Le Mans recreation

Thanks Stephen the time has come to make the decision, either to make it look an original or different there is no doubt it would look pretty beefy with the large tyre setup. Well it's not an original so what the hell, as you say in the day they where large, so let's bring it up to today,

[mettersl]

Think your over estimating the weight difference Lee :0). Tyre would be no heavier, wider but smaller sidewall, can't see 1.5 inches of wheel rim and 2" of diameter adding 5 kgs letter alone 8. 3 -4 maybe.[/quote]

Yes Tony I probabaly am...
The calculator above estimates 5kg. The wheel design is an important factor and the originals are lightweight for alloys.
As you know I have a couple of smarts....one is running 35 profiles, 2 inch wider and 2 inch larger than the other. All tiny compared the here...235/35 17, vs 185/55 15, weight difference is significant , but I haven't weighed them so I'm not sure, estimator puts it at 5kg.
Whilst I like the lively feel it gives the car, the ride impact is significant, especially around here where road maintainance is poor. It rides and behaves better on rough roads on its winter tyres which are the small size on steels.
Tyres and wheels these days are often for looks not performance, cars are a limited life fashion item now after all (to be controversial). There are a few road tests that have compared the effect of wheels and tyres and concluded that largest isn't best if performance is your goal. If it's visual, then of course bigger looks better. More tyre choice is key factor too.
The Le Mans that's on here today with the non oe alloys looks great to me, as does OE Le Mans. Whatever Custard chooses will look good,

Is there a place that sells alloys where you can go and you can see different styles put on or next to the car to get a feel of what it would look like. Also where can I obtain the frunt indicators that fit in the frunt bumper as well as the fog lights.

Interesting running 18 on the rear would look amazing and the tire choices are very good, it is the frunt that is the problem if you had a larg rim on the rear it would look like a drag car unless you had a 17" on the frunt, so I put the rear tire on the frunt it looks just right in diameter it fills the arch that is a 225/50/15 however when you turn the wheel to turn left the wheel just hits the lower cil. This is with the LeMans kit on by this I mean the inner lower wheel arch is cut right back to the cil when you fit the new frunt end on so the arch is larger than standard so they could fit a larger wheel, I reckon I could fit a 205/215/40/17 but it would be fag paper fit I could not see that fitting in a standard arch.

17/18 AZEV A combo on my Injecmo

That looks really good what tyres sizes are you running on that, and what's the ride and handling like.

205/40 17 fronts 275/35 18 rear. Have coilovers on so ride comfort is adjustable. Handles great , have gone back to standard wheels with R888s now though as I wanted the 18" Azevs for my 3.0 turbo and they were a one off set especially made, so irreplaceable. In my experience 215/40's fit without rubbing on later cars but foul on earlier cars just due to poor build quality. Basically every one is a little different.

Well progress has been slow but the body is now on and bonded, plus the bumpers with all the brackets made fitted and bolted, the kit is good but there are no brackets with the kit, and as it is a different shape and size it takes hrs of measuring and removing and replaceing before bonding the brackets on to make sure the panel and gap fit is perfect.
The car looks wider than the standard Lemans to me at the moment with the different colour panels, but once the paint is all one colour on it will look standard.

[BIG_MVS]

Looks good! Don't forget to make templates for the brackets in case someone else does what your doing, could be some cash back

[stephendell]

Mr Gamblen needs front bumper brackets!

Looks great, what colour did you decide on?

Dave

The word bracket has been banned from the workshop for the next week or so, The front bumper is not too bad as you have to bond the fibreglass bump panel which you have removed from the existing bumper, but its central location is critical, you then have to Pull in both sides with an upper and lower bracket which I made out of stainless steel bonded to the bumper and bolted to the car.
The rear bumper is the hard one as you have side brackets which you can't get to, the positioning is crucial to get the top gap right with the rear wheel arch the bolts do up from inside the bumper, but you have to mark where the bracket needs to be on the inside of the bumper to bonded in the right place. I will make templates of them but the difficult part is actually getting them in the right location.
Colour 95% made my mind up to keep it red, I know from experience if you do a fancy paint job you won't wanna take it out or use it too much in case you scratch it, and as I use this car a lot I don't wanna worry about the paint if I park it in a supermarket or on the road side it's there to be driven and enjoyed.

Well work has got in the way but progress hopefully should start to pick up, should be ready for paint in a week but got held up with door hinges after checking them both top pin had sheared in the middle as you could see the top bit moving but the bottom static.
What a pleasure it was to do the pins had just rusted solid in the middle as there is no way to get lube into the pin but with some fabrication of an extractor there all ready to go back on.

Well work has got in the way again but painting it tomorrow. The amount of work preparing and painting the door shuts and edges to the bonnet etc, The bumpers have had one coat of lacquer now just a rubdown with wet & dry and one more coat and a polish. Have now had enough of bodywork all that will be left is putting it all back together.

Well it’s done 4 base coats plus 3 lacquer so when cut back and polished hopefully will give a deep look, went for the period Alpine Renault sports bluethanks Mvs.
After the nightmare rear arches choosing a dark colour which would highlight any defect was a big gamble but I think it’s come off

Very nice should detail well
Are you going to PPF it after all that work.
I want to see more can't wait.