To Cut Rear Arches Or Not!?

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Since I'v taken the Rallye apart I'v been mulling over whether or not to cut the rear arches back for the S2 106 rallye wheels (6j) Its not a decision I'm taking lightly and really don't know what to do and need you advice and opinions.

 

The shell is absolutly 100% rot free original UK Rallye, it will be on a rebuilt 1.6GTI beam. I don't want to be worrying about the tyres catching on the arches when I have people in the back, but I don't want to ruin the shell.

 

What do you think?

 

a ) its only a UK Rallye, cut it up and grow a pair!

B ) its genuinly quite a rare car don't hack up a tidy shell!

 

I'm seriously stuck on this one HELP

Edited January 30, 2011 by allye

[steve@cornwall 100]

Since I'v taken the Rallye apart I'v been mulling over whether or not to cut the rear arches back for the S2 106 rallye wheels (6j) Its not a decision I'm taking lightly and really don't know what to do and need you advice and opinions.

 

The shell is absolutly 100% rot free original UK Rallye, it will be on a rebuilt 1.6GTI beam. I don't want to be worrying about the tyres catching on the arches when I have people in the back, but I don't want to ruin the shell.

 

What do you think?

 

a ) its only a UK Rallye, cut it up and grow a pair!

B ) its genuinly quite a rare car don't hack up a tidy shell!

 

I'm seriously stuck on this one HELP

 

 

 

 

Not a lot of point to the arch extensions if you don't

[MerlinGTI 3]

Don't cut.

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

CUT! but take your time and do a really good job of it

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Great, oposing views, not helpful!

 

the reason I got got the arches in the first place was because the 6j wheels poke out the front standard arches which plod wouldn't like! So the rears are only on for looks, but if i do cut them back they will have a purpose I suppose!

 

I can use pretty good air line tools to cut it back so should be able to do a good job.

[Peetypug 5]

A for me!

If your putting arches on anyway it won't be seen.

Just do a good job of it

[tomcolinjones 26]

A for me!

If your putting arches on anyway it won't be seen.

Just do a good job of it

 

I second this! i will be using gti trim on my base model to acomodate the 309 beam

[miamichris 9]

I have series 1 106 rallye steels on my Xs, which runs a 1.6 gti beam and I have no issues as they are 5.5j I think?

 

May be the solution to your problem, you won't have to cut it and you still have rallye steels

 

Just an OT question, are you going to put in the 1.6 gti compensator since you're changing the beam? I never did as I forgot about it at the time and was just wondering what other people have done and whether its really needed.

[GTI6BOY 29]

Why do people always have trouble with stuff that i never?

 

Had my rallye slammed 40mm on s2 wheels and never had scrubbage?

 

If you have trouble the stick a couple of bigger tb's in the axel to stiffen it up

[gowmonster 2]

just make sure you rust treat the cuts, or it wont be rot free for much longer

[JoshGti 8]

Dont cut!

 

Id give my left nut for my gti to be rot free, and I love the look of a rallye and would own one over my gti any day of the week, so owning a rot free rallye, I'm very jealous. And you should probably be listening to the answers like that of gti6boy, as he obviously has a legit insight into the mods your looking at doing, opposed to people who just want you to cut it for the sake of your arches function

[dumbiron 0]

Don't cut !!! Its not a common GTI after all

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Putting bigger TB's in isn't really going to solve the problem as it will still rub before it hits the bump stops.

 

As for the compensator, yes I'mm changing from the base model set up, 2 lines going to the rear, to 1.6 GTI set up, just one line to the rear so only one compensator, not sure where I will put it, on the bulk head some where maybe.

 

This afternoon after reading some of the comments I was all raring to go and cut it up! but not now! this is my problem

 

I know jonnygoodhand cut his but regretted it.

[dumbiron 0]

Why not have a hunt for some rims with a different offset ?

I have been looking recently and found a few with et16 , et19, et24, et32 all in 5.5x14 (yes i know your are 6x14 but got to be better than cutting up the shell!!)

[trogboy 17]

I ran S2 steelies with a 1.6 beam on my Rallye and never had any issues with scrubbing...

 

I say give them a go before you start hacking the shell about as you might be able to save yourself a job.

[SurGie 54]

Dont cut it.

[djvu205 1]

dont cut. if its a good one it would be a shame to cut it. also if your thinking about it now, it obviously something that concerns you. it will for ever be on your mind.

why cant you cut up a base model shell or a gti for that matter?

i know your car is probley complete and you dont want to swap parts around etc. keep it original and make custom wheel to suit if you have too. from what i know rallyes are rare. then i spose it depends

on the rest of the cars condition also?

[GTI6BOY 29]

Putting bigger TB's in isn't really going to solve the problem as it will still rub before it hits the bump stops.

 

Of course it would solve the problem, it holds the rear end of the car up. There is an awesome bit of road near me in which you can leave the ground and even when you land the arches dont catch

[Bigtimmy 1]

There is an awesome bit of road near me in which you can leave the ground and even when you land the arches dont catch

 

Not that you'd ever be driving quick enough to do that obviously officer

 

I wouldn't be cutting the arches, seems a shame to potentailly introduce some bum civilian into a rot free shell.

[Anthony 1,003]

If you have your heart set on the Euro-Rallye style extensions, then cut cut the shell and protect it properly afterwards. Job done.

 

I mean, it's only effectively a white base-model shell with some stickers, rather than something truely rare, and you're halfway through bastardising just about everything else on the car anyway so really what difference does it make altering the shell as well?

[welshpug 1,677]

use a gti shell, pre-cut arches

 

that'sc what all the proper Rallye's were, gti shells and arches without door trims.

[allye 530 3 Cars]

you're halfway through bastardising just about everything else

 

haha, yes this is what my friends say, but cutting arches isn't reversable. Although I can never see myself reversing the work I'm doing.

 

I appreciate its just a base model shell, i also appreciate that the euro rallye had the cut away arches like the GTI. However its a Rallye base model shell! And like it or not they are rare, its says Rallye Special Edition on my V5 which is worth it by it self!

 

From reading other people experiences with GTI beams on base models I think I may leave it for now and see how it goes with the rebuilt GTI beam on. Taking the arches off and cutting them back at a later date isn't hard.

 

Thanks for your opinions! (any more?....)