Mk3 rear splash guards... what am I doing wrong?

[edwardb]

I've started body installation on my Mk3. The body is on the chassis and lining up reasonably well. I'm trying to fit and mount the wheel well splash guards. The fronts are going to take some tweaking, but I think will work. The rears, on the other hand, aren't even close. When set in the described location, the top and bottom I can get to work, but I have over 1 inch gap along the outside. The splash guards are basically a straight line, but the body/rear quarter panel in this area has a pretty good bulge. Even with the rubber seal added, there will be an opening, which kind of defeats the purpose. I'm as far back on the pass side as I can go, e.g. right up against the fuel filler. I don't see how any amount of bending or repositioning is going to help.

The pictures don't show the body outline very well, so I tried to make some annotations on one.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/IMG_1381.jpg?t=1299727732

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/IMG_1382.jpg?t=1299727732

I purchased my Mk3 as a roller from a fabricator, and several aluminum panels were not provided, including these. I call you some months ago and ordered. They are marked "14586" and "14585." I have another builder telling me his rear splash guards were more curved, and followed the rear body contour. Is it possible I have the wrong parts or are for the wrong version Roadster?

[Jeff Kleiner]

Edward, I added a second response to your thread posted elsewhere. In short, 14586 and 14585 are shown on my Mk4 packing list. The rear splash panels on my Mk3 packing list are #12168.

Jeff

[Andy@FFR]

The 12168 part number represents the unbent panel, 14586/585 designate LH RH after the panels been bent. These numbers did carry over to the Mk4, but when did you get you kit.

[edwardb]

Hello Andy. Thanks for your reply. My Mk3 is number 5125. I've had it about 1-1/2 years. Purchased as a roller from a professional fabricator in Ohio. I ordered/received the front and rear wheel well splash guards from Factory Five via a telephone order almost exactly one year ago on March 3, 2010. The part numbers I was told I needed were 10861 LH front, 10862 RH front (updated PN 14587 per FFR 03/03/2010), 14585 RH rear, and 14586 LH rear. These are what I received shortly after. Just now getting to the stage in my build where I'm trying to install. Thanks.

[edwardb]

Little disappointed that I didn't receive any further responses from FFR. I had high hopes for this tech support forum since my work and travel schedule doesn't make it easy to call FFR during working hours. Oh well.

But to close this out... I tried to get the FFR ones to fit, but just wasn't happy with them. Tried the various recommendations of different placements, bending, etc. I gave up and this weekend made new ones. I made patterns from cardboard, and then transferred to .040 aluminum. A little more final fitting, and both sides fit perfectly. Here are pictures:

FFR part on left, replacement part on right:
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/th_IMG_1402.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/?action=view&current=IMG_1402.jpg)

Difference between the two, with the FFR part on top. Mainly just the curve on the side and slightly higher on top:
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/th_IMG_1405.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/?action=view&current=IMG_1405.jpg)

Passenger side installed:
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/th_IMG_1407.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/?action=view&current=IMG_1407.jpg)

Driver side installed: (Note I put a notch for the tank in both sides, but actually only needed for the driver's side)
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/th_IMG_1409.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/?action=view&current=IMG_1409.jpg)

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/th_IMG_1410.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Installation/?action=view&current=IMG_1410.jpg)

The difference isn't that much, but there would have been gaps with the supplied parts. These I'm happy with. I used 10-32 nutserts and button head screws, so easy to take on and off. Now on to the front ones.

[Someday I Suppose]

Edward,

Looks great, I may be heading down the same path, my gaps aren't as large as yours, but the panel is pretty much straight up and down so the gap increases at the widest point. I was thinking of just making a patch panel and riviting it on the existing panel and then rubber coating them.

Also, FWIW, mine is #5835, I picked up my kit in December 2006. I am not sure when they went to the MKIII, but I am guessing your kit was somewhere around 2004 or early 2005.

_Scott