I'm about to embark on making a set of flares for my 1000, the wheels stick out HEAPS, any advice from people who have done this previously?

I am intending to have the metal pieces as separate items to the body work.

Chris

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I think I have heard of people using Golf GTI flares cut out and then welding them into the Datsun guard, maybe they could be made bolt on also?

The bloke on eBay that sells they floor pans he does steel flares for 1200 ask for some pics

polished stainless would be the go for bolt ons with carbon black hex allen heads and raised tapered washers

Here people use Chrysler Horzizon flares. They are all-metal and stick out about an inch.

If either of those cars were available here I would be laughing. Seriously contemplating using the UVW map of a 3d model, get it laser cut and 'join the dots' (tack weld together). It isn't the conventional way of making them but I believe 0.7mm material or thereabouts would actually be workable enough to do the job.

If you're not sure what I mean; imagine the simple cardboard box in its 2dimensional form, a flat item that once folded and joined forms a 3d box. Same concept for this, except I won't be folding anything but joining.

Am I making sense?

It wouldn't be too hard to shape a flare from a flat piece of sheet. It would just take time.

You will need a leather bag filled with steel shot or similar and a pear shaped mallet to get most of the shaping done. Then a domed dolly on a stand and a plenishing hammer to get out any marks. It can then be finished with a panel file. No welding required.

Its a very similar process to flaring the original guard, but heaps slower.

I worked out a similar problem to make a front for my trailer. I marked up the profile to cut on the sheet so that it would bend up nicely into shape shown. The trick was to project the edge profile of the finished part onto a flat plane (the sheet). If you get the geometry right it's just a matter of cutting it out and welding it on, like I did.

How good is your maths? I imagine the flat piece of metal would look something like a smiley face. The trial and error method is to cut pieces of card out in the shape you think until you get a piece that forms the right shape when you stick it on the guard.

Do you use Solidworks? I don't know how to but I think it has a sheet metal function that might solve the problem for you.

If you're lucky my nerd gene will kick in and I'll solve it for you but I'm a bit short on time at the moment.

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Simon, I'm hearing you but unfortunately my strike rate of getting something remotely similar to the first is completely nil. Tradies of your calibre can probably do this on a Saturday arvo in the shed!

I use 3ds max, the same software that's used for games and special effects, it has an awesome feature that allows you to apply imagery to the model, UVW mapping. The basis of this function is to convert the 3d model itself into an absolute 2d model so you can apply materials and surface maps so that the model can be rendered to realistic appearance. its like producing a net of a three dimensional item.

This function can also be exported to produce line drawings that can be sent to a laser cutter.

Great trailer Dylan! I sent your items today................. Apologies.