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IF YOU ARE GOING TO FLY YOU NEED A GOOD WING
Maybe this will motivate you. I had never repaired a rubber wing before. I had no idea how it would turn out, or even if it could be done, given the type of material that it is. This was a case of jumping off into the deep end.
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This is how the spoiler looks now.
The rest of this page shows the transformation process.
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The before photo
There were many pits and craters. It looked like the dark side of the moon. |
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Here is something that I was not expecting.
After the wing was removed I noticed the gash on the underside of the wing. The only thing I could do with it was to fill it with a sealer to prevent more water from entering.
I was suprised to find that all of the wings from other cars in my area salvage yards had the same problem. Usually on the drivers side.
I would have never know that this was happening to my car if I had not removed it.
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Restoring a smooth surface
In order to get the craters out they had to be filled. I used a sandable, flexable, body filler. This is what it looked like before sanding.
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What was left after sanding
Here is the filler that remained in the crevaces and pits on the surface of the wing. It took several coats and repeated sanding.
Once I was satisfied with the surface, it was time to use a flexable primer. Several coats were necessary.
The final steps were painting and installation. I used new gaskets between the wing and the hatch so that water could not enter past the bolts.
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Final Installation
After the wing was bolted back on I replaced the plugs under the hatch that were carefully removed to gain access for wing removal.
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THE END RESULT!
After about six hours of work, and around fourty dollars worth of materials, I am very happy with the way it turned out.
I used sandpaper of 230, and 400 grit, flexible body filler, flexible primer and Plasti-cote paint that had a flex additive. (Available in a can).
Don't put the filler on too thick. Use it to fill the holes so that you can get a smooth surface. Too much filler will cause you excessive sanding time and frustration.
With paint projects preparation is everything. Make sure that when you paint it that there are no dry edges between passes with the spray. If each pass does not blend with the last it will look tiger striped.
I used a bike inner tube to make new gaskets as the stock ones deteriorated to the point of being unusable. Do not damage the plugs when you remove them to unbolt the spoiler. You will need to reuse them.
The wing is awkward to move. I recommend having help to reinstall it onto the car.
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