Sportspack arches and 6x12s
Turbo Mini Forums

Two questions:

1) I want to fit sportspack style arches but I can;t decide wether it is better to use geniune ones or copies, fibreglass ones or rubber? Bearing in mind that I also want to fit the sportspack tyle sideskirts and would like the whole lot to be blended in rather than use finishing strips.

2) I have a new set of 6x12" deep dish minilites, will these work with the sportspack arches - i.e. Will they look too small, and will the front wings need to be cut to prevent fouling ( I had 5x12s before...)?

http://mini.twisted-design.net/blog/

1) I've heard the copies are a poor fit, so better to buy the originals. I wouldn't blend them in either, you'll just end up with ugly cracks everywhere.

2) 6" wheels should filll the arches ok. You will need to cut the front arches though.

Wil

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Same as Wil says.

Depending on the offset of your 12" wheels you MAY get away without cutting the arches, but might as well do it in case you want to run 13" wheels in future.

Don't you need to cut the arches to fit the sportspack arches anyway, regardless of what wheels you run?

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Good point.

And if the wheels fill the sportspack arches then cutting will be essential, but if they turn without touching then they'll not be filling the arches.

Catch 22, if you see what I mean.

wil

Fastest 998 mini in the world? 13.05 1/4 mile 106mph

Just for info - I believe Sportpack minis also have reduced lock steering racks to stop the wheels catching at the back of the inner wheelarch.

Whats the advantage of using rubber arches? Won't the paint crack on those more than on solid ones?

http://mini.twisted-design.net/blog/

The arches themselves are not rubber, they are still plastic. However, if you bond flexible plastic, to non flexible metal, with non flexible bodyfiller, you get cracks.

If you get gen arches that are plastic with the rubber trim between them and the wing, the rubber trim allows the arches to move slightly without cracking anything

I see! I always see them advertised as rubber arches, and I could never figure that out :p Thanks for clearing that up Tom

http://mini.twisted-design.net/blog/

The genuine ones on my car are plastic anyway. Can't say for definate what the copies are.

ive used both, genuine sportspack are injection moulded rubber which i found dont fit the car exactly and are a pain to reshape whereas the fibreglass copies are easily modified (even to fit a clubman or ESTATE)

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h

sportpacks cum with 13x6s with 175/50/13s. ive got the deepdish 5x12s with 165/60/12s on n they fill my w&p arches, but do require slight body mods to the front panel. so the 12x6s with 165/60/12s will fill them big arches fine. i wud defo go for the genuine arches if u can, as when fitting my copy w&p arches they were a crap fit n i ended up cutting them up n molding them to the car with fibreglass matting n resin, theyve been done for over two years n not a crack in sight unlike when people simply use a "skim of filler" they do just flex n crack. also neil8p is rite the sports pack steering lock is slightly less than ur common or garden mini. dont make a lot of differnce to be honnest with u

i have used the genuine ones and they are mint, one came off after a motorcycle hit me and skidded down the road. i got it resprayed and it went back on no probs ! i have the template kit, if you send me a stamped jiffy bag i will send some to you means you cut the right amount off...cant put back on whats been cut off lol......the offer goes out to all you guys btw.

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MikeRace, Mini13

i ran deep dish 6x12's on a car i had last year looked good and handled superb

Edited by wolfie on 16th Oct, 2005.

I've fitted the genuine arcehs to my old car, and the fit ans quality was fantastic. I would NEVER buy copies, as the originals are VERY good.