Lowtechprime
Retro Grouch
Are you cutting the fenders for the flares? Otherwise, it looks like you'll have about 25mm of travel before bottoming out...
128SL Coupé winter project
- Thread starter Bjorn Nilson
- Start date
Bjorn Nilson
True Classic
Yes I will cut them. Compared to my exxe with coilovers this suspension is soft so I need more space for travel. Also, the fenderlips are rotten with tons of bondo.
kmead
Old enough to know better
Looks like the short wheel base version…
kmead
Old enough to know better
Box flares (Audi Quattro) or typical round? Box flares would work with this body and the body character line, the could start there with a nice radius and then have the leading and trailing box flare from there.
Just a thought.
Bjorn Nilson
True Classic
I've been working hard with fixing the rear of the car during the last two weeks. More rust found after removing the bumpers
as well as bad repairs
As I will go bumper less I also removed the bumper mount buckets
A lot of metal shaping and patchwork but the effort was worth it. I did my best but the result is not perfect, a little filler will be needed before painting.
as well as bad repairs
As I will go bumper less I also removed the bumper mount buckets
A lot of metal shaping and patchwork but the effort was worth it. I did my best but the result is not perfect, a little filler will be needed before painting.
Lowtechprime
Retro Grouch
You've been very busy!
Nice work!
Nice work!
Bjorn Nilson
True Classic
I never liked the rear on the 128SL but with round tail lights I think it's looking better.
I made space for suspension bottom out. 90mm of travel should be good enough. I will pick up a stretch/shrink machine tomorrow that will simplify the fender flares fabrication.
Ive been looking for different options for fender flares and decided for something like this:
I made space for suspension bottom out. 90mm of travel should be good enough. I will pick up a stretch/shrink machine tomorrow that will simplify the fender flares fabrication.
Ive been looking for different options for fender flares and decided for something like this:
Last edited:
Bjorn Nilson
True Classic
I never seen so many bad rust repairs on car before. I hope this is the last one I fixed. I expected this to be a winter project but it has now turned to be a two year project. But I don't care, I am retired so I need to fill my days with something to do anyway.
I hope this is the last bad rust repair I have to fix and instead concentrate on customisations and tuning.
The previous owner throwed a piece of metal sheet in the front, welded it on a couple of spots and then covered it with Bondo:
Not perfect but I did my best to repair the fender in a professional way.
I hope this is the last bad rust repair I have to fix and instead concentrate on customisations and tuning.
The previous owner throwed a piece of metal sheet in the front, welded it on a couple of spots and then covered it with Bondo:
Not perfect but I did my best to repair the fender in a professional way.
kmead
Old enough to know better
You are making a fine job of it. Your retirement project is progressing nicely.
autox19
True Classic
Bjorn Nilson
True Classic
Rust is a never ending story on this car it seems. More rotten areas found to be replaced by Swedish steel.
Built steel thread structures for positioning the fender flares during welding .
The cardboard templates gives a hint of what it will look like when finished. This work is so much more fun than doing rust repairs.
Built steel thread structures for positioning the fender flares during welding .
The cardboard templates gives a hint of what it will look like when finished. This work is so much more fun than doing rust repairs.
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
Absolutely!
Looks good. And I like that you are making the flares out of metal.
Strictly from a "styling" perspective (totally subjective), one thing I've always thought was slightly odd is when the front areas (features) of a car look "bigger, heavier" than the rear areas. In other words I prefer a more "arrow" overall shape pointing toward the nose, with the rear bigger than the front - as is very obvious on the X's "wedge" styling. The 128 Coupe has a raised body line toward the rear quarter panel (white arrows) that helps to achieve this front to rear balance (exaggerated with blue lines):
However this can get a little "contradicted" when the rear fenders (or flares) are smaller than the fronts. Sometimes it might be due to wider front fenders, or perhaps taller front fender flares. And the body lines of the car will further accentuate this. For example, look where your rear flares are relative to the body line (green arrows), as compared to where the front flares are with that same body line (purple arrows):
And by adding fender flares it draws more attention to the difference in the fenders.
Obviously the fender arches themselves cannot be changed to move the rears higher up and balance the fronts. But the location of the tops of the rear flares can be, making the rear flares bolder than the fronts (excuse the poor artwork, but imagine a rounder shape to the white lines):
Not changing the overall design of the flare, nor its width or opening size. Just extending the top edge of it to reach the same point on the body line as the front flare.
To me this helps maintain that front to rear balance better.
Bjorn Nilson
True Classic
I understand what you mean and I somewhat agree. I've spent hours modeling different flares. I tried front and rear flares to follow the body line but I didn't like the look as the rear flares became longer and steeper compared to the front flares. It would have looked good if widening the rear trackwidth which would have made it possible to keep the flare angle the same at front and rear and at the same time following the body line. But I am not sure of changing the rear track width is ok on a FWD car.
My design is a compromise. I've tried to make it look good without tire rubbing. I wanted the car much lower but that would have been impossible without compromising road performance.
Also, the photo is lying a little bit. The flares look smaller at the rear but they are not.
Lowtechprime
Retro Grouch
Excellent progress! I agree though, that rear flare should really be the same distance from the body line. Also, not really a fan of the skirt between the flares.. I prefer how older cars have the rocker usually rolling under.. the skirt more resembles a modern car's vacuum formed r/c car body, or even worse, a car from the '90s... 
Just my un-asked for opinion 
Just my un-asked for opinion
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
The pic posted by @Lowtechprime is a excellent example of what I was trying to describe. But I totally understand what you are saying Bjorn. It is something that can only be seen correctly in person. And it is definitely a personal preference either way.
The rockers could go either way for me; I have no problem with making them a bit more 'modern' (like in Bjorn's mock-up), or old school. If I went old school then I'd at least extend them downward more than stock. I think I prefer the modern ones though...Bjorn's mock-up looks good to me.
The rockers could go either way for me; I have no problem with making them a bit more 'modern' (like in Bjorn's mock-up), or old school. If I went old school then I'd at least extend them downward more than stock. I think I prefer the modern ones though...Bjorn's mock-up looks good to me.
Bjorn Nilson
True Classic
Thank you for comments and inputs. For weeks I've had a long fight with myself struggling with just the design ideas you brought up but concidered not to do it for performance and practical reasons.
On the red 128 SL above they've put the flares in line with the body line and I like/prefer that as well. Front/rear fender flares have same width/length/angle. Possibly the rear suspension and inner fenders have been rebuilt on this car, otherwise it must be very close to suspension bottom out. This is not a problem at the front if removing the inner fender splash shields like I did.
It is hard to see on the picture but I wonder if the car is in level because there is a big ugly gap between the front tire and and fender flare.
Here is a pic with my rear axle at bottom out. This is the reason for positioning the flares like I did. I would like the size of the rear flares the same as at the front.
As you seebelow, the car is perfectly levelled at normal drive height with 80mm space for suspension travelling. And there will be no big ugly gaps between wheel and flares.
On the red 128 SL above they've put the flares in line with the body line and I like/prefer that as well. Front/rear fender flares have same width/length/angle. Possibly the rear suspension and inner fenders have been rebuilt on this car, otherwise it must be very close to suspension bottom out. This is not a problem at the front if removing the inner fender splash shields like I did.
It is hard to see on the picture but I wonder if the car is in level because there is a big ugly gap between the front tire and and fender flare.
Here is a pic with my rear axle at bottom out. This is the reason for positioning the flares like I did. I would like the size of the rear flares the same as at the front.
As you seebelow, the car is perfectly levelled at normal drive height with 80mm space for suspension travelling. And there will be no big ugly gaps between wheel and flares.
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
I fully respect and support your choices. And what you have looks great to me. I was only thinking out loud about general styling, but since I've never had a 128 I'm not familiar with the specific challenges it poses...like every car will have. This is what makes "customizing" so much fun!
johnph
True Classic
I nominate Dr. Jeff for this month's Automotive Styling critique award.Absolutely!
Looks good. And I like that you are making the flares out of metal.
Strictly from a "styling" perspective (totally subjective), one thing I've always thought was slightly odd is when the front areas (features) of a car look "bigger, heavier" than the rear areas. In other words I prefer a more "arrow" overall shape pointing toward the nose, with the rear bigger than the front - as is very obvious on the X's "wedge" styling. The 128 Coupe has a raised body line toward the rear quarter panel (white arrows) that helps to achieve this front to rear balance (exaggerated with blue lines):
View attachment 72341
However this can get a little "contradicted" when the rear fenders (or flares) are smaller than the fronts. Sometimes it might be due to wider front fenders, or perhaps taller front fender flares. And the body lines of the car will further accentuate this. For example, look where your rear flares are relative to the body line (green arrows), as compared to where the front flares are with that same body line (purple arrows):
View attachment 72342
And by adding fender flares it draws more attention to the difference in the fenders.
Obviously the fender arches themselves cannot be changed to move the rears higher up and balance the fronts. But the location of the tops of the rear flares can be, making the rear flares bolder than the fronts (excuse the poor artwork, but imagine a rounder shape to the white lines):
View attachment 72343
Not changing the overall design of the flare, nor its width or opening size. Just extending the top edge of it to reach the same point on the body line as the front flare.
To me this helps maintain that front to rear balance better.