[clanceman427]

Hey, any drag racers out there, what is your method for cleaning the stuck-on burnt rubber particles off of your quarter panels and trim while not doing damage? Will wax and grease remover for bodyshop prep work ruin clearcoat? Currently I use a hose and my thumbnail, but this is obviously a longer process, and dirtier for my thumb.....I'm in the process of adding mud flaps to my car for reducing this problem with my drag car.

someone once told me that pam or cooking spray would minimize the rubber sticking- i tried it once but i think once the pam dried it made an even bigger mess.

 

[clanceman427]

Thanks everyone for all the help, good stuff. I'm gonna try these suggestions out. I am also going to attempt to make homemade mud flaps/wheel tubs/fender flares to minimize future mess. My car uses slicks that protrude a good 3 inches beyond the wheel well at the top (minimum) so I am finding rubber splats on things like my side view mirrors, doors, c-pillars, etc. The car's wheel wells and frame are uncut, and that's been my mission to keep it that way. With the size slicks needed to hook well (which it does), I have overhang. I'm OK with the "high school harry" look but would like to contain the rubber mess as best I can. we'll see....

Kevin

 

[clanceman427]

thanks guys, think i might try the spray on stuff 1st since that's the easiest. Geddex also makes the easy-off shoe polish for dial-ins and racer numbers, that stuff is great (don't let the tech inspectors slop on regular shoe polish on your car, have that Geddex at the ready!)

ECI, you and I are on the same wavelength, you described exactly what I am planning.

Searching McMaster Carr and MSC, I've found that it's tough to find black high density polyethylene material in the size I need/want. I'd need around 65" length of matl., about 12" wide, 1/8th" thick. The standard sheets don't come that long, and larger sheets get expensive (for homemade fugly mudflap flares, at least)

I ordered in a smooth rubber floor mat from mcmaster, it was black, and the right thickness, but too flimsy. Need the mudflag matl., which one mudflap vendor says uses 1/8" thk. high density polyethylene. I know there's a solution out there, still searching. Home Depot didn't have anything for this application.

Kevin

 

[clanceman427]

Thanks Hemikiller, you and I are on the same page too, I found this place which is near Buffalo and had the same materials:

http://www.professionalplastics.com/

What a coincidence, I just got the email that my order shipped today!

Kevin

 

[clanceman427]

update: flares coming together

Here's an update, I found that plastic supplier on the net and I noticed they had general purpose ABS plastic sheets in black. Based on the description I decided to order some in. If .093 thk. or less they can roll it for shipping (48"x96" sheet was only size that filled the length requirement). sales guy helped me with suggesting cutting it down to my 12" width requirement (which saved immensly on shipping) so they sold me the sheet cut down in 12" x 70" strips (approx. what I needed with some extra in case).

This was exactly what i was looking for! It's light, hard yet flexible enough to follow the fender contour (@.093"thk.) and it comes with one side smooth, the other textured (I'm putting the shiny side out for looks). I was able use the chrome trim screws as anchors, and I even was able to put the screws in backwards and use them as locating "center punches" to mark where holes needed to be drilled. Here are some pics. I'm gonna slot the holes so I can adjust how wide I want the flares to stick out. Plus I gonna trim them down and radius the ends for a better look. Function and a decent look are my goal. Some residual rubber in a small amount near the bumper may be unavoidable, but I'm sick of the rubber and dirt all over my car! I'll take some shots when they're completed on the car.

 

[clanceman427]

Whaat....you no likey?? People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones....or should i say people with rain gutter grilles.....haha just kiddin' man I know it won't win any popularity contests but it will do what i need it to do. after all, i have rock chips up near the door from the slicks picking up stuff at the track (i try to always pit on pavement but some big events you have no choice and it's grass/crushed stone areas)

i got no room back there for any more backspace, the frame rail and wheel well are sooo skinny on room. I acually started with 9" slicks (didn't hook), went to 10.5" slicks (didn't hook) and now i'm at 11.5" slicks (finally hooks, 1.48 60ft.) and carries front wheels for 1st gear.

you'll love this: i have 2 different style wheels out back, one 4.5" backspace, one 4" backspace to try and minimize the stick-out of tires (ford 9" in gm G-body with whacky un-equal sized stock wheel wells)

 

[clanceman427]

yeah, I'm a big fan of the 70's stylings. didn't you notice the cragar ss/t wheel?? if not for the open headers for racing, i'd probably have side pipes on this thing.

Kevin