Front Spoiler Restoration

[Drew320]

Managed to pick up what looks to be an "is" front spoiler a couple weeks back for ten bucks. Unfortunately, it came rusted to the metal front valence from the original car. After many tries at penetrating oil, tin snips, etc. I had to give up on the original studs and grind them down enough to get the valence free.



Now, I am looking to install new studs and nuts as well as filling in the cracks and refabbing the middle bit that was rubbed off.
Anyone else have experience doing minor repairs to this particular style spoiler? If so, what kind of material works best to fill in these cracks?

[mjweimer]

Drew320 - here are a couple of links that speak mostly of rear spoiler restoration (maybe you have already seen them). These deal mostly with minor surface cracks and the overall finish but some of the info could apply.

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/alp...-refinish.html

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...rubber-spoiler

There is also a lot of info out there from the P-car folks who regularly need to restore the rubber lips on the whale tails (911) and rear hatch (944).

I would think that a flexible epoxy would be right to take care of the crack as well as bond in new studs - unfortunately I have not looked into this lately.

If you ultimately find a solution please post to this thread - someday I need to restore the Foha spoiler that came with my car.

MJ

[hotdish]

I had one that was cut off and was doing research into modifying it before I sold it. IIRC it was abs plastic. there is a lot of good info on welding abs plastic for motorcycle fairings around.

[Drew320]

Thanks Hotdish for the input and MJ for the links.

I managed to find a pelican parts discussion on some P-car guys restoring their rear spoilers using a mixture of lacquer based paint and "goop".
I found out there is this stuff called "Amazing Goop" sold in O'Reilly auto parts and figured it must be what they were referring to. I mixed it about 1:1 with some Rustoleum oil based paint (I couldn't find lacquer based anywhere).


I applied it pretty liberally to the cracks, letting it seep thoroughly inside.


The studs were ruined with the angle grinder so I went to a hardware store and decided that I would use 10 millimeter nuts to hold the spoiler to my valence.
I used a torch to heat up the studs and that expanded the material enough to pull them out. They ended up not being studs but actual screws so they didn't just come straight out as hoped, but with some twisting/pulling with pliers, I managed to get them all out.

The holes for the bolts were too small to just put the new ones in so I again heated a new one with a torch and it unfortunately melted the valence hole to the size of the bolt head. I used some of that Goop stuff to see if it would hold the bolt in its place of the lost material and let it dry overnight.

To my surprise, that bolt doesn't feel like it's going anywhere anytime soon.
I may go back over it with some JB weld or the paint mixture to make it look a little cleaner, but as for now, I am satisfied with how this is shaping up.
Tomorrow after work, I will sand down the excess on the cracks and add another layer of need be.
The paint obviously does not match the rest of the spoiler so at the end of this I plan on using a few layers of plasti-dip to make it proper.
As for the bottom center of the air dam, I am deciding against the idea of fiberglass since the air dam is somewhat flexible and it will crack again over time. I guess I will have to apply that section with many layers of the paint mixture to slowly build that section back.
Forecast says no rain so here is how it sits overnight.

[mjweimer]

This is looking very promising. Great update and I will be looking forward to how your project turns out.

MJ

[Drew320]

Goop and paint mix is a no go, decided that since I will be driving with the air dam in the rain (daily driver), then I'll see what water does to the seals.
Left it out for about an hour in a light drizzle and all repairs except for the bolt went kaput.
I'll sand everything back down and just use goop. I believe my mistake was using oil based paint as the water could have lifted some oil based material, therefore weakening the structure of the crack repairs.
I'll redo in just goop and some light coats of plastidip should do the job.
On a side note, I pulled the zender rear deck spoiler out of hibernation for sanding:
I used 220 grit sand paper as it is easy to distinguish the black paint from the soft foam by feel so I wouldn't cut too deep into the spoiler
Today looks like a good day to finish sanding and lay down some goop but with the upcoming weather, it'll be about a week before I start laying down the primary coats of plastidip.

[320iAman]

I picked up 320is Front Air Dam for $16.00 from E30 owner , it had cracks in it from hitting a drive way curb or concrete parking curb. I used JB Weld to fill and do build up to even it out, sandable , paintable, I too have short studs and have to pull them out and put in new ones. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this one, keep it, sell it.

Randy

[okieflats]

I too have short studs and have to pull them out and put in new ones.
Randy

You don't really need long studs Randy. The original ones are a half inch longer than they need to be. The protruding stud only needs to accommodate a very thin sheet metal and a washer and the nut.

If you change them, which you really shouldn't do anyway, use stainless steel. That's why some of the studs were cut off, the EXTRA half inch sticking out past the nut was rusted making it hard to remove the nut. It was easier to cut the excess off then remove the nut.

[320iAman]

I hear you okie,The 4 holes for screws are good, the small studs-one is missing , one is usable and the other two unusable,, I could figure something out to make sure its secure.. Its ready to sand and paint. Not quite sure what type of paint to use to restore this hard plastic wing back to new looking condition,, black for sure,,flat black looks to be original.

Randy

[okieflats]

VHT(R) Hood; Bumper and Trim Paint; VHT(R) Hood, Bumper & Trim urethane coating is formulated with elastomers that allow for the flexing of paint on pliable surfaces. This unique formula is also well suited for fiberglass, plastic and other resin based bodywork. Equally suited for metal, VHT(R) Hood, Bumper & Trim Paint offers excellent hide and mar resistance.

I think this is what you want Randy. You should also use a primer. Available at WalMart, O'Reilly Auto Parts, etc.

Normally to paint a plastic bumper cover that has not been primed at the factory you need to apply an adhesion promoter, then primer/sealer such as epoxy, then paint to which you've mixed in a "flex additive."

To clean your air dam before paint use the grey Scotchbrite pad, which is finer grit than the red Scotchbrite. And wipe with a rag and rubbing alcolhol which degreases and does not leave a residue. Don't use a petroleum based solvent to clean plaastic.

[320iAman]

Yes Okie--full meal deal-- Got this from hottrodders:

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/pain...rs-125970.html

painting plastic bumpers

do a lot of bumpers, I do them all the same way.

Clean real good with a detergent like "Dawn" or "Joy"
using a gray scuff pad. For extra safety you can follow that
with a wipe down with Wax and Grease Remover.

Scuff real good with a red scuff pad and a sanding paste
like 3M "Scuff-it"

A couple coats of adhesion promoter like "Bulldog"

A couple coats of epoxy primer
I usually go over the epoxy the next day with a scuff pad just
to get it real smooth-but it's not necessary if it's smooth.
(The epoxy really helps fight the rock chips)

then paint as usual.

Dupli-Color CP199 Clear Adhesion Promoter Primer - 11 oz. looks to be a good choice

Randy

[dups]

I bought my "Special air dam" from the glorious BMAC, shortly before he passed away (r.I.p.). The spoiler looked to be repaired from the back side, and he used something that looked like your paint/goop mix. The key to this repair seemed to be the compound (joint, drywall, foundation, etc) tape that Bruce used, for it has held up even through my wife dragging it all over town one day.

I didn't do such a good job of securing the front at first; my wife called me and said, "your car's making a noise". I could hear her coming home from a mile away, and I cringed as I realized the problem long before I could physically witness the debacle. Needless to say, I have some repairs of my own to do, someday.

Still, though new damage was done that day, the repair held tight. I have to think that it was the mesh tape behind the crack that did the trick. I'm not sure is he used drywall tape, or some stronger stuff; he's gone now, so we can't ask him sadly. But in the the flooring biz, we used a strong mesh tape when doing foundation crack repairs and a flexible epoxy should do (guessing that's what goop is, anyway). Good luck.

[320iAman]

You don't really need long studs Randy. The original ones are a half inch longer than they need to be. The protruding stud only needs to accommodate a very thin sheet metal and a washer and the nut.

If you change them, which you really shouldn't do anyway, use stainless steel. That's why some of the studs were cut off, the EXTRA half inch sticking out past the nut was rusted making it hard to remove the nut. It was easier to cut the excess off then remove the nut.

Okie-

What are these 320is air dams worth in good install condition ?

Randy

[jaredmac11]

Anyone have any recommendations on repairing a split down the middle of the iS spoiler (lateral split)?

I was going to try some body filler but not sure if it will work with the material. dups, what sort of compound tape were you referencing?

[OLD MAN]

Anyone have any recommendations on repairing a split down the middle of the iS spoiler (lateral split)?

I was going to try some body filler but not sure if it will work with the material. dups, what sort of compound tape were you referencing?

For all the cracks on my BBS sport front air dam I used Stainless steel tie wire to itch them up first.

I drilled 1/16" holes across from each other about 3/16" in from the crack. I then scraped a grove about 1/16" deep between them on the outside for the wire to sit below the surface. I then cleaned the crack out, spread on some black ABS glue in the crack and then itched up the crack with the SS wire. (.50" thick). The itches are about 1/2" to 5/8" apart down the crack.

I plan on filling, sanding the cracks next and then painting the outside of the air dam.

[OLD MAN]

I also straightened one of my BBS front air dams along the bottom - one on track car - by attaching 3/4"x3/4"x 1/16" aluminum 90* angle pieces on the bottom in the back. Witch gave me a way to attach a spliter to the air dam also.

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