Flared Berlina (was: Re: widths and wheels)

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@domain.elided>]

In AD8-0038 Ron Ewing asks: "Speaking of the narrow rear tire cavity on
Berlinas, anybody ever flare that opening for better clearance, looks, easier
wheel changing?  It's a bit of a pain not to be able to jack up the rear of
the car by the diff and makes me nervous jacking on the soft underbelly of a
unibody car.  I think it would look nicer with a rounded flare also."

 I did see a 1750 Berlina once in Florence (in 1970, so not just a rust
repair) with conventional full rounded rear wheel openings, not flared but
with full wheel exposure, meeting the access part of the problem but not
adding "improved tire" capacity. It was a bit more than a quarter-panel
patch-job, though, as the lower corner of the rear doors was opened up to
allow the reshaped wheel opening. It caught my eye, as I was living with a
Giulia Super then and wasn't convinced about the squared rear wheel openings.

 I would not be nervous about jacking at the radius-rod to floorpan structure;
if the rust around there made me timid about jacking I would be more nervous
about any major load on the suspension structure while driving. A radius-rod
anchor tearing loose at speed is bad news.

 The contrast between the generous flare of the front wheel arches and the
straight-topped unflared rear wheel opening on both the Giulia berlinas and
the 1750/2000 Berlina seemed a bit strange in the sixties, but the logic grew
on me. There is a good reason for added clearance at full lock and full lean
at the front, but the dynamic range of the rear wheels defines a much more
finite virtual volume; and the squared top accords well with the blocky forms
of the car. Comparing the flank of the 2000 Berlina with the very similar
first-series Alfetta Berlina, which has rounded flared wheel openings at the
rear, it seems to me that the 'fetta loses some of the distinctive character
and gains little.

 YMMV,

 John H.

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