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P3 Fenders
- Thread starter ElioDigger
- Start date
paint the rims to match the Elio and use moons with chrome trim rings ..... now that take me back over 50 years .... not a bad idea , not bad at all
Neal
Elio Addict
That's what I plan to do as well.
ecdriver711
Elio Addict
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2014
- Messages
- 1,351
- Reaction score
- 2,908
Didos
yep
Indiana Dave
Elio Aficionado
I disliked the P4 fenders when they first came out. I've gotten used to them but would still rather have the P3 fenders. Didn't know they were going to be an option but like the idea.
ElioDigger
Elio Addict
that is the issue for me, If I go with the P3 fenders and a set of nice rims, Living in Ohio< I will need a set of rims with snow tires on them. The MPG is not the issue.
WilliamH
Elio Addict
Not sure what your issue is.
Elio is front wheel drive. Had them from '85 on and never ran snow tires. For one winter drove from Rochester to White Plains every Monday and back every Friday. No snow tires. Never had problems. The next year had all of upstate NY as a sales support territory. No snow tires. But if you want snow tires for winter, why not a pair of plain metal rims and VW type baby moons with a dress ring?
Edit 8:38P
Full disclosure........
Moved to Texas late 1999. Last East Coast car was a '99 LHS. The wider the tires, the worse the performance in the snow. Now I drive pickup trucks and Jeeps.
Last edited:
Lil4X
Elio Addict
At first I wasn't too fond of the P4's aerodynamic wheel fairings, but they've grown on me. Obviously they'll help efficiency at highway speed, although I'm not convinced of their survival in the real world of parking lots, curb stops, and road debris.
It is often said around here that at the end of the month with everyone seeming to move to new apartments, hauling their furniture in (and on) their brother-in-law's pickup, that enough tables, chairs, sofas, beds, and dressers are scattered around Loop 610 that in one lap you can collect enough lost furniture from the traffic lanes to furnish a three-bedroom house. That's not what you want to find in the dark of night in your Elio - or any other vehicle for that matter.
At the same time with recent heavy rains, I've wondered what the spray pattern would look like thrown up by either set of fenders. In a conventional 4-wheeler, the body and fenders take most of the spray, with a bit of it being forced to the outside of the tire and scattered across the adjoining lane. It would seem that the Elio, with it's tires open to both sides, could shower the body aft of the wheel with a lot of water. At low speed this probably wouldn't be a problem, but the spray thrown up at highway speed could "irrigate" the central pod rather well. The P4 fairing would contribute the least to this problem, containing the majority of the spray, but the P3 or cycle-fender variant could throw a considerable rooster tail. One solution might be the compromise seen in the "Indian" style fenders.
I'll probably order the P3's as an accessory - an option for driving on sunny days, or when I want a different look for my ride around town. The P4's with their improved economy would be my choice for a long highway cruise. Well, we'll see - it's an experiment to look forward to.
One last concern, brought up in previous posts: If you opt for the P3 fenders, you're going to have to invest in a couple of rims. Exposed, they are NOT going to look good with the current OEM rims. Either a pair of aftermarket rims, or at least a paint job for the OEM black. If they could be fitted, I'd consider a trim ring and small dog-dish hubcaps. Otherwise, a set of wire wheels - but I've had 'em, and don't enjoy spending my weekends wielding a toothbrush and polishing cloth. The P4 fairings would eliminate that - I'd just want to paint the OEM rims with maybe a hammertone silver to relieve the black-on-black-on-black look of the tire, rim, and rear part of the fairing.
It is often said around here that at the end of the month with everyone seeming to move to new apartments, hauling their furniture in (and on) their brother-in-law's pickup, that enough tables, chairs, sofas, beds, and dressers are scattered around Loop 610 that in one lap you can collect enough lost furniture from the traffic lanes to furnish a three-bedroom house. That's not what you want to find in the dark of night in your Elio - or any other vehicle for that matter.
At the same time with recent heavy rains, I've wondered what the spray pattern would look like thrown up by either set of fenders. In a conventional 4-wheeler, the body and fenders take most of the spray, with a bit of it being forced to the outside of the tire and scattered across the adjoining lane. It would seem that the Elio, with it's tires open to both sides, could shower the body aft of the wheel with a lot of water. At low speed this probably wouldn't be a problem, but the spray thrown up at highway speed could "irrigate" the central pod rather well. The P4 fairing would contribute the least to this problem, containing the majority of the spray, but the P3 or cycle-fender variant could throw a considerable rooster tail. One solution might be the compromise seen in the "Indian" style fenders.
I'll probably order the P3's as an accessory - an option for driving on sunny days, or when I want a different look for my ride around town. The P4's with their improved economy would be my choice for a long highway cruise. Well, we'll see - it's an experiment to look forward to.
One last concern, brought up in previous posts: If you opt for the P3 fenders, you're going to have to invest in a couple of rims. Exposed, they are NOT going to look good with the current OEM rims. Either a pair of aftermarket rims, or at least a paint job for the OEM black. If they could be fitted, I'd consider a trim ring and small dog-dish hubcaps. Otherwise, a set of wire wheels - but I've had 'em, and don't enjoy spending my weekends wielding a toothbrush and polishing cloth. The P4 fairings would eliminate that - I'd just want to paint the OEM rims with maybe a hammertone silver to relieve the black-on-black-on-black look of the tire, rim, and rear part of the fairing.