Replace rear spats with mud-flaps

[NickC]

Anyone think these would fit ok to replace worn out rear spats?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-x-WIDE-Rubber-M ... 53e51fd4ad

[AndyC]

As the spates were there for a reason (gearbox bearings went too quickly without them) I don't think these would really do it. Can you not repair the existing ones using a bit of fibreglass?

[STELL]

According to Peter Stevens, they took 7MPH of the topspeed due to those bearings.

[NickC]

May be I am missing something here but how can a bodywork appendage affect gearbox bearings?

[Lotus-e-Clan]

aero mate.

But I think the rear spoiler is the real culprit for knocking off speed. I did a with, and without spoiler test about 6 years ago and found the acceleration above 90 mph is more lusty and 140 mph arrives much quicker without the spoiler. It'd gone faster but I chickened out because the back felt much lighter without the boot spoiler.

[KevW]

I think those black mudflaps might look a bit "rallycar". If the spats on my car were beyond repair I would just take them off. How often and for how long do any of us travel above 130mph anyway ?

[NickC]

Yea, I wondered if they might look a bit boy racer ish. All I realy want is something small to protect the bodywork from stone chips. Wouldn't do any harm to have small front mud flaps as well to protect the sills from being worn away be stones, perhaps need only be an inch or so lower than the bodywork to do the job.

[johnthebass]

Whilst the rear spats may have some "drag" factor, I was informed by Chris Foulds that their purpose was to funnel air to the diff to keep it cool under high-speed use.
John.