VW Golf wheel arch 'spats'

[wildcat45]

All I can think is to call them Spats. Golfs had them through a couple of generations. Plastic bits on the leading part of the wheel arch.!



The Golf had quite flared arches. What was it for? I guess stone chip protection. Polos and Jettas had it too.

As far as I can tell only one other car to feature this so prominently was the Chrysler/Simca/Talbot Horizon. I could be wrong there maybe some BL cars had them. The Horizon appeared to have very similar wheel arch flaring to the Golf.



Any ideas?

[Quhet]

What's your question?

[wildcat45]

What are they for?

[Krikkit]

Stone chip protection as you thought, got some on my 106 Rallye as well.

[Digitalize]

930's were spec'd with this as standard, look weird without them.

[gary71]

They are for trapping water in place and promoting rust. At least all on all the Golfs I've owned... But in theory stone chip protection.

[wildcat45]

Thanks. My second motoring mystery solved in one night.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[ya_bollox]

wildcat45 said:

Thanks. My second motoring mystery solved in one night.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

most modern stuff have with clear anti-chip film in that area now

[Evanivitch]

They're not Spats though. A spat is a small aerodynamics device ahead of the wheel that diverts airflow.

[mattdaniels]

Evanivitch said:

A spat is a small aerodynamics device ahead of the wheel that diverts airflow.

...or added to the trailing edge of the wheel arch when fitting wider tyres to make the car SVA compliant (makes the correct %age of the wheel covered by "wheel arch")

[Inertiatic]

Stone chip protection indeed. Although I took mine off and plugged the holes as they had faded badly

[Riley Blue]

mattdaniels said:

Evanivitch said:

A spat is a small aerodynamics device ahead of the wheel that diverts airflow.

...or added to the trailing edge of the wheel arch when fitting wider tyres to make the car SVA compliant (makes the correct %age of the wheel covered by "wheel arch")

Or a cover over the wheel aperture that totally or partially conceals the wheel and tyre e.g. Riley RME.

http://www.classic-dreams.co.uk/sitebuildercontent...