Front Wheel Well Sheet Metal

[jaw777]

If you are just starting your build, install the sheet metal in the front compartment of your kit with clecos before you route any brake lines, coolant lines, shocks, control arms or your sway bar! You can remove these as needed to install the aforementioned parts.

Now, for those of us who didn't get that piece of advice before you got started, is anyone else having as much trouble as I am getting the sheet metal in? Are all of the pieces critical? What is the downside of not installing? Is there really much protection if they have to be hacked up to fit?

Protecting the coolant lines would seem to be the biggest concern. If one were to bust do to a rock or something, I think you would have to remove the side sail to replace it, which also means removing the door and fender. Not a lot of fun.

Any pics and or advice would be really welcome. Thx.

[07FIREBLADE]

I trimmed some of my pieces to fit not much but a little for clearence issues. Im really having trouble though with the new front end it seems to have the same aluminum according to ffr. They didn't send me new aluminum so thats going to suck. Im really debating on how much of it I will keep. I feel like they are important to have to keep things clean and safe from like you said the occasional rocks. I would at least install all of the aluminum that goes along the frame and up to the nose. You could always at this point replace your coolant lines with the hard lines so your only fail point would be at a joint but that should be 5yr 60k miles down the road at the earliest. The fender would need to come off and the side sail but the door can stay installed. Its not to bad maybe 10-15mins per side once you've done it 10x

[ben1272]

Taking the front suspension off the car doesnt take too long either. Probably worth the effort.