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BangShift Question Of The Day: Which Road Race Fender Flares Do You Like Best?


BangShift Question Of The Day: Which Road Race Fender Flares Do You Like Best?

While at SEMA this week, Brian and I saw lots of cars with fender flares of all shapes and sizes. It’s a trend that is as polarizing as the Ford, Chevy, Mopar battle, but we have to say that we dig it if the car, or truck, is right. While leaving the show yesterday we were talking about the three styles of flares most commonly seen, and which ones we liked. We’re calling them bolt on, smooth, and IMSA style, and we want to know which ones you like best, or do you really just think flares are an ugly add on that should be allowed.

You make the call, and let us know which ones you think rule the most.

SMOOTH

Smooth Z flares

 

 

 

IMSA Style 

1976-Chevy-Monza-IMSA-GT-Pruett-md

 

Bolt on 2

 

 


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14 thoughts on “BangShift Question Of The Day: Which Road Race Fender Flares Do You Like Best?

  1. Gary Smrtic

    Done properly, the bolt on’s make the most sense. Being a Mopar guy, well, and old Mopar guy, I prefer function over form, so being practical while functional is most important. Leave the IMSA fairings, and fancy, blended ones for the Decal Commandos over with the GM and ricer brigades…

  2. C Royer

    Flares, great question, Turbo Porsche, L-88 Vette style, small factory blended pretty cool, cars that never had flares is a tough one. I am looking for flares for my MGB V8 (only fit 8″ tires), have seen hundreds of flares, none I like, really not a fan of bolt-on flares because they look temporary. Probably going with bulged fenders someday (metal added on top, coke bottle shape, look stock in side view). Many answers to this question, just all what you want

  3. loren

    Depends on the car and the desired style so there’s no one answer, but (I’ve always felt) there is no reason to not do nice bodywork…the factory that pressed those panels out in the first place did, so unless it’s a racer or an off-roader where fenders are a damage-prone part, why just tack stuff onto it?.

    As a hobbyist in that sort-of thing I’ve done a couple sets of the smooth type…the first ones came out so bad (I was still a kid) it was discouraging, but then I had an opportunity to look under a “bulged” set on a Mark Donahue ’69 Camaro that was being restored, some serious hacking happened there but they got it hammered out into a beautiful thing, so just do it like that if you have to. Interestingly the same collection that had the Camaro had an IMSA Monza…each car really had the best style for it’s body shape.

    1. Dale

      I always thought the Dekon Monza race cars looked great although the variations with the giant wings would be a little much for the street.

  4. Tedly

    It’s a case by case thing for me, although the old school IMSA’s are my least favorite. Whose Z is that? That’s a sweet lookin one.

  5. Yep

    They’ve been around a while now. Though not really in the muscle car scene as of late, bolt on that is. Fender flares have been around even longer. I do kind of like them and think they look right sometimes.

  6. Patrick

    Dekon monza, great car, kicked all of the vetted, camaros, turbo bmw and Porsches asses with a small block.

  7. CTX-SLPR

    90% of the time, SMOOTH on cars. Bolt-Ons are for trucks where you can anticipate rubbing a tree or a rock and replace it.

    The other 10% of the time, IMSA does it on the right body, generally IF the car has some pedigree as a racer AND they are functionally being used. 0 points for a Monza with IMSA stuff with 14x5in wheels.

  8. Tom P

    None, SEMA was full of ugly flares. You can actually buy wheels with more than 3 1/2″ backspacing nowadays and i think i’ve even seen places that offer narrowed axles. No excuse for hanging the tires way out and slapping ugly flares over it. Might as well get a bubble sunroof and wear bellbottom pants to complete the deal.

  9. tigeraid

    This is relevant to my interests. I’m building an LSx S-10 for track day use right now, and had an artist friend sketch an S10 with box flares. Not sure I’m sold on it. You forgot stockcar style–just yank the fenders out until they fit, then brace em!

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