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Author Topic: repairing volumex coupé boot spoiler  (Read 6027 times)
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rossocorsa
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« on: August 01, 2009, 07:07:42 PM »

Actually so far I'm quite please with myself! The spoiler for the VX has been sat on a shelf for years (whilst the car sits motionless in the garage) it is in reasonable condition but due to the usual rusty inner if re-used would deteriorate quite rapidly due to the expansion of the rust bursting the plastic. Anyway I was having a look at it and giving it a good fondle and concluded that the offending metal is only in the base so, as I have a perfect Lester copy as well, what had I got to lose?? Hobby knife at the ready I carefully sliced at the base with all the skill seen on casualty.



The metal piece actually proved to be remarkably easy to take out it does perform several functions one to stiffen the spoiler another to bolt it to the boot lid and thirdly it kind of stretches the spoiler which is surprisingly elastic (it is now about 2cm too short!!) anyway watch this space I'm going to try to concoct a new item in something rust free to do the job and seal it all back up with black silicone. Wish me luck!    
« Last Edit: October 17, 2010, 06:00:35 PM by rossocorsa » Logged
rossocorsa
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« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2009, 12:22:09 AM »

update job almost done will post details when finished this is well worth doing if your spoiler is getting flaky internally
« Last Edit: October 17, 2010, 06:02:20 PM by rossocorsa » Logged
rossocorsa
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« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2010, 05:53:01 PM »

thread revival!!

As some one on the forums asked about this an update on a dead thread. The volumex boot spoiler  is made of moulded rubber with a metal stiffener in the base, the rubber appears to become porous once the outer surface has worn in use and this leads to damp attacking the stiffener which is mild steel, this then rusts and expands causing the spoiler to distort and crack. The stiffener is a pressed strip moulded into the bottom of the spoiler and can actually be cut away from the main moulding. You need a sharp knife to do it but it is possible to cut and peel back the rubber and then extract the original stiffener. As a replacement I bought some alloy strip narrower than the original from B&Q (but no doubt other DIY shops would have something similar). This was cut to approximately the same length as the original but remember that the spoiler rubber tends to shrink a little so the strip needs to be fitted in such a way that it stretches it back a little bit . I cut a second strip a bit shorter than the first the two strips fitting in the area left by the original stiffener. On the original spoiler it was fitted to the bootlid with self tapping screws or something similar, I decided to do the opposite and fit captive threads to the spoiler stiffening strip. I bought some stainless steel bolts of a suitable size for the holes in the bootlid and matching nuts and drilled the longer strip at the relevant points. I then fitted the long strip/stiffener into the spoiler rubber pushing the screw heads into the old holes for the original screw fittings. I fitted the other shorter strip then made some rough cut short pieces of strip which i drilled and fitted over the bolts and temporarily bolted in place. these were used to hold the second strip clamped in position.I then sealed it over with black silicone I used a relatively slow setting product used for roofing repair that I bought from Lidl. I sealed the critical sections first clamping the strip into place then after it had cured sealed the remainder having removed the temporary clamps. The end result is not perfect but is pretty good  pictures to follow if I can find any sorry if explanation is hazy but I did this a year ago and gave up on the post due to apparent lack of interest    



I'll do some pics of the end product when I have time!

notice that the holes in the strip are angled to match the slight curve in the bootlid lip

that's a Lester spoiler just behind it in one of the pictures by the way sorry it's an old photo I realise it looks a bit confusing but I don't have another of the half finished repair 
« Last Edit: October 17, 2010, 11:38:01 PM by rossocorsa » Logged
Jimmie
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« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2011, 02:46:21 PM »

Very interesting, gotta do this myself before the metal erupts from the housing.

Do you know if the two side pieces next to the main spoiler also contain any metal?

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rossocorsa
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« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2011, 11:08:45 PM »

I believe the end sections also contain metal I have no idea if it is possible to remove it I have a pair from a Lester after market spoiler end pieces (actually I have the centre bit as well as a spare) they are the exact same profile as the original aside from no recesses for the badges and they are a lot more durable. If you want to attempt a repair think hard about it first it is very fiddly and takes quite a lot of thought unfortunately it is not possible to explain my bodge on here very well, when fitting the metal strips don't forget you need to allow them to slightly stretch the spoiler back to its full length and also the fixing holes must take account of the curvature of the bootlid edge or they will not align with the holes in the boot lid. The original stiffener is extended to the edge of the spoiler where it turns downwards this is probably impossible to replicate so I didn't try, I am hoping that I can fix it to the lid with sealant
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