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MG MGA - Stone chip protection - mudguards (fenders)
Attached are couple of photos of a local club member's car showing his ingenious stone chip protection device that is handy for anyone whoever gets off the tarmac (blacktop) or uses sticky tyres. (My own cars are sand blasted back to bare metal in these areas!). Black material is 1.9 mm polypropylene sheet held in place with fold back (Bulldog) clips. He is considering replacing with black Esselte Nalclips for more aesthetic look. Mike (Nice VTO wheels also) |
Mike Ellsmore |
Is it necessary to protect the complete wheel arch? Most of the wheel is inside the arch and only protrudes at the start and finish of the arch. If widened wheels are used then complete coverage would be required. Mick |
M F Anderson |
Yes your right Mick, they don't have to come all the way up the guard, depends on what rim width you are running. With my 6" rims they would need to be about 45 cm. long. I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to suggest that some my make them longer than required when creating a cafe racer! Mike |
Mike Ellsmore |
I've seen a car with thickish clear contact on the paint in the area behind the wheel where the sandblasting happens, works great Most upholsterers have it for sticking on ute trays where the covers rub throgh the paint They use it on the front as well instead of bonnet protectors--looks tidy willy |
William Revit |
Practicality 8/10 Ingenuity 10/10 Aesthetics 3/10 I will vote for anything that encourages folk to use these cars for the purpose intended. |
Roger Walker |
Sounds like overkill to me. Even on Dave Godwin's RIP, I can't recall any severe wear in the paint after thousands of km on African /desert / non-existent roads, nor after his Silk Road trip. |
Dominic Clancy |
You can buy the clear stuff at most auto parts stores, at least here in the US. From 20 feet it's invisible, and it 100% protects from stone chips. It can also be used anywhere that something contacts the paint. On my MGC GTS I have it on the rear arches and under the plastic headlamp fairings. On my TC I put a strip under the windscreen seal (windscreen folds so rubber scrapes the paint). Some people put it on the front of their car but that's going a bit too far for me. No matter how good a job you do, it will be visible in that location. |
Steve Simmons |
A lot of our cars are used on dirt and gravel autokhana and motorkhana tracks for Club Competition events during the year so certainly need some protection in this area, especially the ones running wide sticky rubber like Direzza 03G tyres (competition rules require competitors to use same tyres whether you are running at Avalon gravel track, Rob Roy mud OST course or Phillip Island raceway - MotoGP circuit).
A few photos from the recent Roy Roy autokhana/motorkhana in the link below show the conditions (some MGA drivers were also attempting handbrake turns in an effort to keep up with the midgets!). https://mgaregistervic.wixsite.com/2021/set/7c3587ee-f727-4692-9b81-4486e7ed8668?pgid=keymtvj9-d3de95d0-648b-47ad-88d7-875eddd8a3cb Also another couple of pics showing damage (patina) to rear guards when not protected. Mike |
Mike Ellsmore |
Hi Mike, the Sydney club came up with a cheaper & easier solution, we had stickers printed with "stone chips are the best trophies". The latest one has MG inside the recycle arrows triangle with "recycle drive an old MG". |
I Hazeldine |
This thread was discussed between 05/03/2021 and 06/03/2021
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