Modify arches, good idea? bad idea?

[jpcos]

Hi, I'm looking for a bit of advice, im planning on putting 13x7 wheels under my mini and fitting sportspack arches but i want it to look low so that the wheels fill the arches, so i was thinking if i modified the arches so that they sit lower on the body it would give the appearance that the suspension was lowerned.
But my main concern is that the wheels would rub the arches if i hit a bump or something.
Just wondering what people thoughts are on the idea, would it be a wast of time and would it look stupid with the rest of the body at standard height,
I dont want to go down the road of lowering it to the last and the shocks bottom out over every bump.
Any help appreciated,
JP

[jpcos]

What ye think?

[The Marcos Graveyard]

You are going to have to modify the front of the arch anyway to fit 13x7s and if you are worried about the shocks bottoming out. Spax do a lowered shock for the Mini especially for this purpose.

[joeyfinneran]

Gaz also do a lowered shock as well (or damper i was told to say on the english fourm )
Gaz are cheaper than spax too

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Cheaper for a reason ?

[macker]

not that much of a gap between them in regards to performance tbh Neil, but price is a win

[jpcos]

Well i was going to go with lowered shocks (damper ) but i want to lowern it by good bit so that the wheel sits well up in the arch but im worried even with lower shocks im still goin to have problems with either the shocks or a bumpstop or something bottoming out. And also dont want to get caught going over speed bumps or anything.
I know i cant have it every way but thought that if i actually modified the sportspack arch itself(by making it shorter in height so that it sits lower down on the body) to give the appearance that i lowernd the suspension without having to fiddle with the suspension setup itself.
But what sort of suspension travel is there on a standard setup, dont want the wheel hitting the sportpack arch.
Sorry for my very bad explanations but hopefully you get what i mean and thanks for the replies.

Also i have a completely off topic question but dont thinks its worth opening up a new topic, im wondering if anyone would know where vinyl can be got in ireland to retrim my interior bits, cant seem to find any place online.

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Don't know anywhere in Ireland, but I've bought from Woolies in the UK, they stock anything you need from upholstering.

http://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/

[jpcos]

Cheers for that,
didnt realise it was so expensive, i might chance my local upholster and see if he can get me some.
But what about the stuff on ebay, would that be a waste of time.

[The Marcos Graveyard]

You could try your local dressmakers shop, the kind of place that sells material/knitting stuff, I have got leatherette from there before.

[jpcos]

Will do, Thanks