Adding aluminum panels to front of wheel well

[Gumball]

UPDATED 6/16/16 - Here's a tip that helps to give your car a more finished look. Not sure I still have the templates referenced in below, but I'm sure that someone around here may have one of those that I sent out a few years ago.

Original post follows.....


I've seen a few cars with this (I think Jack Wojack has this on his car), so I can't really give credit to anyone special, but thanks to all who showed that this is an easy mod to add a finished look to the front wheel wells from both outside and through the open hood, as well as providing a bit more protection from road debris.

After making templates out of poster cardboard, I bought a sheet of .040 aluminum from McMaster and started cutting. I used a drill to do the corners, including the four corners of the radiator relief holes, then a band saw, shear, and air-powered jig saw to cut everything out. I bent the edge that mates to the front of the "F" panel so that everything lays flat. The two holes near the top on the leading edge are for the mounting bolts that hold the Breeze hood hinge bracket in place. The hole on the bottom leading edge is for the Breeze lower radiator support bracket.

Thanks to all who gave me the inspiration for this one!

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20131129_2147311_zps5cf8de1d.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20131129_2147311_zps5cf8de1d.jpg.html)

Driver's side from the wheel-well:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20131129_2148041_zps5a6dbb25.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20131129_2148041_zps5a6dbb25.jpg.html)

Passenger side view from engine compartment:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20131129_2148451_zps5726d4b8.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20131129_2148451_zps5726d4b8.jpg.html)

Driver's side view from engine compartment:

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20131129_2148241_zps148b7f5f.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20131129_2148241_zps148b7f5f.jpg.html)

[carlewms]

Chris,

Looks great! Another thing for my list.

Carl

[DaleG]

Chris, that is really nice. Really adds a finished look to the engine bay.

Cheers, Dale

[Cobradavid]

Very nice!

David

[frankeeski]

On my to-do list. Templates are made, just need to transfer to aluminum and finish. Thanks for the reminder. :)

[WIS89]

Hey Chris-

Very nice job; really completes the look of both the engine bay and wheel well! You need to share that template. ;-o)

Very professional look!

Regards,

Steve

[Gumball]

I'm making one for someone already... wouldn't mind making another. You guys will have to share with others, though... just transfer them to metal, then mail the template to the next guy who asks!



Hey Chris-

Very nice job; really completes the look of both the engine bay and wheel well! You need to share that template. ;-o)

Very professional look!

Regards,

Steve

[Gumball]

Today's TTT on an old how-to thread - one that will make quite a difference in the finished appearance, airflow, and weather resistance for your car without much effort or money. I added these after the F-panels were in place (fairly late in my build, actually), so no problem for those of you with finished or nearly finished builds, as well as those just getting started.

As mentioned in my edit to the original post, I'm not sure if I have the templates laying around still (been a few years since the original post), so maybe some of you who I sent copies to will offer them up for others here.

[unrealmach1]

Really Cool! I like that a lot.

[6t8dart]

I like it!

[Jazzman]

Thank you, Chris, for dredging up these potentially forgotten ideas. I really appreciate your finding and reposting them.

[2FAST4U]

Oh joy. Now I can make more aluminum panels! Well done! Going to add to mine as well

[cgundermann]

Awesome!

[MPTech]

After seeing Chris' original post on this, I made a set for my roadster as well.
Pretty straightforward with the body off. I brushed the aluminum on the inside and covered with Shark-hide, then applied truck bed liner on the wheel well side to blend with my existing inner wells.
Nice touch and I've had several comments from other builders (Noobs just think it is part of the FFR package!)

Thanks again Chris!

[Gumball]

TTT for WIS89 - if anyone has a template for these leftover, can you reach out to him to get a copy sent his way?

I made quite a few back when I first did this, but don't have any left.

[WIS89]

Hey folks-

As Chris mentioned, if anyone has these templates, please PM me.

Thanks in advance! And thanks Chris for your help.

Regards,

Steve



TTT for WIS89 - if anyone has a template for these leftover, can you reach out to him to get a copy sent his way?

I made quite a few back when I first did this, but don't have any left.

[NAZ]

Wonderful job Chris. For those interested in building panels like these with complex cutouts, a small router is the way to precisely cut sheet alum. Works great for 6000 series alloys and leaves a nice edge. Use a straight edge for a guide on the straights and for things like wheel wells or complex curves I cut a plywood guide.

[michael pavon]

Really nice!!
So just to ask but any chance anybody have those templates??

[KDubU]

That is a great solution. Definitley would be nice to get a set of templates as I know my skills are not up to the job of creating my own.

[Gumball]

That is a great solution. Definitley would be nice to get a set of templates as I know my skills are not up to the job of creating my own.

You'd be amazed at how easy these were to make. Just get some large pieces of cardstock / poster paper from a place like Hobby Lobby, take a few measurements, and start cutting. You may have to do a couple attempts, but the paper is cheap and once you have it just right, you simply transfer it to a sheet of aluminum (available from lots of places - but I bought mine from McMaster Carr).

If you do make templates, be sure to make a few extras and offer them to others so we can continue to help the rest of the guys with their builds!

[Markie D]

I too would really like to get these templates. It really does finish off the front of the car.