Rarely Seen: LE Spoiler Braces, NOS Porsche, NLA Options

[914Sixer]

Thought I would show these because they are rarely seen, Fit on the front suspension point and attach to lower lip of FACTORY LE spoiler.

[JeffBowlsby]

FS Mark? I can use a set for my CS

[914Sixer]

Not for sale, contacted Peter at Restoration Design and he said he would be interested in scanning them. They are a must in my mind only any LE style spoiler in my opinion even if you modify the aftermarket version.

[JeffBowlsby]

I have an original LE spoiler

[Van B]

A good American would ensure the rest of us can get a copy… just saying. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flag.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[jim_hoyland]

What is the purpose of the braces ?

[technicalninja]

Mark
Please put a ruler next to those and retake the pictures.
That's all I need to re-create those.

Mine will not be NOS.
They will not be steel either.
I'll use those on the spoiler I purchased from you.

You can sell a man a single set of uber-rare spoiler supports, or you can show all the men how to make them.
The choice is yours...

Jim, the purpose is structural integrity. The fiberglass/plastic spoiler will live twice as long with those installed. They reduce flex and cracking.

Rick

[SirAndy]

What is the purpose of the braces ?

To brace the lower portion of the LE front spoiler, as shown in the image in the first post.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)

[914Sixer]

I will do the measurements tomorrow and post them up in a separate thread

[JeffBowlsby]

Here are my measurements from a few years ago Mark, See how yours compare.

[wonkipop]

A good American would ensure the rest of us can get a copy… just saying. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flag.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

mate - you haven't lived until you peg out a 1.8 flat stick on a desert western australian road and feel that nose start to lift at around about 95mph. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
you need about 20 minutes of your life to do it and a no cop zone that lasts that long.
western australia was once a paradise for that kind of behaviour down here in the prison isle.

wise move i see in relation to your project "improving on the original" given by your enthusiastic interest in the support brackets and the implication.

@914Sixer - fantastic find and even more fantastic that you are sharing the info with the special edition men.

(i don't think i will ever get mine pegged out again past 90 mph - the dicktator down here is on a revenue drive - i picked up a ticket a few months back for doing 51k in a 50km/hr zone. might be a bit hard convincing the cops i shouldn't be thrown in jail if i get done at 170km/hr).

[jim_hoyland]

How do they attach to the spoiler so the FG does rip ? Rubber grommets ?

[technicalninja]

How do they attach to the spoiler so the FG does rip ? Rubber grommets ?

I'm going to make mine out of aluminum to provide a bit more "flex" and I'm planning on rubber grommets with a shanked nylock fastener on the spoiler end.

I'll also try to get 1 or two more brackets between the original two.

They help big time, but I believe the span between the originals is too far for triple digit driving.


It's telling that the original picture shows cracks in the spoiler directly adjacent to the bracket mount. The steel brackets provide an excessively rigid mounting and any impact on the spoiler will probably crack it.
Having no supports is worse IMO. Just driving at high speed will hurt one without some form of support.

Jeff B's line drawing is enough for me. He has all of the critical measurements noted.
I'm betting he is dead nut on...
Thanks Jeff!



Wonkipop, it's still very common to see ALL of the traffic (between major cities) running 90+ mph here in Texas.
My youngest son got a ticket in a Honda Odyssey at 100 in a 75. just a simple ticket but because it was more than 24mph over he couldn't take driver's ed.
Cost him $250 to get "deferred adjudication".
No tickets for 6 months and it disappeared.
No effect on his insurance.

[914werke]

How do they attach to the spoiler so the FG does rip ? Rubber grommets ?

No, specific M5 or 6 carriage bolts, washers & typical lock washer nut.
The OG spoiler has small square opening formed into the lower edge in two places centered on the A-arm cover mounts (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)
A feature you will not find on any copy ~

[rgalla9146]

Complete original hardware.
Note color of plating on brackets and width of opening on tin clips.
The clips slip over thick edge or spoiler easily.
These brackets are bent 'square' at the small hole end, Marks are bent at an angle

[914Sixer]

I have seen 3 versions of the bracket. One version was in primer, one yellow cad and silver cad. The variation occurred as to when they were made.

[technicalninja]

Complete original hardware.
Note color of plating on brackets and width of opening on tin clips.
The clips slip over thick edge or spoiler easily.
These brackets are bent 'square' at the small hole end, Marks are bent at an angle

Thanks for the detailed picture.

Where do the 10mm headed cad plated bolts with the large flat washers and the rubber washers fit?

These are in the center of the pictures.

[JeffBowlsby]

I have been driving with my original spoiler, with two brackets, at highways speeds for many years. No cracks, no issues. I don't see triple digit speeds though.

While the original spoilers are somewhat thin they are strong, so the cracks you see must be from hitting curbs or something similar.

M6 x 12mm carriage bolts...I am looking for these too but have not found anything correct yet.

[rgalla9146]

Complete original hardware.
Note color of plating on brackets and width of opening on tin clips.
The clips slip over thick edge or spoiler easily.
These brackets are bent 'square' at the small hole end, Marks are bent at an angle

Thanks for the detailed picture.

Where do the 10mm headed cad plated bolts with the large flat washers and the rubber washers fit?

These are in the center of the pictures.

Those two are tightened from inside the front trunk through the latch panel.
The rubber discs and large flat washers are to keep the interior of the trunk dry.
Actually an 8mm tool.
The two smaller ones are tightened from inside the front fenderwells through the latch panel as well. Same screw as above, just shorter.
All four pull the spoiler against the body with the tin clips slipped onto the edge of the fiberglass.

[technicalninja]

My father, who was a bad assed pilot and an industrial designer who loves fiberglass made many, many, fiberglass / ABS modifications for cars.

He built the very first "Porsche Panels" for the 914. These are the vacuum formed plastic rocker panels that are flared on the ends and have the raised letters. Auto Atlanta is the source of these today. Originally Green Oaks Porsche Audi sold the molds and the rights to Volkswagen of North America.

I have been involved with most of his projects and have seen MOST of the ways FRP products can fail.

I am NOT a fan of fiberglass shit but have a pretty good idea on how to make stuff last as long as it is possible.

If I was making a spoiler today I'd want a different plastic than glass. Urethane is much better regarding cracks but it shrinks/warps with age.
The FRP material that the Fieros/early Saturn body pieces were made out of is the best material for car body parts IMO. I have a buddy who is the president of the North Texas Fiero club and I see Fieros quite often. At 40 years the Fiero plastic is problematic as well, but it lasts 3 times longer than straight up fiberglass

Fiberglass is easy to use/mold and manufacture, but it is very prone to NVH damage/cracks.
Worked into sheet metal with bondo it will NEVER last. It always cracks/delaminates.
We have a 916 clone that is all fiberglass and at least the fender flairs will go steel.
A bolt on/dzus fastener attachment is best, but the mounting points need a little bit of "give" or you will quickly see cracks form around them.

Making an LE spoiler out of glass I'd want a composite honeycomb spine through it and I'd want the attachment points all slightly "floating" so that it was both rigid and had a tiny bit of wiggle in them. On a forward-facing spoiler I'd want a mounting point every 12".
Another way that works kick ass is to have a "guide bar" that is rigid and rubber coated (heater hose works great) and not quite touching the spoiler. This puppy would be 1/8" away from the back side of the glass so that the only time it comes into play is above 75 mph. It would let the spoiler bend just a little tiny bit before it went solid.

Properly braced this set up would allow you to hit a raccoon at 50mph and not lose the spoiler.

Mount fiberglass solidly on a car that can bend (they all do a tiny little bit) and sooner or later it will crack/fail close to the mounting point.

The first picture in this thread shows this.

I bought a nice fresh LE reproduction from Mark and even with my anal/OCD tendencies I DO NOT believe it will stray crack free for a decade.