Front Valence Repair - Advice Needed

I was wondering if anyone might be able to give me some advice on the best way to repair the front valence at the oil cooler air intake. It is cracked from top to bottom (see photo). I will need to reinforce this somehow so it does not recrack the next time it scapes on a driveway entrance.

Any thoughts on the best way to strengthen and repair this?

Does anyone know what type of paint to use?
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Dear Ferraristi,

The front spoiler is fiberglass. Do a typical fiberglass and filler repair.

To finish, use primer and top off with OEM trim black. (Duplicolor from Autozone)

The paint can is of poor quality, do about 20 light mist coats....it will build up beautifully.


Shamile

Freeze....Miami Vice !

 

Thanks Shamile. I will give this a shot. I will start accumulating the items needed.

 

This is not an oil cooler intake but rather an intake for the air conditioning condenser
. Don.

 

Removal of TR front spoiler?

Check this link for pix of valance repair......

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98940&page=2&highlight=kerry%27s

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Anyone have any insight into what is the way to remove the front spoiler on an 87 TR to refinish and repair damage?
Are there any "tricks" or short cuts to making the removal easy? In particular there are 2 bolts/studs, one located on each side that are unreachable (about 15"s forward of each front wheel well opening).


I figured it out........Here is "the way" I found was easiest.
First remove the center bolt (10mm) in the center under the hood.
At that point, crank the steer tires to the inside (drivers side to passenger and visa versa)
Next remove the enclosure panels in the front of the wheel wells 5 to six bolts (10mm). With these panels removed you gain access to the 10mm nut that is located about 3" inside the fender. JUST loosen it 2 or 3 turns.
Now remove the yellow parking/turn lens with a philips screwdriver. You then take a regular straight blade screwdriver and remove the 2 screws and take out the light assembly, unplug the electrics and set aside. This now gives you "access" to the 10mm nut that is located about 15" in front of the wheel well opening. Again JUST loosen 2-3 turns.
You then remove any philips head screws (thats what was holding the aluminum belly pan covers on mine) or rivets from the front bottom edge of the spoiler.
Now the spoiler should be pulled forward and there ya go.
I suggest that when replacing any of the panels or the spoiler itself that you use new stainless steel bolts/nuts/washers/screws and anti-sieze. Also here is your opportunity to clean any debris out of the AC condenser and clean and detail areas that NO ONE will ever see.........but you will know are clean, tidy and correct!

Hope this is helpful to others. Kerry

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Ok here are the results of refinishing the spoiler and fabbing a "skidplate"! The spoiler itself was smoothed of chips and damage and then I sprayed it with Line-X truck bed coating and the results are excellent. Some of the advantages of the Line-x are as follows: First the finish very much resembles the factory finish. Second it will NOT chip off. Third I coated all surfaces top/bottom/sides /back, which resulted in making the "delicate" fiberglass somewhat indestructable.

Lastly I fabricated a one piece "skid plate" that attaches to the lower lip of the spoiler out of 1/8" aluminum and will serve as a psuedo "curb feeler"! It will take the brunt of a driveway entrance before the spoiler and actually give an "audible" that clearance is about to become an issue. It is easily replaceable and is not unsightly.

So if anyone is interested in acquiring this skidplate I can reproduce for a cost of $180 USD. 3 days and I can have it on the way..........Any interest?

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Well the spoiler is back in place and the skid plate attached (9 points of attachment to the spoiler, with stainless steel metal screws that are all countersunk into the skid plate...........very clean appearance!! Came out great........very pleased!

NOTE: When removing, as well as re-attaching the spoiler, get a 10mm short ratchet type wrench. It makes the whole process fairly painless.

Another thing that I have discovered, is that with the spoiler Line-X'ed you can beat the hell out of it with a rubber mallet and not destroy it or marr it at all. I had to do this in order to get the back edges to line up with the wheel well openings. the Line-X made the spoiler a little tighter of a fit (Line-X added just a hair to the "dimensions").

I feel very confident that spoiler damage will be a thing of the past with the Line-X and skidplate.
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Update: The skidplate has done it's job on a few occasions and has performed flawlessly. No spoiler damage and the skidplate itself seem to shun of the abrasion caused by the asphalt with no problem. Very glad I took the time and effort to fabricate it and install.........It's on more ten one ossassion save the aesthetics of the TR, down time to repair and dollars as well. Kerry
Attached Images


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Last edited by kerrywittig; 03-26-2006 at 12:57 PM.

 

Removal of TR front spoiler?

Check this link for the original post...............

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98940&page=2&highlight=kerry%27s

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyone have any insight into what is the way to remove the front spoiler on an 87 TR to refinish and repair damage?
Are there any "tricks" or short cuts to making the removal easy? In particular there are 2 bolts/studs, one located on each side that are unreachable (about 15"s forward of each front wheel well opening).


I figured it out........Here is "the way" I found was easiest.
First remove the center bolt (10mm) in the center under the hood.
At that point, crank the steer tires to the inside (drivers side to passenger and visa versa)
Next remove the enclosure panels in the front of the wheel wells 5 to six bolts (10mm). With these panels removed you gain access to the 10mm nut that is located about 3" inside the fender. JUST loosen it 2 or 3 turns.
Now remove the yellow parking/turn lens with a philips screwdriver. You then take a regular straight blade screwdriver and remove the 2 screws and take out the light assembly, unplug the electrics and set aside. This now gives you "access" to the 10mm nut that is located about 15" in front of the wheel well opening. Again JUST loosen 2-3 turns.
You then remove any philips head screws (thats what was holding the aluminum belly pan covers on mine) or rivets from the front bottom edge of the spoiler.
Now the spoiler should be pulled forward and there ya go.
I suggest that when replacing any of the panels or the spoiler itself that you use new stainless steel bolts/nuts/washers/screws and anti-sieze. Also here is your opportunity to clean any debris out of the AC condenser and clean and detail areas that NO ONE will ever see.........but you will know are clean, tidy and correct!

Hope this is helpful to others. Kerry

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok here are the results of refinishing the spoiler and fabbing a "skidplate"! The spoiler itself was smoothed of chips and damage and then I sprayed it with Line-X truck bed coating and the results are excellent. Some of the advantages of the Line-x are as follows: First the finish very much resembles the factory finish. Second it will NOT chip off. Third I coated all surfaces top/bottom/sides /back, which resulted in making the "delicate" fiberglass somewhat indestructable.

Lastly I fabricated a one piece "skid plate" that attaches to the lower lip of the spoiler out of 1/8" aluminum and will serve as a psuedo "curb feeler"! It will take the brunt of a driveway entrance before the spoiler and actually give an "audible" that clearance is about to become an issue. It is easily replaceable and is not unsightly.

So if anyone is interested in acquiring this skidplate I can reproduce for a cost of $180 USD. 3 days and I can have it on the way..........Any interest?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well the spoiler is back in place and the skid plate attached (9 points of attachment to the spoiler, with stainless steel metal screws that are all countersunk into the skid plate...........very clean appearance!! Came out great........very pleased!

NOTE: When removing, as well as re-attaching the spoiler, get a 10mm short ratchet type wrench. It makes the whole process fairly painless.

Another thing that I have discovered, is that with the spoiler Line-X'ed you can beat the hell out of it with a rubber mallet and not destroy it or marr it at all. I had to do this in order to get the back edges to line up with the wheel well openings. the Line-X made the spoiler a little tighter of a fit (Line-X added just a hair to the "dimensions").

I feel very confident that spoiler damage will be a thing of the past with the Line-X and skidplate.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: The skidplate has done it's job on a few occasions and has performed flawlessly. No spoiler damage and the skidplate itself seem to shun off the abrasion caused by the asphalt with no problem. Very glad I took the time and effort to fabricate it and install.........It's on more then one occasion that it has saved, the aesthetics of the TR, down time to repair and dollars as well. Kerry


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Last edited by kerrywittig; 03-26-2006 at 12:57 PM.
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Kerry,

Thanks for the pics and links to your full post. I love it. I am going to study your work more closely and maybe make this one of my winter projects. I can't get into or out of my driveway with out the car scraping, so this would be a great solution.

Joe

 

Anyone of us 512TR drivers having the same problem with the (under)spoiler ? I do....

And the Factory in Italy has no more parts..

I am thinking of reproducing them and / or making a aluminium skidplate like Kerry described above !
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Just to shed a little more light onto this subject concerning the skidplate...I recieved this PM earlier today and here is my reponse. The whole skidplate thing gets a little more complicated than one thinks.at least the ones I have made, which protect the entire length of the lip of the spoiler/valance.

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The Question.......
Kerry,

I noticed in your post from 2006 that you were offering to make the TR Skid Plate for $180. Are you still making those? If so, I may be interested. I have some severe damage to my front spoiler, and once I take the time to repair it, I don't want it to crack again.

Let me know when you get a chance.

Thanks, ABC

====================================================================
My Response..........
ABC,

I could supply you with one but there are 2 issues which have kept me from "marketing".......
1. Every (5 @ this point) TR I have checked is just a bit different as far as the "radius" of the bottom lip of the spoiler/valance. I believe this is common because the spoiler is made from fiberglass which tends to twist or bend or warp ever so slightly depending on the mounting or alignment or age etc.. Not much mind you but just enough that the skidplate needs to be tweaked in order to fit the way I feel it should.
2. The skidplate I have on my TR is one piece. This makes for a box to ship of about 6 ft. X 2 ft. X 3 inches and it would need to be very ridged to prevent bending..in other words it makes shipping the skidplate very expensive. My solution is that I split the plate into 2 pieces. which is fine except that it is not the way I designed the plate to "fit" the spoiler. A way to resolve this would be to fit and adjust as need be the skidplate and then trim the plate(s) as need be and then have them tig-welded together.

ALL of this has made me gun-shy to market the plate because of possible fitment problems, welding needing to be done, or in otherwords not just a bolt on item. It's a shame cause it works so very nicely and infact if I could market it with these limitations I would be more aggressive. It is actually better priced at $125 + shipping in the current 2-piece configuration.

If you are still interested....let me know. I know this is an odd way to try to "sell" a product but it's called being honest..............Thanks for your interest.....Kerry

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The 3 pix below show the skidplate alone and installed.
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Dear Ferraristi,

....nice work Kerry.

I really like the radius to the lip edge....nice detail.


The "grittix" finish on the spoiler....ummmmmmm?



Shamile

Freeze.....Miami Vice !

 

Are there really NO 512TR drivers here with these spoiler problems ...........???

 

I am quite surprised.....................

 

It's not only MY problem, I stated.....

Today I found a 512M at the F shop.....

Guess what.......?

Nobody overthere (USA/CA or Down-Under) with the same problem............?

Anyway, I will design an alloy skidplate for the 512TR and 512M soon......and I am sure more people will love to have it too.


.
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Melvok, may I refer you to this thread?

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=258995

Best.

 

Thanx, I know...... thanx for your reply.

I wanted to ask 512TR drivers about it; their "nose" is quite different from the TR !

And our 512TR little spoiler is also very often damaged....as you can see...

No 512TR or 512M members react here ..... pitty !

Greetz from Mel in NL (Europe)