My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
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Car: 1987 Firebird Formula
Engine: 2004 LQ4
Transmission: T-5 WC
Axle/Gears: 3.42
My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
Hey guys, I've got about a month into my Whale tail spoiler... This includes reglassing it back together with SMC (A fiberglass resin/plastic mix) I then put 1/4" of the SMC inside the wing itself so it would settle along the top..
The biggest, and most frustrating part has been the one side that was missing from the spoiler.. I fabricated it out of a fiberglass resin that has the fiberglass hair in it, it's a pain to work with, but it's turned out okay.. I'll post pics as I go, I'm hoping this looks alright when I get done... Here's a couple pics of what I've got going on..
Mind you, some of these are early, I've already started with the filler, and just have some finishing to do, like evening up my body lines.. Sorry about the pic quality, I gotta buy a real camera..
The biggest, and most frustrating part has been the one side that was missing from the spoiler.. I fabricated it out of a fiberglass resin that has the fiberglass hair in it, it's a pain to work with, but it's turned out okay.. I'll post pics as I go, I'm hoping this looks alright when I get done... Here's a couple pics of what I've got going on..
Mind you, some of these are early, I've already started with the filler, and just have some finishing to do, like evening up my body lines.. Sorry about the pic quality, I gotta buy a real camera..
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Car: 84 Camaro
Engine: 350 punch out .060 to 360ci
Transmission: 700R4 worked
Axle/Gears: 410 Posi
Re: My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
You could prob find a stock replacement one cheap online, Looks like alot of work
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Car: 86 Trans Am, 92 Firebird
Engine: 408 sbc, 3.1L of raw power
Transmission: TKO600, T5
Axle/Gears: Moser 9", 3:70 trutac, 3:23 torsion
Re: My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
you can find them, not cheap, about 350 bux
kevman, looks pretty go so far. as for the part you have to remake, if you use woven glass mat, not the chopped crap, you can make a nicer shape with less buildup, then just skin coat it and sand it into shape
kevman, looks pretty go so far. as for the part you have to remake, if you use woven glass mat, not the chopped crap, you can make a nicer shape with less buildup, then just skin coat it and sand it into shape
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Car: 86 TA
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700R4 - 2200 stall
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi
Re: My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
if youre planning on keeping the car a while, go fiberglass. its pricey but you wont regret it.
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Car: 1987 Firebird Formula
Engine: 2004 LQ4
Transmission: T-5 WC
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
The spoiler is all good, just a few low spots on the top deck where I had to fiberglass it back together.. It fits the glass nice, too. I'll post some updated pics tommorow, it's alot farther along than the pics show.. The hardest part was molding it to blend with the hatch glass on the top, after I figured that out, it was easy.
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Car: '91 Formula (semi-project)
Engine: 5.0 TPI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42 Posi
Re: My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
And at least $100 to ship (I just bought one). Since it looks like you're already into the project a bit, and it is looking pretty good considering the extent of the apparent damage, it seems like you might as well stick it out and finish the job to see how it comes out. I would, anyway, but I'm a cheap S.O.B.
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Car: 1987 Firebird Formula
Engine: 2004 LQ4
Transmission: T-5 WC
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
And at least $100 to ship (I just bought one). Since it looks like you're already into the project a bit, and it is looking pretty good considering the extent of the apparent damage, it seems like you might as well stick it out and finish the job to see how it comes out. I would, anyway, but I'm a cheap S.O.B.
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Car: 1987 Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: Posi 3:42
Re: My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
Where did the whale tail come from? was it on the car when you got it or did you use a 4th gen type?
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Car: 1987 Firebird Formula
Engine: 2004 LQ4
Transmission: T-5 WC
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
I got it from a parts car that cost me $200, I also got a really nice Formula hood from it, too, so it was a pretty good buy..
Here's some more pics, and one of the car waiting for me to get it done.. What do you think of the tail lights? The center piece broke in transit and I had to use the stock one, I kinda like it..
hatch1.jpg?t=1267895833
hatch3.jpg?t=1267895853
hatch2.jpg?t=1267895873carwaiting1.jpg?t=1267895889
Here's some more pics, and one of the car waiting for me to get it done.. What do you think of the tail lights? The center piece broke in transit and I had to use the stock one, I kinda like it..
hatch1.jpg?t=1267895833
hatch3.jpg?t=1267895853
hatch2.jpg?t=1267895873carwaiting1.jpg?t=1267895889
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Car: 1987 Firebird Formula
Engine: 2004 LQ4
Transmission: T-5 WC
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: My nightmare of a 1991 Whale Tail spoiler.. Should I just buy new?
I'm putting the new glass and decklid on the car this weekend, I'll post some pics in the firebirds auto detailing section as I am also adding my new wheels and tires.. The spoiler is going to take me some more time..
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