512 Down Low?

Down Low?

I would very much like to lower the center of gravity (CG) of my car. I've done a lot of work to keep the weight of the car down and as low as I can get it. The car does ride a bit high, and lowering the sprung mass of the car would significantly lower the center of gravity. I would also like to run a wider front tire without clearance issues. This brings up the issue of fender flares. I don't much like them, and I'd like to keep from using a giant flare to stuff the wheel under as I do like the stock shape of the Mustang.

I have been contemplating the option of "raising" the fender houses upwards by about 1.5 to 2 inches in order to allow the car to be lowered by the same amount, using the same tires without large flares. At that point, I believe a slightly larger than stock flare might be able to be tastefully used on the front in order to allow a 275 or maybe a 305 wide tire.

Above: This is the car as it sits today.

Above: This is the car with the help of PhotoShop. The stock fender arches have been cut out and raised about two inches. After looking at this image, I really like the way the rear quarter panel looks here (and find that it looks extra tall in the unmolested photo above). I've also photoshopped out the louvers above the quarter panel as I've never liked them. If I wasn't in such a hurry when I painted this car, I would have removed them years ago.

I do very much like the approach that the TCP guys went for on (now) Kevin Sittner's TCP car. By slicing the top of the fender and inserting a wedge piece, they were able to bow the fender outwards like this:

If I went this direction, I would still like to limit the amount of "coke bottle" effect here, and also raise the fender houses as explained above so that I can keep the wheel mostly visible rather than half of the wheel being under the fender (personal preference I suppose).






Down Low? I would very much like to lower the center of gravity (CG) of my car. I've done a lot of work to keep the weight of the car down and as low as I can get it. The car does ride a bit high, and lowering the sprung mass of the car would significantly lower the center of gravity. I would also like to run a wider front tire without clearance issues. This brings up the issue of fender flares. I don't much like them, and I'd like to keep from using a giant flare to stuff the wheel under as I do like the stock shape of the Mustang. I have been contemplating the option of "raising" the fender houses upwards by about 1.5 to 2 inches in order to allow the car to be lowered by the same amount, using the same tires without large flares. At that point, I believe a slightly larger than stock flare might be able to be tastefully used on the front in order to allow a 275 or maybe a 305 wide tire. Above: This is the car as it sits today. Above: This is the car with the help of PhotoShop. The stock fender arches have been cut out and raised about two inches. After looking at this image, I really like the way the rear quarter panel looks here (and find that it looks extra tall in the unmolested photo above). I've also photoshopped out the louvers above the quarter panel as I've never liked them. If I wasn't in such a hurry when I painted this car, I would have removed them years ago. I do very much like the approach that the TCP guys went for on (now) Kevin Sittner's TCP car. By slicing the top of the fender and inserting a wedge piece, they were able to bow the fender outwards like this: If I went this direction, I would still like to limit the amount of "coke bottle" effect here, and also raise the fender houses as explained above so that I can keep the wheel mostly visible rather than half of the wheel being under the fender (personal preference I suppose).