Straightening the front spoiler

[MML]

Has anyone come across this problem? My spoiler curves up in the middle. I tried to flex it back down but noticed a gap opening up where it meets the bottom of the rock screen.
Also, there's a bit of a gap at the sides where it meets the bottom of the fenders... should the gap be that big?
I'm guessing the sides need pushing upwards, the middle stays where it is, the end result being a straighter spoiler... would that be right?

I'm hoping to finally get the fascias and bumpers painted this summer! It's well overdue.

http://i.imgur.com/HdBKnNu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4Ghn8Qg.jpg

[outatym2001]

Yes, I had that same problem. What you have to do is apply heat to the black plastic then hold it in the position you want and allow it to cool down then it will stay in that new shape.
I removed my black plastic spoiler and set it down on the concrete floor of my friend’s garage.
The concrete floor is flat and level just the same as you want the bottom of your spoiler to be.
I applied heat with a Heat Gun until the temperature of the black plastic got to around 140 Fahrenheit. Do not leave the Heat Gun in one place. Go back and forth along the part of the spoiler you are looking to straighten.
I continuously checked the temperature of the black plastic with an infrared thermometer I bought an auto parts store for $40.
Once I was done heating the plastic I quickly set down some pieces of flat wood on top of the plastic where I had just heated to maintain the flat and level position I desired. After it cooled down the spoiler was now flat and level like the concrete floor I had set it down on.

[DMC5180]

Nice Trick. MarK!

FWIW if you ever order one those. They ship them Folded in half to keep the box a reasonable sized. Once you remove it from the box you unfold it let it sit on the floor for a day. It will relax back to it's original shape.

[MML]

Thanks Mark, I'll give that a go, sick looking at it at this stage!
I noticed there's a a lip underneath the bottom edge, might be able to put a flat bar or something in there to keep it straight...

[Mark D]

One other thing to try is loosening up the five bolts that attach the spoiler to the rock screen and flexing the spoiler downward as you retighten everything. Start tightening from the middle and work your way outward also. Check your rock screen for bends or broken off studs which can contribute to alignment issues.

A couple of years ago I had the front bumper and spoiler off to fix eyebrows and when I reinstalled everything the spoiler would bow upwards like that on warm days. I loosened everything up and made a few adjustments and the issue went away.

Oh, and one interesting thing to note.... If anyone here has a Sunstar 1:18 scale DeLorean you'll notice it has this same problem. The real car that sunstar used for reference had this issue and they assumed it was part of the design so they incorporated it into the shape of the spoiler on the 1:18 scale car.

[jawn101]

Oh, and one interesting thing to note.... If anyone here has a Sunstar 1:18 scale DeLorean you'll notice it has this same problem. The real car that sunstar used for reference had this issue and they assumed it was part of the design so they incorporated it into the shape of the spoiler on the 1:18 scale car.

The care they modeled the scale model after just happens to belong to our NCDMC club president. The 1:18 model also includes things like his incorrect stereo... he's pretty proud of that. :)

[MML]

Took a stab at this yesterday, just used a heat gun and some strips of wood. Turned out ok!
I got a length of stainless flat bar for reinforcement but I may not need it after all.

http://i.imgur.com/cQgHvtv.jpg

[Dangermouse]

Nicely done Martin

[MML]

Nicely done Martin

Cheers Dermot. Need to get a bit of paint on it now, but if I do that, I may as well do under the door sills, and the black bits under the rear marker lights!

[Tillsy]

and the black bits under the rear marker lights!

Those are rubber gaskets not plastic.

[MML]

Those are rubber gaskets not plastic.

I should've worded that better, I mean these bits:

http://i.imgur.com/cWBa0Dm.jpg