Custom Side Skirts Complete!
#17
Very cool that you came up with this yourself...
BUT I cannot get over how good that MRM ISF looks with gloss black wheels...DANG...I knew I should have gotten my CV3 wheels powder coated black before I installed them...LOL
BUT I cannot get over how good that MRM ISF looks with gloss black wheels...DANG...I knew I should have gotten my CV3 wheels powder coated black before I installed them...LOL
#18
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
MYISF , it was hard to take the plunge and initially the wheels were not shiny enough for me so I wet sanded the powder coat and buffed with 4500 SF, and perfection. Correct I wouldn't go back, I just need to get everything repainted in gloss black to match, emblems and grille that is.
#19
Looks good! Id agree with doing a non cf, never know what can happen and to break or crack a cf part feels horrible. I had to go through that feeling with my old car that had a cf lip on it, saw something on the freeway at night and was too late to get out of the way and hit it.
#20
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Well men here is the verdict. This weekend I tested my side skits with rigor in situations that would test its durability and here is a quick synopsis below:
Testing situations:
Wife, and putting 2 boys in and out : Passed after my little one tried climbing in a couple of times, and yes I have done my best to train him to wait until I can assist him but he never can just wait to jump in daddy's car.
Discount Tire and Firestone: As they do my general maintenance and already have issues with the car being low they were able to manage with the out-fit of in ground racks.
PROS: A cool undertaking in which staff at work executed well for such a budget and short notice.
CONS: I have heard remarks that the plastic tends to warp in the sun. I believe this may be possibly with some plastics but not all. After I mounted the side skirts this weekend I noticed the side skirts were a bit wavy. Thus, refining the initially engineered side skirts I realized I needed to make them much more rigid so they wouldn't follow the factory body lines. Thus I ordered (1/4” x 1” x 6’) aluminum to bond them under the side skirt so the panel would remain straight and not follow the curvy lines of the factory rocker.
So, all in all it ended up being a cool project, not as efficient in terms of materials, strength, but currently with total of $210 invested and needing to get painted you can make the call for yourself. I would say at this point the AIT racing is probably the best bet for a few hundred dollars more, but I enjoy such projects.
Testing situations:
Wife, and putting 2 boys in and out : Passed after my little one tried climbing in a couple of times, and yes I have done my best to train him to wait until I can assist him but he never can just wait to jump in daddy's car.
Discount Tire and Firestone: As they do my general maintenance and already have issues with the car being low they were able to manage with the out-fit of in ground racks.
PROS: A cool undertaking in which staff at work executed well for such a budget and short notice.
CONS: I have heard remarks that the plastic tends to warp in the sun. I believe this may be possibly with some plastics but not all. After I mounted the side skirts this weekend I noticed the side skirts were a bit wavy. Thus, refining the initially engineered side skirts I realized I needed to make them much more rigid so they wouldn't follow the factory body lines. Thus I ordered (1/4” x 1” x 6’) aluminum to bond them under the side skirt so the panel would remain straight and not follow the curvy lines of the factory rocker.
So, all in all it ended up being a cool project, not as efficient in terms of materials, strength, but currently with total of $210 invested and needing to get painted you can make the call for yourself. I would say at this point the AIT racing is probably the best bet for a few hundred dollars more, but I enjoy such projects.
#25
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Well appreciated iH8RICERZ, I have aluminum strips, coming in today im going to machine in our fab shop after hours if I have time and make channels in the aluminum so the epoxy can impregnate the aluminum and side skirt for best adhesion. These will be bonded to the side skirt to increase rigidity and to maintain a flat skirt once mounted to remove waviness caused by the flexing of the plastic at mounting plates. I will remove most of material ribbing it to maintain as light of setup as possible.
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