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Why do all manufacturers of fender flares for the C5 make the exact same type and style? Basically a copy of an entire body panel with a "bubble" to fit a bigger wheel/tire combo.
It's been the same fender style for years and there is still pretty much nothing for the fronts of our cars for those of us what want to run a deeper wider wheel out front.
Time to change things up and modernize C5 body mods.
THESE... why has no one made this type of fender flare for the C5 and C6 yet? The body style and lines on the C5 are perfect for this kind of fender flare versus a whole body panel that just bubbles out.
You're not reproducing a whole body panel so you don't have to worry about wonky gaps everywhere and bondo/cutting. You're not painting a whole body panel and if you offered carbon fiber, maybe you wouldn't need to.
Plus... it looks bad ***. Rivets and bolts and exposed hardware are race car. RB/LW, 6666, RWB... are all making body parts that put whatever we have to shame.
I agree. Every time I see a C5 with just rear fender flares, it takes me back to 1973 in California when so many C3's ended up with hippy rear flares on 15X10 wheels, but stock in the front (:
its the corvette community , they basically don't want this kind of stuff
As the younger generation gets its hands on them it might slowly change.
Im with you , those wide bodys you posted look really nice
Although for me id be tempted to have them moulded into the panels a little more professionally, but I do like the raw look of the rivets too
I don't mind molded panels and flares that are blended into the body, it's just that that style is the only style we have and it's a bit... boring. No one's even tried to do something different with those style of flares either (J's racing S2000 front fenders for example are sexy AF). I can count 20 different C5's at a car show/meet/track day all running the same thing. It would be awesome if the corvette community- especially the C5 community- could open up a little bit. There is so much out there in the automotive world... some days are like Plato's cave on here.
I don't mind molded panels and flares that are blended into the body, it's just that that style is the only style we have and it's a bit... boring. No one's even tried to do something different with those style of flares either (J's racing S2000 front fenders for example are sexy AF). I can count 20 different C5's at a car show/meet/track day all running the same thing. It would be awesome if the corvette community- especially the C5 community- could open up a little bit. There is so much out there in the automotive world... some days are like Plato's cave on here.
Js racing
I agree man
Most of this cool stuff is coming out of Japan, some of Germany and Europe, but not really in north America.
If it wasn't for the Japanese the entire automotive world would be much worse off, we owe a lot to them.
North America is probably in last place when it comes to automotive innovation of any kind.
Im in the middle ..or the beginnings actually of going widebody, and I am going to have to do my own front fender flares because there are really no viable options out there
I love these add on type flares....they looks so functional and raw. I know they're not for everybody, but they would really add life to the C5 platform for future builds.
i am failing to see how adding fenders that look like they are bolted on to fit a bigger tire makes it more modernize? those fender's in the pics look like they belong on a truck and while some are done very good it still looks busy and very cheap looking imo
Why do all manufacturers of fender flares for the C5 make the exact same type and style? Basically a copy of an entire body panel with a "bubble" to fit a bigger wheel/tire combo.
It's been the same fender style for years and there is still pretty much nothing for the fronts of our cars for those of us what want to run a deeper wider wheel out front.
Time to change things up and modernize C5 body mods.
(short answer) the manufactures follows the money,
------
a very high percentage of the corvette crowd is very reserved, they are very picky, likes to keep things safe(not branching out to be different), and "old" (lack of better term) style, and afraid of change
if there was big demand for aggressive body parts you see today on import/euro cars for corvettes or domestic car enthusiast, you can bet there will be plenty of shops trying to make money
its not just the corvette crowd, but as domestic car culture as a whole in general needs to loosen up a little to change and try something more daring and different
looking at SEMA pictures this year, domestic car culture is slowly changing it up (about damn time) modern and old-school alike are now running airbag suspension, adding front splitter, splitter rods, diffuser, spoilers, big wide wheels and etc.(basicly parts the domestic crowd would frown/hate upon, when seen on a import car)
I my self comes from the import crowd, and have dealt many different type of automotive culture, from domestic, imports, lowrider, scrappers, stance, dragracer, autox racer, streetracer, lifted trucks, rock crawlers, etc... so i am very open minded to things,
heres some pictures of my close friend'ss car
we did all the work our selves ( of course except for paint )
Liberty Walk E92 M3
RocketBunny GTR (first in the U.S)
Custom Flared STi
cutting up a 1 year old GTR in the garage
my close friends were egging me on doing something crazy to my C5Z, they wanted to help me make my own custom fender flares inspired from Rocket Bunny and liberty walk, DTM, GT cars,
that custom fender flare you see on the blue STi, was design and made by my good friend Kartlon back in 2007, since then he sold over 200(maybe more) $400-500 profit each set
I was very close pulling the trigger, we did some sketch design, then calculated the cost and estimated labor time, then i ended up backing out hahaha, i just couldnt justify spending so much money and so much work/time, the risk and reward doesn't pay off to me, theres no demand for this kinda stuff on the corvette crowd, if there was a big demand, you can bet i would have done it for sure,
then again my style has always been more "balance", I was never really into full blown race car look, i am more of aggressive but clean show and go type of style
heres my old STi, much like my C5Z, its built to show and go, with similar exterior simple mods yet aggressive enough
this photo was taken 2007, " stance " didnt even exist at the time, it ran well into low 11s, not impressive now but back in 2007 its a was stop light murderer
my bad for the long post, i just been under the weather this past 2 weeks, i just been sitting in front of the computer all day and bored
Last edited by Revolver ZSTi; 11-13-2015 at 01:40 AM.
I agree and I'm one of the older crowd. I recently was at a show and took the time to check out a C5 with flared rear fenders. It did nothing for me and actually ruined the look of the rear of the car. I had been considering doing it to my car. Years ago I was heavily into performance rallying, 100 mph down dirt roads, sometimes even at night. So I could definitely get into the Euro mod look,maybe add on flares like the pics show. Even the C4 used them on the '96s. I like the performance look as long as its not stupid or ricer looking, more like the Euro DTM cars. Plus it could also be more affordable to do if you didn't have to replace and fit body panels and paint to match. Something to think about.
(short answer) the manufactures follows the money,
------
a very high percentage of the corvette crowd is very reserved, they are very picky, likes to keep things safe(not branching out to be different), and "old" (lack of better term) style, and afraid of change
if there was big demand for aggressive body parts you see today on import/euro cars for corvettes or domestic car enthusiast, you can bet there will be plenty of shops trying to make money
its not just the corvette crowd, but as domestic car culture as a whole in general needs to loosen up a little to change and try something more daring and different
looking at SEMA pictures this year, domestic car culture is slowly changing it up (about damn time) modern and old-school alike are now running airbag suspension, adding front splitter, splitter rods, diffuser, spoilers, big wide wheels and etc.(basicly parts the domestic crowd would frown/hate upon, when seen on a import car)
I my self comes from the import crowd, and have dealt many different type of automotive culture, from domestic, imports, lowrider, scrappers, stance, dragracer, autox racer, streetracer, lifted trucks, rock crawlers, etc... so i am very open minded to things,
heres some pictures of my close friend'ss car
we did all the work our selves ( of course except for paint )
Liberty Walk E92 M3
RocketBunny GTR (first in the U.S)
Custom Flared STi
cutting up a 1 year old GTR in the garage
my close friends were egging me on doing something crazy to my C5Z, they wanted to help me make my own custom fender flares inspired from Rocket Bunny and liberty walk, DTM, GT cars,
that custom fender flare you see on the blue STi, was design and made by my good friend Kartlon back in 2007, since then he sold over 200(maybe more) $400-500 profit each set
I was very close pulling the trigger, we did some sketch design, then calculated the cost and estimated labor time, then i ended up backing out hahaha, i just couldnt justify spending so much money and so much work/time, the risk and reward doesn't pay off to me, theres no demand for this kinda stuff on the corvette crowd, if there was a big demand, you can bet i would have done it for sure,
then again my style has always been more "balance", I was never really into full blown race car look, i am more of aggressive but clean show and go type of style
heres my old STi, much like my C5Z, its built to show and go, with similar exterior simple mods yet aggressive enough
this photo was taken 2007, " stance " didnt even exist at the time, it ran well into low 11s, not impressive now but back in 2007 its a was stop light murderer
my bad for the long post, i just been under the weather this past 2 weeks, i just been sitting in front of the computer all day and bored
That's a lot of really cool stuff there, especially with the GTR, takes a lot of ***** (and money ) to jump in head first with a high end car like that.
As for me, I like flares and all that, but to me a true "widebody" is one that's sort of moulded into the lines of the car.
My all time favorite was the "overfenders" that a few lexus guys used to run.
They added a whole new dimension to the car, and when completed looked almost factory.
Again, these should be offered for the C5's, but the market is probably just not there yet.
As a few people I chat with know I've been wanting this look for a few years now. The Liberty Walk and Rocket Bunny look isn't for everyone...but I LOVE the look. I'm one of the people sitting on the sidelines waiting for something to get offered for the C5. IF I had the talent and resources I likely would have done something already. Hopefully we do see some options in the near future.
What's next, fart cans coming out either side of the C5....? Most of the pics, references are of imports w flared fenders, bolt on fenders... they don't work on the C5... THAT is why it hasn't been done... Let somebody in a C5 pull up to one of our C&C events or Corvette GTG's in something like that and they would be ridiculed from the second they arrive. Yeah, flared fenders are a horrible idea and look hideous on our cars.
I'm having trouble respecting the thread when you say things like "sexy AF"
Do you think pumpkin spice is "tasty AF"
Since you're so "bored AF" with the corvette body mods, design some of your own. I agree it would be "cool AF" to see some more options, but I think exposed hardware on a street only car is "tacky AF" and "ricer AF"
Seriously, why don't you go to starbucks, go all "white girl AF" on a cinnamon dolce latte, and start drawing up some ideas. I'm sure people here would be "totally willing AF" to help.
I think the import pics above look awesome, but they are full race looking kits. If my C5 was a deticated full on race car I could see doing it.
I like my CC flared rear quarters, they don't appear to be stuck on. Look like they came that way, and for me, I hate double sided tape stick on components, cheesy.
Just prefer mods that don't detract from the cars lines, and are well done. Over time from my experience most body kits end up shaking loose, busted up junk. Can't even count how many times I've seen old vettes and imports with there custom body panels floppin in the wind.
It's to bad Supervettes isn't doing a C5 kit. Hell I want to buy a C6 just for there kit.
I began my custom setup a year ago, but moved cross country, and had a hell of a time with the move (large shop, lots of tooling, several cars, etc). I JUST got my z06 to my new place last month, then was caught up in prep for SEMA myself, with another company.
I'm making a setup for myself at this point, but I am making molds. I have several design renderings, and I will be going rivetless.
This was mockup in foam...initial shaping stage (pre-clay)
Pre-clay and very initial stage. Lower piece will seam where the quarter meets the lower panel and have a different shape with an integrated brake duct...so essentially disregard the lowest 5-6 slats of foam...they will be eliminated post molding the top quarter overlay portion. Hard to visualize from this pic, but...it's underway.
After a year of this on hold, I am now finally getting back underway. I have a wheel deal pending with Rennen International for the project...we spoke at SEMA and I did projects with them before. Car will have aero in a way that hasn't been done yet.
People can hate on it but they're often the same people with lambo door kits, chrome inserts and/or just a lack of vision to do something not readily available.
As far as the SEMA vettes...I'll tell you now, the yellow C7 was from extreme dimension, and the kit in person...was pure garbage. It used one piece fender overlays that overlapped seams, the seals were hacked...it fit really poorly as well. Junk.
What's next, fart cans coming out either side of the C5....? Most of the pics, references are of imports w flared fenders, bolt on fenders... they don't work on the C5... THAT is why it hasn't been done... Let somebody in a C5 pull up to one of our C&C events or Corvette GTG's in something like that and they would be ridiculed from the second they arrive. Yeah, flared fenders are a horrible idea and look hideous on our cars.
This is a pretty funny statement.
15 yrs ago when my shop was pushing out turbo'd DSM's, Honda's and Toyota's, the V8 crowd at the street races all referred to turbo's as an "import thing"...carbon hoods and carbon body parts as "ricer", etc. Having followed the Japanese cars scene for 20 years, the amount of influence they've had on domestic builds starting in approx 2010 at SEMA MIRRORED that of what imports were doing 5-7 yrs earlier.
Saying mods are for "imports" and these mods are for "domestics" is just a narrowminded statement. It's a car...period. The widebody's allow you to put more tire under the car. For some stuck in the world of taking a Corvette, build for a road course, and turning it into a straight line car with no front end grip and skinny front tires, it's no surprise you don't understand. Not all of us want to go to a drag strip.
The era of road racing is upon america in many ways. We see "pro-touring" builds, "pro-daily" builds even in the 60's era cars. The number of road race builds using 2nd gen camaros this year at SEMA were more than ever. People want to push cars the way they were meant...under braking, lateral load, and acceleration. That requires aero, downforce, grip, etc....and that's why these cars are evolving in this manner.
11-12-2015, 07:50 PM
Different fender flares
