RK Sport Rear Spoiler on TA
03-06-2008, 02:16 PM
#21
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the only thing i dont like is how it doesnt line up with the tail lights but it works i would like to see it with a ta rear bumper but i can also understand why you didnt go with it. props for making it work and look good though
03-06-2008, 10:07 PM
#26
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I agree with you on that one. There are a couple of reasons that I didn't move it back further. The main one was I wanted a functional angle and moving it back further tended to flatten it a lot and to fix it would have required a ton of fiberglass. Remember this was built to sit on top of a Camaro spoiler which is fairly flat. I had to build up at least a half in on the back side as it was for this location. It could be made to work but a lot more difficult. The other was the mounting bolt holes weren't in good locations that far back.
looks like the old spoiler from the 70's T/A's a little bit, kind of an older retro look not sure on it though but i dont hate it? 
Maybe without the ground effects it would look a little better..
03-06-2008, 10:19 PM
#30
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I think the idea is good for the car and I think it would look best on a black car so good job on that. The problem I am having in my head is looking at the retro spoiler and the new age wheels. I don't like TTIIs a whole lot but with that spoiler they would awesome with a 315 tire out back. Also your base model hood and dirty tips are holding it back too. But I do think you are on to something.
03-06-2008, 10:58 PM
#32
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It's not exactly easy. Turns out the joints on the TA hatch don't line up with those of the spoiler. The hatch of the TA is also contoured differently. So, what you have to do is start by figuring out where you want the center piece to reside and drilling the mounting holes in the hatch. Once you do this, you'll see the gaps you'll need to fill.
Grind the ends of the center piece and the two end pieces to remove the gel coat. Then figure out a way to hold everything in place (this is the hard part). I used the car body, the edge of a putty knife and my eyeball. You'll need to cut up some fiberglass cloth and mix it with resin to make an oatmeal-like mixture. Slap that on the ends and bond them to the center piece. Practice with your resin mixture so you know exactly how fast it will set and mix accordingly. Bond the ends to the center piece to make it all one piece. This has to be done carefully or the contours will be off.
Next you need to grind at various locations across the bottom to improve the fit as much as possible for your mounting location. After that you cover your car with wax paper or two layers of plastic wrap--needs to be smooth whatever you do. Then you cut some fiberglass cloth (one ply) to match the shape of the underside. Lay it in place. Cut up a bunch of the fiberglass cloth into small pieces for more of the oatmeal stuff. Make enough of that to fill in the gaps you'll have. When you have everything ready, paint resin all over the cloth on the car until it's wet, add the oatmeal mixture to the locations where the gaps are. Then bolt the spoiler down so that it squeezes out all around the edges. Use PAM spray on your bolts so they won't lock up with adhesive--and work them as the resin cures. Worry more about the center at this stage (it's tough to get it all right in one try). After it cures, grind off the excess and then file the edges to final shape. For various reasons, you may have to repeat this step a couple of times to get it right. Use Bondo in later attemps as it's easier to work with and you won't need the strength at that point. The Bondo will only be used to fill marks from the paper, filing errors and such--nothing thick.
Once you have everything fit to the contour of your car, it's time to cut the joints. I just tried to match the original angles and cut with a hacksaw blade. After the cut you have to finish the ends. I cut pieces of carboard that would fit just inside the ends, painted resin on the sides of the pieces, laid pieces of cloth on the sides, pressed the carboard in, painted it with resin, and folded the cloth over the carboard. You'll likely need some more of the oatmeal mixture to fill in gaps here too. Once you get the four openings filled, finish them with Bondo and sand smooth. Before you put the close-out on the ends of the end pieces, you'll have to add another mounting hole. The original hole lined up perfectly with the joint between the hatch and quarter panel. I just bought some nut-plates and used liquid nails to bond them in place.
At some point you will have decided to mount your end pieces to the car. Once that's done, you'll have to work the joints to make sure they are square and matching. Then take everything back off and prime it. That's where I am now. My plan is to let a pro finish the spoiler as they will fix the porosity from the bond joints, the file marks, and joint mismatches, etc., etc.
I started this at Christmas time and just finished it--although I didn't work on it steady or even close. I probably have 60 hours of time in it though. I'm picky and when it's done, it will be OEM quality. That's how I did it.
Half way through this I saw the posts about the Heritage body kit and about crapped my pants. All I can say is they need to charge about a grand for that spoiler or I'll be pissed!
03-06-2008, 11:22 PM
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i agree with WS6Jim ^ a wide 315 in the rear on a older style looking wheel, i like the centerline telstars personaly kind of have a pro star look to them, you can see them on there website i wouldnt go over a 17" wheel or if you go to year ones website they have a reproduction of the old transam snowflake wheels that were on the "smokey and the bandit" car that look realy good IMO, and throw a firehawk styl hood on it i think, it would look good. oh and tint those windows dark.
03-07-2008, 09:02 AM
#40
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pmed
and food for thought about modding the sides if you could find a way to make it follow the curve of the tail lamps and point the end more towards the ground instead of the gas door i think it would flow a little better, i figured you had it slid up on the trunk deck for mounting purposes, if you can find some pics of the heritage ta for some insperation on how to mold the rear spoiler obviously there is only so much you can do before you end up making new ends for it which maybe the only way to accomplish making it flow with the taillights
and food for thought about modding the sides if you could find a way to make it follow the curve of the tail lamps and point the end more towards the ground instead of the gas door i think it would flow a little better, i figured you had it slid up on the trunk deck for mounting purposes, if you can find some pics of the heritage ta for some insperation on how to mold the rear spoiler obviously there is only so much you can do before you end up making new ends for it which maybe the only way to accomplish making it flow with the taillights