308 Front Spoiler Removal? | FerrariChat

308 Front Spoiler Removal?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by 308tr6, Apr 9, 2004.

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  1. 308tr6

    308tr6 Formula Junior

    Dec 23, 2003
    466
    SDakota
    Full Name:
    Rico
    I need to do a little minor body repair on my lower front spoiler, and decided it would be easiest just to remove it. Anybody care to give a brief "how-to" or handy hints here? Thanks
     
  2. Dave

    Dave F1 Rookie

    Apr 15, 2001
    2,722
    Little Rock
    Full Name:
    David Jones
    Well I'm going from memory, but there should be 7 6mm bolts on each side of the spoiler... please correct me if I'm wrong on the nut size at 6mm.
     
  3. 4returbo

    4returbo Karting

    Oct 14, 2003
    60
    Indiana
    Full Name:
    Rick Oliver
    For me (1980 308) it was a matter of removing the front grill, bumper and the front wheels too. There is a forward panel inside the wheel well that needs removed as well. There are fasteners spaced about 8" along the inside seem. My spoiler may have been an after market euro type but can't be that different.
     
  4. Wasco

    Wasco Formula Junior

    Dec 9, 2003
    486
    Salem
    Full Name:
    Randy
    Mine even has bolts under the car where the spare tire tub is and battery. But mine is a euro so a little diff than US types.
     
  5. Dave

    Dave F1 Rookie

    Apr 15, 2001
    2,722
    Little Rock
    Full Name:
    David Jones
    I forgot all about those Randy.
     
  6. Doc

    Doc Formula Junior

    Sep 13, 2001
    886
    Latham, New York
    Full Name:
    Bill Van Dyne
    On my car, an '85, the bolts are 8mm. To make for even easier access, also remove the 2 fender grills and the forward covers of the headlight buckets ( held on bt 2 phillips head srews). One pain was that some of the bolts were covered with a very heavy, thick seam sealer, requiring scrapping/yankinig/swearing/etc. After removing all of the bolts I ran a thin bladed spatula between the fenders and spoiler to free them up from the sealer. Until I did that, the spoiler was stuck like glue even with all of the bolts/screws out.
     
  7. 308tr6

    308tr6 Formula Junior

    Dec 23, 2003
    466
    SDakota
    Full Name:
    Rico
    Thanks for the notes, it helped. I tackled the job this weekend and it took about two hours. For anybody who is going to do this in the future, here is what I would suggest. This is specific to a 79 308 GTS.

    1. Remove the louvers behind the headlights which are secured with 4 small sheet metal screws - this gives you access to 1 of the 8mm bolts (each side), which secures the spoiler to the upper fender.
    2. Jack up the car and remove both front wheels and provide lift jacks to get you access under the car front (obviously be safe here).
    3. Remove the inner front fender mud guards which are secured with 4 screws (philip head) and washers (each side).
    4. Remove the 8mm bolt that is accessed from the wheel well (each side).
    5. Remove the front grille and bumper (bolts and screws are obvious and easily accessed).
    6. Remove the remaining 3 8mm bolts per side which fixes the fender to the spoiler - via the front access where the grille and bumper was.
    7. The remaining fixments are rivets - 4 of which are directly visible immediately behind where the grille was, and 4 of which are on the underside rearmost portion of the spoiler (reason for jacking up car to access). I would suspect that on other years of cars the rivets may have been small sheet metal screws. In my case I could not get a drill in the access area directly behind the front grille, and just used a small grind wheel to delicately grind the top off without gouging a hole in the fiberglass spoiler. The other rivets can be drilled out from underneath if you have supported the car high enough to get a drill under vertically.
    8. Once all these fasteners were out, I lightly tapped around the edges with my fist to break loose the light glue or sealant that was used, and pried slightly with a flat edge. Without much effort the spoiler then slid forward and down rather easily.
     
  8. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    May 5, 2001
    7,017
    Groton, MA
    Full Name:
    Verell Boaen
    Nice checklist, I'm pulling my spoiler tonight to install HID headlights, HID driving lights, & take care of a crack due to a Nashua,NH speed bump that was a tad too high. I'll just skp step #2...
     
  9. enjoythemusic

    enjoythemusic F1 World Champ

    Apr 20, 2002
    10,676
    Worldwide
    Full Name:
    Steven
    Where is this speed bump, so i can avoid it. thanks.
     
  10. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    May 5, 2001
    7,017
    Groton, MA
    Full Name:
    Verell Boaen
    They're at:
    - Royal Ridge Plaza on the main road that goes downhill from the light on Spit Brook rd, & curves around to DW highway. I think they've been beaten or trimmed down a bit. Clipped 2 of them in a row when they were almost new a couple of years ago.

    - A side road that connects Ridge Rd/Spitbrook road & East Dunstable road. I think they've now put in a mini-rotary. Not one you're likely to be traveling as it's residential. Was routed onto it as a detour due to a wreck one AM.

    NH seems to have the highest speed bumps that I've ever seen anywhere. Also a penchant for them suddenly appearing on a road you thought you knew. Saw a couple of new high ones last summer, but I can't remember just where.
     
  11. jsumnertx

    jsumnertx Karting

    Dec 9, 2004
    144
    Austin
    Excellent checklist. Thank you. It was invaluable. My car did have a few differences that are info for others who may find it helpful

    1) my 1979 308 GTS North America had 7 8mm fasteners on each side. There were two in each wheel well rather than 1 mentioned in step 4, one of them completely covered by rustproofing.
    2) i happened to remove the headlight front cover (was installing the MACarbon bumper struts) and that made access to the 8mm fasteners easier. turn on the headlights, pull the battery terminal, and remove the screws on either side.
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    3) the 8mm bolts were all rusted. I snapped two of them. Is there a hardware store equivalent? Struck out at Home Depot.
    4) those rivets on the front were the worst part. Only one could be drilled out from the bottom. For the other, I chopped off the top with a chisel, then it was still attached to the metal plate. A punch on the rivet top didn’t work but hitting the metal plate itself with a punch detached the metal plate from the spoiler, allowing it to come free.

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