Guest Anonymous Posted May 2, 2002 Share Posted May 2, 2002 Hey Zedders, I'm at ends with a decision. I've been looking into getting some wider wheels (actually in the process of buying some right now) for my '79 ZX. I was going to keep the profile low enough to fit the tires without flares (i.e. 235).. As people have fit up to 255's I've seen w/o flares. However, with a 255 compared to the 185's I have on there now, with the same backspacing, the new wheels/tires would stick out another 3", definitely necessitating flares. Now the only place I've even seen that sold flares for the s130 is Victoria British .. whom I've heard mixed things about, and actually seen Z's suffer from bad F'glass panels, requiring major modification to fit. Get this- they're steel, 2.5 front, 3.5 rear.. and $400 per pair! Ouch! I need some help here guys, if anyone knows of a better place to score some flares that will fit my 280zx, clue me in! TIA -980mak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 2, 2002 Share Posted May 2, 2002 Ditto what racer x said, that is good advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted May 2, 2002 Share Posted May 2, 2002 another good source for flares in jy is early eighties supras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 Genious, RacerX! Thanks! Hopefully I can get some time tomorrow to go down to the local yards & see what i can find. That would most definitely save me some serious $$$! Imagine.. graemlin rear quarters.. now THAT's a hybrid Z! -980mak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 I spoke with a guy at the JY recently and he had just cut the quarter panels off of a 944 Porche to mold onto a Zcar. He had also gotten the front fenders to cut the flares off them also. The idea sounded good, they would look like smallish box flares. We even held one of the quarters up to a ZX to see how they would look. Not bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jwelch Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 That is good info. I never even considered this? DAH? Could save a nice chunk of money. Regards, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAW Posted May 4, 2002 Share Posted May 4, 2002 I've been watching this thread with interest, as I'm wondering what to do with my ZX that's almost ready for paint. My ultra-cheap approach would be to fit plastic flares from a VW Jetta. These line up pretty close and look no worse than...a Jetta. The Porsche 944 box flares sounded interesting and it dawned on me that I've got an '87 Conquest TSI (boxed flares) parts car that I could harvest for flare panels. Has anyone tried this or seen this done? The biggest problem I see is the leading edge of the rear flare/quarter panel of the Conquest extending farther forward than the rear edge of the 280ZXT door would permit. I was thinking of cutting the box-flare off square at the ZX door edge, letting that creat a "scoop" opening in which I'd put a mesh grille (like the JCR 240Z big flares). DAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAW Posted May 7, 2002 Share Posted May 7, 2002 Thanks, Racer X. I was also considering putting the box flare on across the ZX door, then measure and cut the Conquest panel where the ZX door edge lies under it. In other words, split the flare panel and incorporate the front section onto the ZX door panel, then close off the cut ends so they don't show when the door's opened. Know if anyone's done the fronts? DAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 Hey if anyone gets this done and mounted, even unfinished or unpainted, I would definitely appreciate some pics to give me ideas. I caught a serious cold this w/e, been in bed most of today with a 101 fever... kept me away from the JY. I'll hope to get better and do some searchin around later this week. -980mak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 i read somewhere that what looks good on a z generally doesnt look so good on a zx. the hottest thing i ever saw for a 280zx was this one thread where some european z place was offering a g nose, and it makes that car look real good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayAreaZT Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 I know someone who flared his 280zx. He said he just bent the metal and welded on some additional sheet metal to extend it out a little. If you were at the MSA show the car was there but not entered in the show. It is a blue 280ZX with body kit, whale tail, and cowl hood. I could try and get a pic later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratedZ Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 It was this G-nose I wish I could afford the shipping otherwise it would be on my zxt... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted May 9, 2002 Share Posted May 9, 2002 "with the same backspacing, the new wheels/tires would stick out another 3", definitely necessitating flares." 980mak, why stick with the same backspacing? That implies you're only increasing your contact patch outward and not inward at all. Their is room to go in on the ZX....bigtime out back. 245's fit up front fine as you know and I'm positive 275's fit the rear easily and even more likely 315's as is (with coilovers). If you want flares that's fine, but you stated the same backspacing as stock which is a curiuos criteria to build upon IMO. I prefer to keep my wheel centreline within an inch of OEM if possible to minimize the change in bearing loads regardless of width. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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