The Maier stuff looks good in the 1.5" flares IMHO, but I never really cared for the look of the 3". The 1.5" is subtle enough that the flare is almost not noticeable until you look closely. The 3" flares just look out of shape to me and never looked "right".
Now if we weren't on opposite sides of the country and had met sooner, who knows what kind of trouble we both could have gotten into!
Since I have a full set of fenders, quarters, front bumper, rear bumper, and door skins for an IMSA GTO / SCCA Trans Am Capri.
These are off a Tom Gloy Capri from 83/84 and have the exact shape and look you are going for. The door skins are NOS (if there really is such a thing for race cars/race parts
) as they have never been installed or even painted. As you stated the fender/quarter flares go onto to the door surface too in order to improve the aerodynamics and the overall look of the car. These are the same flares that were used up to 86 even on the Mustang versions of the IMSA/Trans Am cars when everyone switched from Mercury Capri's to the Ford Mustangs in 1985/86.
The fiberglass is easier to fabricate and lighter than most of the steel versions, but as you stated there can be cracking issues depending on how well the fiberglass is supported and how well they are reinforced. The pieces I have are complete, but do have some damage due to racing contact that I need to repair, but otherwise they are in very good shape except for the front bumpers which seem to have taken the brunt of the impacts.
Your method of doing the rear quarters is how I had planned on making a set myself until I finally found this set of original IMSA flares and couldn't pass up the chance to own them. If you do the full IMSA style, the most challenging will be the front and rear bumper covers as the IMSA/Trans Am units are widened compared to stock and its not as simple as just cutting the cover in half and filling in the center section (Don't ask how I know!
)
Let me know if you need measurements, pictures, details, etc. on the flares as I tried for awhile duplicating them myself and although I got close, they never looked just right.
Trey
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