Arches

[mini2infiniti]

I been thinking about my mini's arches. They sit really high up on the bodywork, about an inch in fact.

I'm thinking they drilled the holes for the arch studs higher up so that they didnt have to cut any of the metal away. The chrome bumpers sit about an inch lower down than the shaped indents on the arches so something is definately not right.

I'm taking the arches off whem I have the car sprayed so should I have them fitted properly or change them for different arches that suit my car a bit better?

Answers on a postcard

[ljonez]

what arches have you got?
we had the same problem with some el cheapo sportspack copies

[mini2infiniti]

Their sportspack I been told. Maybe replica's I dont know

I've some some mini's where the wheels are nicely tucked up inside the arch but mine seem to have a permanent 4"+ gap between rubber and plastic.

[mini2infiniti]

Still not very happy with the arches I've got fitted on my mini.


They are the same as sarah&deans' Vini, but the wheels dont fill them at all

I dont wanna put spacers on, I cant afford wider wheels, and I've tried lowering it and the tyres scrub the inner part piece of the arches

What archs might suit my mini better?

[coedy]

Group 2? (like my wood and pickets but seem to look wider)
ummmm
i say try the sportspacks again, and try filling the indent on them? you dont have to worry about it lining up then, and its a simple different modification no one else has?

[ljonez]

what size are your wheels? 13x6?

[mini2infiniti]

To be honest I dont know

[jjitaljob]

12 x 6 arent they jaff?

[ljonez]

definitely 13's, look to be 6" wide?

could try some grp2 extra wide or some grp5 will look good

[mini2infiniti]

Ok I'm still not happy about the arches on my mini

I took a photo of sarah&deans Vini yesterday and one of mine too...



The same arch but Vini's are fitted about an inch lower than Jaffa's



I could smuggle a few fat people between rubber and plastic I want it to look really low and phat, so if I cut all the plastic away from the inside of the arch and drilled holes in the bodywork slightly lower down would that look ok? I cant really lower the whole car much more as the exhaust is only 2 inchs off the ground as it is.

[ljonez]

looks like they have been mounted to high at the front, take them off and redrill the holes a bit lower. it might also help with the arch-body gap.

[jjitaljob]

if you look atthe side repaters though they line up spot on? looks to me like you have probs got a patent wing been put on at some point or a full patent front end. if so thats why there not lining up as it seems strange the way they go along the wing...

[mini2infiniti]

Apr 2, 2009 19:46:36 GMT 1 @jjitaljob said:

if you look atthe side repaters though they line up spot on? looks to me like you have probs got a patent wing been put on at some point or a full patent front end. if so thats why there not lining up as it seems strange the way they go along the wing...

The side repeaters on vini have more space between them and the arches. They are almost sitting on top of the arches on my mini.

[ljonez]

Apr 2, 2009 19:46:36 GMT 1 @jjitaljob said:

if you look atthe side repaters though they line up spot on? looks to me like you have probs got a patent wing been put on at some point or a full patent front end. if so thats why there not lining up as it seems strange the way they go along the wing...

there should be a gap between the indicator and recess in the arch. i can measure the gap on my cooper if you want phil?

[mini2infiniti]

Yeah please that would be great, I know the repeaters are too close to the arch as when I accidentally pulled the rubber body-to-arch seal out I couldnt get it back between the body and the plastic arch because of the side repeater.

[ljonez]

no problem, i'll measure up tomorrow

[Phil J]

There are also some sportpac arches out there that dont fit very well
If i remember right the ones on Vinnie are genuine ones ?

Refitting them lower should make a big difference though

[mini2infiniti]

Well when dean lowered my mini I almost sliced a tyre in half because the arches cut into the rubber so I'll have to be careful how much lower I drill the holes. I will be cutting away all the plastic that cannot be seen too so that I can mount them even lower down the bodywork ;D

[Phil J]

Looking at the pic again, The arch seems too arched ? Does that make sense? Looks like the back needs to go back a bit, and the front moved in to wards the bumper? If they are copies they will be pretty flexible and that should solve some of the problem.

[timsmini]

Are they hard plastic or hard rubber
what Phil says is right, if you move the front and rear out slightly the top will lower.
I've got about a 5mm gap between the arch and the indicator if that helps.