In the May issue of PHR, we showed you how to gain inward wheel clearance for big meats on just about any car by using a custom mini-tub. But what if that’s just not enough for your rolling-stock ambitions? That’s the case we found ourselves in with Max Effort; at ride height we had no room left for wheel travel during suspension compression. Compromising on size wasn’t an option, and lower control arm clearance limited our offset, so that only left one alternative: It was time to create a little more outward clearance with some custom flares.
In spite of its Trans-Am and Grand Am inspired execution beneath the skin, we want to keep Max Effort’s aesthetics simple and true to the Cougar’s distinctive body lines. No trucklike or generic-looking flares would do, and we certainly weren’t about to simply attempt to porta-power the sheetmetal into submission. To do it right, the plan necessitated a from-scratch approach to create an entirely new wheel arch that exactly mimics the Cougar’s flares, just larger.
The first rule of flaring:...
The first rule of flaring: Know exactly what size and offset wheel you plan to run, as well as the widest tire you anticipate using, and have it on the car for accurate measurements. Our choice for Max Effort is Forgeline's new ultimate bad boy, the GA3R, in 18x12 with 335/30R18 Hoosier R6 tires. Thanks to I-beam-spoke technology
and titanium hardware, this is the lightest and strongest wheel Forgeline has ever made.
Max Effort’s lead fabricator Ryan Kertz of Kertz Fabrication is no stranger to crafting custom wheel arches and flares. He immediately recognized the challenge at hand; ’67-68 Cougars have a very complex double reverse body curve that creates the flare. Reproducing it per factory with correct body lines in a timely manner was going to require specialized tools and lots of experience with compound shaping. Unfortunately, Kertz’s schedule was consumed with SCCA racers waiting for his work, but lucky for us he did know just the right old-school metal shaper to call in for assistance: Norm Archer.
Archer has been sculpting sheets of metal into complete panels, and even complete cars, for over 30 years. If you hang around the high-end custom cars at Goodguys shows or the Grand National Roadster Show, or immaculately restored vintage racers at the Monterey Historics, you’ve likely seen his work. Actually, since he relocated his shop to the peace and quiet of Sonoma County Airport, quite a few vintage and antique planes are now sporting his handiwork, too. Luckily, it just so happens that one of Archer’s specialties is creating custom flares. Custom flares can make or break a car, so if you’ve ever pondered crafting some, pay attention as Archer shows the work involved in making others wish they had your wheelwells.
Looks cool, right? The problem...
Looks cool, right? The problem is fairly obvious, though; ride height is 1-inch further down, and at that point we've got less than zero room for wheel travel even with a flattened wheel lip.
The second rule of fl aring:...
The second rule of fl aring: Set your ride height exactly where you want it, and make sure full suspension travel is taken into account. Ryan Kertz and Filip
Trojanek of CorteX Racing took measurements and determined our wheel flare needed to be 1-inch wider and moved 1-inch upward on the body.
We want Max's flares to look...
We want Max's flares to look like
Mercury intended them, so Norm
Archer began by taking an
impression of the stock front flare.
The arch differs slightly front to
rear, and we opted to copy the more graceful front version.
To create the skeletal shape...
To create the skeletal shape of the flare, Archer begins with 1/4-inch hot-rolled round bar, which is easy to hand-form.
Note the fuselage shape of the Cougar's body; we want to mimic this in the new flare so that it flows naturally with the body.
Archer has an eye for spotting...
Archer has an eye for spotting the shape he needs; oddly enough the quarter-panel from the vintage Porsche Speedster sitting
next to Max Effort was exactly what he was looking for to create a consistent arc.
After measuring the height...
After measuring the height of the Cougar's large body line and the angle at which it rolls inward, Archer tacked on an appropriately tall piece of round bar and checked its inclination with
a level.
Using some wood shims to hold...
Using some wood shims to hold the round bar away from the tire to account for clearance, Archer used a large pair of calipers to draw the arc that would be the new location of the beginning of the flare. Note the old flare has been cut away.
To fill in the flare, a second...
To fill in the flare, a second arc was bent to form the upper edge of the lip. The outward curve was formed with small bits of welding wire. Note the varying severity of
the curve in the wire; that's
necessary to create a flare
that is larger, but still meets the stock body lines.
With the framework of the...
With the framework of the flare finished, Archer uses painter's paper to make a template of the quarter-panel. The mirror image of this will help him locate the other rear flare in the same position.
To create the template for...
To create the template for the flare itself, Archer first stretches masking tape across the framework. By laying the tape diagonally he gets longer, more fluid lines. The upper green tape marks the attachment point of the flare to the body.
Once peeled off the body,...
Once peeled off the body, Archer cuts slits along the flare to release the arch and lay the template fl are on a sheet of steel
to cut the basic shape. The cuts tell him where lots of shrinking will be necessary. An awl is taped along the edge of the lip so the shape transfers to the steel.
Look closely at the metal...
Look closely at the metal and you can see all of the Cougar's body lines flattened out. This is critical for making sure everything lines up proportionally as the flare is shaped.
Using a pair of fl at-jawed...
Using a pair of fl at-jawed shaping pliers, Archer begins the bend between the main arch of the fl are and the body line.
To begin bringing the arc...
To begin bringing the arc around, Archer uses the contracting jaws of a metal shrinker along the body line. This effectively shortens this area relative to the
opposite side.
Though the progression of...
Though the progression of the flare looks good, this is actually the last stage of it being a single piece. To be able to create the complex flares necessary to mimic stock, the flare will be cut in two just above the bend for the body line.
Now the serious shaping work...
Now the serious shaping work begins; Archer pulls on a set of ear muffs and puts the upper section of the flare through the first of many runs on the power hammer. The relentless pounding against a sharply rounded surface under the flare speeds the shaping and forming process dramatically.
Archer also employs the English...
Archer also employs the English wheel to add shape, as well as smooth out any dimples created by the hammer or shrinker.
Reverse curves are notoriously diffcult, so Archer actually moved back and forth between these machines to coax the steel
into shape.
A metal shaper's toolkit is...
A metal shaper's toolkit is varied; here Archer is using a pipe
with the radius he wants to
hammer the leading edge
of the flare against a forming
bag filled with lead shot.
Satisfied with the progress...
Satisfied with the progress on the upper section of the fl are, Archer began the equally tricky body line section of the flare by bending the edges over on an anvil with a mallet.
Were you wondering how he...
Were you wondering how he was going to get that concave look? Much of it comes via the English wheels and a moderately aggressive die that will slowly press it in as Archer rolls the steel through.
With the majority of the work...
With the majority of the work finished, Archer very lightly tacked the two pieces together and attached them to the quarter-
panel as a test so he could stand back and see exactly what areas still needed work.
We're about 95 percent there...
We're about 95 percent there on the shape of the flare, but Archer determined a little more reverse curve was needed on the flare and lip. We're out of space here, but head over to PopularHotRodding.com
to see the final flare fully molded into the body lines (as well as larger versions of these photos).