rdstr sebring arches and MGC bonnet)
Steve

Steve,

Talk about timing, I was just thinking about this last night!

I'm interested in getting fibreglass flared guards for my MGB Roadster as well. The fronts are pretty rusted so I figured I might as well go for Sebring style flared ones at the same time.

This is for a race car so perfect fit isn't so important. I must admit I'm a bit surprised the GT ones don't bolt straight up on the front? Are the front guards on the GT that different? Or is just that the kit isn't top quality.

Where do the rears stop/start in terms of fibreglass? I can understand the fronts are a simple bolt on job, but the rears on the roadster seem to be all one piece (I guess you have that ridge line that runs to the top of the tail lights?

Simon, I'd love to see the pics if you could send them my way.

Bill, I'd love to see the in progress pics if you get a chance to scan them. What material did you make the guards/flares from?

Steve, I'm surprised no one sells them in Australia? Worst case like yourself I've got a contact in Mt Druitt who can supposedly make anything fibreglass for not a lot of dollars, I'm tempted to just give him the front guards and get him to make some fibreglass ones with a flare on it around the wheel arch. I'd probably have to design the flare, but it can't be too hard to do it.

The rears are a lot trickier as my passenger side is almost completely gone since it was so rusty, so I'd almost need to buy a new guard from which to make the mould. The drivers side is ok.

I'm going to do some ringing around next week and see if anyone has kits in Australia for these, and I'll post the results. I might enquire with some of the car clubs. If you could update on how you go that would be appreciated.

Cheers, and thanks to all posters.

Byron
Byron

Byron - I'm not getting in to too much ringing around yet as my project is some time off but I have quite a few photos of sebring enhanced cars if you want some - thanks to everyone that sent pics and links.
MGOC advertise their fender kit "for GT and roadster" not sure if they mean the same kit fits both or there are diffent kits? Either way the general consensus seems to be cut the flares out and graft as per the rears - which appear to be a peice about as wide as the wheel arch
I have seen progress photos on the web that I didn't steal so will send you the link if i find it again. Are you doing a V8 conversion? or just body work (and wheels - I hope!)
Steve

Roadster mudguards have rectangular cutouts on the top for the windshield supports to pass through. GT mudguards do not.
Barrie Egerton

Steve & Byron,

Just sent the photos to your addresses. My car is grey, not the black one.

Let me now if you get them. The MGOC kit asked which car the kit was for as the corner of the front fenders are different where they meet the windshield but as I mentioned, this was cut extensively to make it work anyway. The rear quarters work for both cars. Just cut off what you dont' need.

Cheers
Simon
Simon Austin

Byron
I'm still trying to get the pictures scaned, with out much luck. I'm having scaner to computer interface problem's.
Flares are fiber glass bonded on the original steel fender. Rear's are opened up and I made a steel inner arch, that is welded in place. This makes the outer and inner fender, a one piece steel unit for strength. Then the outer fiber glass flare is then bonded to the steel fender. If you were to look up inside the wheel well, it looks like a one piece unit. Hopefully I can get the pic's scaned, as they show what I am talking about.

Bill
bill jacobson

Will look forward to seeing the pics Bill, because your car is (at the risk of sounding a bit Aussie)"bloody beautiful mate!"
Steve

Steve - Bills car is even more impressive in person :drool:

I am working on the website a little again, I had a server failure a few weeks back which took a long time to recover from. There are a few cars up there with flares, but I think Bill's is the only roadster.
Larry Embrey

Hi all,

First up, thanks for all the info and pics from people. All good stuff and gives me plenty of ideas.

My car will offend purists so please don't read if easily offended.

My car is a 64' MGB, which has been the subject of a very long and drawn out modifcation process. It was intended to be a street car, but the regs have changed over the years so now it's going to be a pure track car.

I have an old website with some info on it, if your interested.

http://users.bigpond.net.au/byronl/

My main reason behind flaring the guards is all about clearance. The fronts do clear the tyres but it's pretty tight, some Sebring type flares would certainly help. Plus if I can get fibreglass ones, then that's even better. I may make my own in steel and then get some fibreglass ones made. It all depends on what I can find I guess. Cost is obviously a factor. I'll update as I go.

For the rears I've got some 9.5" rims on at the moment. The current 9.5" fit in neatly and with the lip cut off don't hit. But I do have some wider outer rim sections to make them 10.5". Given I'm gonna be racing I figure wider is better so I'll flare the rears to take advantage of the bigger rims. Once again I'll post on how I go. The current 9.5" fit in neatly and with the lip cut off don't hit.

From looking at the Sebring kits for the MG GT from a book called "improve and modify your MG" I think the Sebring fronts and rears will do the trick in terms of space. I've just got to find someone who's selling the guards or even the flares so I can add them. I'm thinking of doing what Bill has done and just add the flares for now, but before racing take fibreglass moulds so I can replicate the guards if we have an off.

Thanks again and I'll keep the BBS posted.

Byron
Byron

Did some ringing around and have yet to find someone in Australia selling such kits. All the guys so far have'nt heard of anyone doing them and these chaps have been in the industry for years.

One of the guys reckoned he'd heard of guy in Victoria doing them, so I'll hit the phone again today.

I got a quote from MGOC for the full 4 piece sebring kit shipped to Australia. Shipping alone to Sydney Airport is 700 pounds! Plus whatever duty and taxes there are.

That makes the total cost ~$2000US.

I've asked if they can ship by sea. Also I might try
http://www.morspeedperformance.com/bumpers_replicas.shtml

and see if shipping is cheaper since they are only selling the flares. This is not perfect IMHO, as I'd then need to graft them on, and make moulds so I can make complete fibreglass guards.

More updates soon.

B
Byron

This thread was discussed between 20/08/2005 and 06/09/2005

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