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How to mount them there ZG Flares


240hoke

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I am selling ZG installation kits to install ZG's just how I did in this write-up. For more information go to the "Group Buy's" Forum:

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=788722#post788722

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Hey Y'all,

 

I just got done mounting a Set of Classic Datsun ZG flares on my 1971 240z to make some clearance for some more meat. I searched through the archives and used a lot of information I found. I thought I would write it up here in one big post and share my experience.

 

TO start with regardless of weather or not the flares are bolt on, doing this is NOT for the faint of heart. IF you are actually going to use the flares they was they were intended get ready to cut some metal!!!!

 

Materials:

- 24 -Allen button head bolts (I used stainless 1/4")

- 24 -AN SS washers

- 12 - 1/4" Nut inserts

- 12 - SS 1/4" nuts washers and lock washers

- Rubber welting

- Stain black spray paint

- Seam sealer and undercoating

- 3M BLUE painters tape

 

The first order of business is to mark the holes on your ZG's for where you want the bolts, try and get them as centered as possible and then drill them out to 1/4"

 

Once this is done I started off by laying down generous amounts of painters tape around my fender where the flare is to go. I would like to stress using 3m blue painters tape. Yes is god awful expensive but it wont pull your paint off!!!! Trust me I've had it happen. Once the tape is down test fit the flare. I choose to line the rear flares up with my stock lips, a little tape and some clamps will help you hold it in place....

 

wats_077.sized.jpg

 

Once you have the flare how you want it mark the outside edge with a permanent marker along with all the holes. Double check all this! Now remove the flare and mark a second line 1" below the line for the edge of the flare.

 

This picture doesn't show the second sharpie line but you get the point:

wats_080.sized.jpg

 

:flamedevi Get out your grinder or weapon of choice and prepare for war :fmad:

I used my trusty 4" grinder with a cutoff wheel, I'm sure a nifty air nibbler or something would work well. But I like sparks.

 

PROTECT YOUR PAINT towels or something...

 

Start off by cutting the OUTER FENDER along the lower sharpie marker line. VERY IMPORTANT DON'T CUT ALL the way through. Once you have cut the out fender use some pliers and peal it back to expose the inner fender. Now cut the inner fender leaving a little lip... It should looks something like this....

 

(oh and a side note, watch for wires in the passenger side fender lips, the rear harness runs through there.)

 

wats_083.sized.jpg

 

As you see you'll probably find some nice rust inside here, hey what a surprise its a Z car! Next order of business is drilling out the hole you marked.. you may want to test fit the flare again to double check them. Drill the holes out to 3/8" if you are using nut inserts like me. Once this is done you can remove the tape and go ahead and hammer in the nut inserts. Be careful that you don't warp the fenders! I choose to grind out a little bit around the nut insert to allow me to tack weld them in place. Don't want them spinning free. SO this is what ya got...

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INSTALLATION UPDATE

 

The nutserts used in the rear must be installed properly.. I did not do this in my ZG install writeup as I didn't have the tool to do so. What I did worked but it far from the best method. Most places I found sold expensive pneumatic installers ( about 100 bucks) so I just drilled a slightly smaller hole and pressed them in and then tack welded them.

 

Nutserts are made to be put in the hole and then compressed to make then permanently installed without any welding. Here is a picture is a properly installed nutsert:

nutsert2.gif

 

Pegasus Racing sells a small easy to use tool that works great for this. I just got one to test it out. It is basically just a hallow nut with a serrated bottom. You hold the nut and tighten the bolt down through the center and it pulls the back of the nutsert up crushing it into the hole. I highly recommend that you purchase a tool to install the nutserts. They are 10 dollars plus shipping from Pegasus... they come with a 1/4-28 bolt which needs to be swapped to a 1/4-20.

 

659.JPG

Here is the link:

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pro...sp?Product=659

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wats_040.sized.jpg

 

Next you have to reattach the out and inner fender to repair the unibody. You basically have to hammer the inner fender out to make a new lip. Start by creasing it a little with pliers (if you don't you'll never get it to bend it will just flex, i found this out)...

 

wats_043.sized.jpg

 

Next hammer the inner fender up to meet the outer fender. It helps to go little by little tack welding as you go...

 

wats_044.sized.jpg

 

When your done you should have a pretty nice lip there that wont cut your tire if you ever got up into this area. GO slow and make lots of tack/stich welds along the fender. Here si a picture jsut after I got done making teh lip.. its not fully welded yet. Just make sure you go slow dont burn the paint or warp the metal!

 

wats_067.sized.jpg

 

ONce your done welding apply a generous amount of seam sealer, tape everything off again and apply some paint/undercoating to finsish the lip up! I neglected to take pictures of mine. But you get the idea.

 

 

ONce the rears are complete the fronts are a piece of cake. I would bore you with details so here are a few pictures. I will say that I had to mount the flare a little higher then the stock lip to get adaquate clearence on the tire and to provide enough travel. Use nuts and washers to secure the front flare since you can get to the back...

 

wats_051.sized.jpg

 

wats_058.sized.jpg

 

wats_066.sized.jpg

 

Next order of buisness is painting the flares, and mounting them up. I sanded with with 400 grit then 600 grit and layed a nice layer of satin black on them (yes spray paint :) )

 

Many people suggested running rubber welting on the flares, and It really adds a finished look to them. It will also hide any gap you have between the flare and the body. I found some nice rubber welting through Steele Rubber Products. It came in 8 foot rolls which is perfect since each flare takes almost 4' exactly.

 

Start by cutting the welting in half length wise with a razor blade. This makes it about one inch wide which is just perfect. I then layed it along the flare and used a sharpie to make the holes and the length (metallic sharpies work awesome) Then cut out little semicircles where you marked the holes. This will allow you to push the welting in after you loosely bolt up the flares.

 

The welting:

zzzzzzz_010.sized.jpg

 

Heres a finished welting strip:

zzzzzzz_011.sized.jpg

 

Okay bolt everything up!!!

 

Heres how mine came out, I am very happy with the results...

 

watsdone.jpg

 

Hope this thread helps some people out!

 

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I am selling ZG installation kits to install ZG's just how I did in this write-up. For more information go to the "Group Buy's" Forum:

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=788722#post788722

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very detailed write up! this'll help plenty of people.

 

 

if THEY LEARNED TO SEARCH! haha

 

one question though

http://gallery.voodoo-people.com/albums/album783/wats_083.sized.jpg

 

is that picture above show the line of where the actual flare was? or the inch below of where you should be cutting?

just to clarify so people sort of know better what it's supposed to look like.

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Looking at the pictures I'm worried that, maybe, you didn't cut high enough. It looks like you only have about 2" of bump travel before the tire hits the wheel well. I've seen a couple ZG flares jobs where that problem cropped up after everything was done. Don't be afraid to take out a good deal of metal.

 

When I did my car, Amir's, and Art's I cut 6" up into the rear wheel wells. When the car's were at static ride height they all had at least 3" of wheel bump travel before contacting anything. Now, these were track only cars running 275 and 285 width tires, so maybe a street car with narrow tires and riding a little higher won't need as much metal removed.

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Yea I was concerned about this as well. I havent had any issues yet. I am runnign 245's but they are prolly jsut as far out as those guys were runnign with my offset.

 

Im going to test it pretty hard and see what happens, but all seems good now. I am runnig 275 springs in the rear and 250s in the front. THe wheel to fender gap is about 2.5 inches in the rear, I didnt measure the front.

 

I have cut out as much metal as possible for hte location of the zg's. If you raised the ZG up you will end up with hella gap between the tire and flares. And if you lower it more to close the gap then your at the same position.... My car wouldnt be very streetable anymore if i lowered it farther, subframe connectors are about 3" off the ground in the front Im guessing.

 

If you guys and interested in having me throw together a mounting package with precut welting, SS bolts, inserts and what not I can. I think the total cost would be around 55 bucks. Pm me if your'e interested

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compare the top of the rear fender on amir's car with the top of the rear one on Austin's car. They are almost the same but Austin's looks about 1/2 in or less above the top of the door handle. Amir's seems to be just below the top of the door handle.

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I find the 6" kinda hard to believe? If you look at this picture of amir's car they looks to be lower then mine do.

 

Heh... Those picture are from the first installation of the flares, when he paid the body shop to cut them out (who ignored my instructions). They had to be redone when he cut large gashes in his tires at the WSIR event.

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