The CF Bedford Rebuild Begins

Part 19: The rebuild starts - the flares

Working out the flares has been a bit of a mission, not only the gapping (clearance between flare lip and tyre) but also the wheel tubs, as these are apart of the flare.

I decided on a 30 millimetre gap between tyre and flare lip.
Reason for this is the front wheels need to turn and if there was no gap the tyres would rub at every turn.

I need to work out a few things, like ride height, suspensions lowest point (on bump stops) so as if the van ever does bottom out it wont rip the side of the van out. Also the low volume cert. says there can be no tyre outside the vehicle so the flares most go over not only the tyre thread but also the sidewall, which in some ways works out well.

The frame work is sort of done here, with the 30mm gap the flare lip will go over the tyre if it bottoms out. The way I worked it out was remove the jag shocks/springs and rest the arms on the bump stop mounts (without the rubber stops), adding 30mm for the wheel tub height and with the van sitting like this I will make the flare around it, while trying to keep a decent shape.
Box flares would be so much easier but they are so ugly.

The idea of the skirts being skinnier than the flares is for a flick or run off in case I should scrap the side it should slide up and along. Might even be aerodynamic lol.

The wheel tub will join to be the inner flare (what no one sees) and the outer flare being what is seen. I might have to move the van soon so can't drop the suspension yet for one final clearance check.

Here is the inner flare or wheel tub welded to the outer arch. The flare will go off this arch to the side of the van.
This is the wheel bottomed out (with bump stop removed), shows I'll still have clearance if the van ever bottomed out this low .

More on this as I start welding some steel.