Unofficialbmw.com

dale · Joined: 22 Aug 1999 Posts: 3087 Location: Seattle, WA USA

The big spoiler used on the early (86/87) sport models is a great spoiler and looks cool.
But at the racetrack, it's kind of a running joke as it's mounting system is fairly flimsy.

I didn't want to be dropping this off of the car everytime I ran it again this year as I've done in the past, so I set about improving the mount.

Oh, and I bought the spoiler in these pictures for $25 used. Don't let people tell you, "they are $500 at the dealer", pacific bmw, and others, will sell it to you for $350ish brand new.

I realized that if the spoiler rode 1/2" higher, it wouldn't get as much abuse. Also, that if I used the entire bottom half of the aluminum bumper, that would be a very sturdy platform to mount from.

I looked at where the spoiler rode using the factory mount, and made marks on the bottom of the bumper for alignment. Pulled the bumper and spoiler off, lined the spoiler up on the bumper with those marks, then clamped them together with needle-nose vice grips.

Next I started drilling the holes, I used big fender washers with 1/4" bolts. I had to grind off part of one side of the fender washers for clearance, but my bench grinder made short work of it.

Installed the bolts, and washers, and this is what it looked like:

Installed the whole assembly back on the car for this result:

Dale

[ 03-29-2004: Message edited by: dale ]

SaturdayNightBimmer · Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 443

Nice Dale. How about a hand held pop riveter. Just drill holes and "pop!" Good idea with the big washers, that thing is on for good, or until the first good whack! Hey, where's your inside bumper support?

Also, do you know any guys up there with some 88-91 M3 front bumper mounting hardware? I need the inner bumper support, the bumper shocks, and the side mounts. Know anybody?

3 minutes later EDIT : Saw your other post with the pop riveter! Love that item!! Tally ho!

[ 03-29-2004: Message edited by: SaturdayNightBimmer ]

dale · Joined: 22 Aug 1999 Posts: 3087 Location: Seattle, WA USA

I don't think the pop riviter would have worked as well in this case. The pop rivit material is fairly soft and I don't think it would stand up to repeated bashings.

Dale

dagarduno · Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 166 Location: Manila

$25! Wow! What a deal!
Do you have pics of just the spoiler in different angles? It's very difficult finding that particular spoiler here and i'm thinking of having one custom made instead.

dale · Joined: 22 Aug 1999 Posts: 3087 Location: Seattle, WA USA

To see it from different angles, check out these pictures:
http://www.unofficialbmw.com/racing/bumpertrim/

I'll try to upload more later to that page, so check back.

Dale

BD325ic · Joined: 31 Mar 2003 Posts: 525 Location: Phoenix, AZ

I did the same thing on my 88 convertible but used 1/4-20 bolts threaded into the bottom of the bumper, the spoiler does become very secure/tight.

I tucked in the front bumper and then mounted the spoiler so that the bumper and spoiler were flush/even in the front. I also painted the bumper white like the rest of the car and it made a nice improvement in the looks.

Bruce
95 325ic

e30_325es · Joined: 17 Jul 2002 Posts: 1159 Location: Annapolis, MD

hey dale, how did you mount it to the side of the car though? wouldn't it just be waving about?

this sounds like something i'm going to have to do this summer

.

oh yeah, do you know anyplace to get the under spoiler cardboard like thing that goes under the car and halfway up the inner fender? i ripped half of mine off in the watkins glen parking lot 2 years ago, and want it back.

thanks for the board and all the great info you've got!

guy325 · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 185

Dale - are you a professional painter? How do you get the car to look like that in your own garage? I'm very impressed...

dale · Joined: 22 Aug 1999 Posts: 3087 Location: Seattle, WA USA

I'm not a professional painter, but I have friends who have done it a lot.
I paid them for their time, but I and other friends did a bunch of work, and I purchased all the materials.

This paint job was expensive mainly due to changing colors, painting the interior of the car, adding the fuel cell...
If I just would have pulled the dents and repainted it red, it would have been done a while ago!

Bruce: I'd love to see pictures of your front spoiler treatment.
I hesitate to do modifications like that as I regularly do 130mph+ in this car, and really really really want all safety features fully, and I mean _fully_ functioning. So doing the bumper tuck isn't going to happen with this car. And if I change the position of the spoiler on the bumper, I risk getting protested by my competitors due to changing the aerodynamics from stock.

Dale

[ 03-29-2004: Message edited by: dale ]