Rear arches

 A nice little project for this weekend, the rear arches. In the week I set up the arch template that I'd used on the front, essentially a wooden template that is the same size as the wheel and provides an endpoint to the arch. Because the rear doesn't need anything removing from the arch, I didn't want to set it quite as high as I had on the front, so I jacked the car up to suit. (I didn't want to cut the template down in case I needed it again!). Once I'd found a pleasing height to the arch, I started with an 80 degree angle and wooden sticks at every ten degrees;

Of course, at this point I didn't realise that it wasn't quite enough of an arch! The IVA manual has an initial requirement of 30 degrees forward and 50 degrees back, but also at the back it needs to finish lower than 150mm above the axle. To be honest, because the bodywork is raised where it is, it would have probably finished at the right height anyway, but just in case I added another ten degrees.

Then I needed to fill in the gaps with more sticks, and a layer of masking tape just to make it easier to work with;

A quick line and curve on both ends to make it look nice;

And a paper template to pick up the pattern;

Some aluminium fettling later, and I have a wheel arch;

As I was cutting the aluminium I simply cut a mirror image version for the other side. 

So I now have four arches. I also spent part of my garage time cleaning up and making sure I have no more excuses to avoid the wiring!

Well, one more excuse. The arches currently has no method of fixing (as mentioned previously) but the rears in particular don't even have a suitable mark where they should go. I'm thinking of some temporary fixing that might allow the arches to fit unsupported. I'm thinking about three/five drilled holes where the arch will sit, thick enough for stiff wire that can then be attached (glued?) to the arches. That way it can be fixed in place, fairly rigidly, and I can work with it as is. When it comes to fibreglassing them in place, the pins will serve as a cutting mark as well as a base for the GRP. 

The last thing I did this weekend was a visit to Aliexpress, for a magnetic inclinometer, a laser level and a 300Kg scale. With those I should be able to do wheel alignment, or at the very least camber front and rear. Toe will need the steering rack properly bolted in before that can be done.