Latest update, working on Dirtbound Offroad fender flares. Fronts are almost done, then rears are next.

 

Wow... You're doing a great job.. I enjoy seeing the progress on this build...

 

Yea, that is awesome. It's nice to see those on. Their pictures don't do the same justice as yours. That is another thing I would like to add to my list of XJ upgrades.

 

More progress on the front flares. They're all mocked up now, so now I can take it back apart and paint/bedliner them, then reassemble. I'm not happy with how the front of the fender armor lines up where the fender meets the header panel, so I'm going to trim a small triangular sliver off the front of them. I've already marked where I plan to cut. They were pre-cut on a CNC machine by the vendor, but in all honesty they don't fit very well. After doing these, I'm not sure I'm going to use the rear flares I bought. I may make my own. I'm thinking half the flare on the rear door and the rest on the fender armor I already have. If I were to do the fronts again, I'd build my own and extend the flares further down the fender. Live and learn.

 

Jeep is looking good. But that clown shoe on the other hand..... I need it!

 

So you say you would have rather made them from your own fabrication? How much further down the fender would you have gone? Would it have been on the front or back side of the fender?

 

I'd extend the flares further down on the back side of the fender opening. I ended up modifying the flares anyway because I had my fenders cut out quite a bit larger than the armor panels. So I opened those up, then had to raise the flares and reshape the ends of them to fit the bigger opening. I'd prefer if the flares extended further down on the backside of the fender opening. I can see that the first mud puddle I drive through, most of it will end up on my doors instead of being blocked by the flares. Don't get me wrong, I really like them just in hindsight I'd do it differently. Maybe down the road I'll buy another set of armor and build my own flares to fit them. I can always sell these.

 

Thanks! The Clownshoe is a blast to drive. Not fast by today's standards, but it handles great and most folks have never seen one.

 

Finished these.

 

Finally started working on the rear flares. Should be finished soon and I'll post more pics.

 

Progress . . .

 

Did the bedliner today. Just need to let it dry overnight and I can install tomorrow. One down, one to go.

 

Got up early again this morning and installed one side before work.

 

Did you weld the rear flare onto the armor? It looks awesome. Did you like how these worked better than the fronts?

 

Yes welded to the armor. They worked out ok. Had to reshape the ends a little since my fenders are opened up a bit at the front edge. Also had to weld an extension on to the front of my armor panels so I had something to weld to where the flare runs along the back edge of the door. One other issue is the flares are cut with a straight edge where they weld to the armor. The XJ body curves inward where the front of the flare follows the curve of the fender / door edge so I had to cut a triangular sliver shaped piece of sheet metal and weld it between the flare and armor extension so it fit properly. I should have taken more pics. I'll take some when I work on the other side. Finished product looks good I think.