Serious Question: Why is this cool?

[ClayW]

I've scanned through enough online build threads to see an analog of this picture at least a few hundred times. So, in all seriousness, why is it so important to get the wheel and tire so close to the fender lip in these lowered cars?

Seems like a recipe for damaged wheels and tires to me. I'd suggest that I'm too old to be in the in crowd, but then, I never was in the in crowd.

[Swiftus]

Because its DANK! YO!

From a suspension standpoint, if you can maintain those tight tolerances AND achieve the amount of suspension movement you are looking for, there isn't any harm.

From an aero standpoint, the less of an ability that there is for air to move across the top of the tire, the better. The top of the tire is moving twice as quickly with respect to the air as the car, which makes for really high drag. Many racing leagues have 'clearance' rules that dictate the fender must remain a certain distance away from the tire throughout all of the suspension movement. Sometimes safety is named, other times areo advantage is named as the reason for doing so.

I don't find the tight tolerances between the tire and fender the issue. If there isn't ever any contact, who cares what the clearance is? The part that I find silly is getting wheels so large that the tires becomes an afterthought. Wheels with 15 or 10 percent profile tires belong nowhere except on either a forklift or railroad maintenance vehicle.

So, its cool because its difficult to do right. Just don't add 35* of camber as well...

[M3M3]

i shouldn't touch this...but..

its cool "because".

why do people wear croc's and shower shoes (flipflops) in winter?

why to people wear ugg (ly) boots in summer?

why do people wear pants halfway down their asses and baseball hats crooked?

because individualists seek to do something different, by doing the same thing as others they want to associate with. there is no logical reason for following fads, in fact, most fads defy practicality to the extreme...just to provoke the type of question you asked.....

i am a function above form kinda guy, but i can appreciate the amount and creativity of the work some folks put into car fads.

i wouldn't be caught dead in anything that has been slammed, poked, stretched, tucked or prodded, but dang, it takes some serious fabrication skilz to make some of those cars as undriveable as they are!

its all car stuff, so it is good...;-)

[Chamonix72]

I feel the same about this type of thing as I do about people who do complete nut & bolt restorations. Neither are really my style, but I admire the skill and dedication it takes to do correctly.

[roadhog0]

Sometimes it just works that way. But it can chew up tires... I have about 3mm TOPS spacing between my fender and rear wheel on my 2002. Got a rock in there and took a small gouge out of the sidewall :/ I need to roll some fenders now.

[jgerock]

I feel the same about this type of thing as I do about people who do complete nut & bolt restorations. Neither are really my style, but I admire the skill and dedication it takes to do correctly.

To each their own. Until you actually perform such a restoration (not refurbishment as commonly done nowdays), the satisfaction of completing each task and the entire project is amazing. Working on either a "driver" or "concours" vehicle takes lots of patience and money. Spending obscene amounts of money on vehicles that you can never get back on must be realized when the project is started.

[UroTrash]

Why is this cool?

How exactly is a rainbow made?

How does posi-trac work?

[Emyers]

LOL....my son is heavily into the watercooled VW scene. Has a 97 Jetta that he has heavily modified. Two different coil over suspensions and now the car is riding on a very complex air suspension. Even though I have reminded that Bags are for groceries, and that his rims are way proud of his tires, we poke fun at each other's cars. His attention to detail and ability to fabricate and turn wrenches is years ahead of my capabilities when I was his age. He is a bona fide car guy, even if his tastes are a bit strange.

Earl

74 02Lux

02 M Roadster

72 Volvo 1800ES

[Otis]

Touchy subject - If we're not careful with the tone, somebody's going to get stabbed in the face with a soldering iron.

[UroTrash]

Touchy subject - If we're not careful with the tone, somebody's going to get stabbed in the face with a soldering iron.

I'm so immature....one of the best movies EVER!