'77 & '75 Turbo Look 3.0

[letsrollbabe]

Here are the front RSR flares taped onto the Turbo flares. You can see the opening shape difference pretty well even though the unique contour of the RSR flares would not allow a nice tight fit over the turbo flares. The rear RSR flares have such a different contour higher up on the rear quarter that I could not even tape them over the Turbo flares. The RSR flares are flatter...not rising as much as the Turbo flares at the center of the opening, and the dimension from the torsion hole edge to the corner of the opening at the rear bumper is approximately 1/2" wider for the RSR flare compared to the Turbo. Just holding the rears in place, the difference in shape looks much like the front flare difference.

Also, these flares have the small torsion hole opening (one still does, the other has been hacked a little) like the torsion holes on the Light Yellow ST. And the metal used in these flares is heavier than the reproduction flares I have seen...they are very stiff.

[928cs]

Thanks for the pictures and explanations

[letsrollbabe]

I was asked about the small torsion holes...not all STs had them, but some did. Here is a pic I took awhile back showing the comparison of a 73 RS torsion hole with the Light Yellow ST flare with small hole. This configuration may have been an early version, with the holes later made larger because of the difficulty in getting torsion bars in/out through the small opening. Or it could have been one supplier that punched these holes with more tiers. I haven't found a 73 RSR or a 3.0 RS pic with these small holes, but the flares just purchased are definitely factory RSR/3.0 RS flares.

[letsrollbabe]

Well, thanks to Aaron Hatz owner of Flat Six, Inc. here are pics of the Gulf Blue IROC car with small torsion holes, along with the Orange IROC with the torsion hole opened up for easier access of the T bar. Aaron says he has seen both the small holes and larger ones on factory 73 RSR/3.0 RS/IROC cars. Also, here is another ST with the small holes.

[sithot]

Well, thanks to Aaron Hatz owner of Flat Six, Inc. here are pics of the Gulf Blue IROC car with small torsion holes, along with the Orange IROC with the torsion hole opened up for easier access of the T bar. Aaron says he has seen both the small holes and larger ones on factory 73 RSR/3.0 RS/IROC cars. Also, here is another ST with the small holes.

The blue car was bought by Bob Beasley after the IROC series was over and raced up until 1988. Bob's a friend. The original fenders were cut off the car and he used Dzus fastened fiberglass rear fenders. Easy to replace. The front fenders were left alone. John Ashford (here) raced with Bob in the 24 Hours and other venues.

We painted the car with spray bombs in a close approximation of Gulf Blue. There's a thread here somewhere with my photos from the 1983 24.

The good old days.

[letsrollbabe]

Tom,

Is it possible that when the car was sold the original qtrs or flares were sold with the car and reinstalled for the originality factor?

[sithot]

My understanding is that the original fenders we're kept once they were cut off. Car didn't campaign unscathed and did suffer at least one big one in the rear end backing into the wall at speed. Aaron could elaborate as he's worked on it extensively. It's an old race car!

[draab29]

Gib,

I absolutely love this thread!! I have had a love affair with the '74 RS for many years. Here is my mongrel, built from an '84 factory turbo-look car. I can hardly wait to see yours when it's finished!

[letsrollbabe]

My understanding is that the original fenders we're kept once they were cut off. Car didn't campaign unscathed and did suffer at least one big one in the rear end backing into the wall at speed. Aaron could elaborate as he's worked on it extensively. It's an old race car!

Aaron did say that he felt the original steel quarters were put back on the car.

draab29...love the look of your white RS. You did what I did not have the courage to do with several factory T-Looks I owned.

[sithot]

Here's the car in action with captions. Check out Bob Beasley. He raced with Mike Keyser, Bruce Jennings and other hot shoes from the golden age.
He would be known as a "hard charger". I ran into Mike Keyser at Amelia year before last. Had some laughs about he and Bob.

Tom