Rear Diffuser for a 390SE?
Rear Diffuser for a 390SE?
Author
Discussion

schimg

Original Poster:

1,923 posts

283 months

Friday 7th December 2007
quotequote all
Hi there,

Anyone got an spare rear diffuser for a 390se?

I am looking for the earlier type that is held in place by a couple of brackets and that it may be posible to fit one of these to my 2+2 350i wedge.

Thanks Steve.G.

blaineuk

2,615 posts

277 months

Friday 7th December 2007
quotequote all
i have one.





























but you can't have it as it is fixed to my carbiggrin

schimg

Original Poster:

1,923 posts

283 months

Friday 7th December 2007
quotequote all
I don't know you build me up then knock me down




T


A


R


T

This does not help the cause...might come round with the hacksaw...could borrow it anyway cos yours is gonna be off the road for the next year or so..

Edited by schimg on Saturday 8th December 08:09

L33

3,469 posts

254 months

Saturday 8th December 2007
quotequote all
rofl

schimg

Original Poster:

1,923 posts

283 months

Wednesday 19th December 2007
quotequote all
Hello!

Anyone got an idea of where I could get one from?

Wedg1e

27,038 posts

295 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
You'll be lucky. I've had my car 7 years and I have NEVER seen one for sale, nor heard of anyone supplying new ones. Best bet would be to find someone who's prepared to let you take a mould from theirs...
The wing hangs from the boot floor on two fabricated steel brackets. The brackets are bolted into captive threads in the wing: needless to say the bolts will not come out, they will just rip the captives out of the GRP. So chances are you'll be making two; one to replace the one you break wink
As far as I can tell it's hollow, made in two sections and then glassed together. It weighs a ton (well, 20 Kg) and despite approximating a true aerofoil its value on the road is debatable and should be considered a cosmetic addition at best. It's a b1tch to keep clean, gets shotblasted by the rear tyres and stained by the exhaust.
If you're desperate to have one you could look at fabricating one from alloy or carbon fibre (still useless but at least it'd look nice wink) - that is, assuming you've ruled out TVRCarParts, TET...?

Gandalf

2,381 posts

268 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
schimg said:
Hello!

Anyone got an idea of where I could get one from?
Well if anyone comes up with one (even in a sorry state) I have the facilities to create a mould - are there any others out there in need of a new or spare rear diffuser?

L33

3,469 posts

254 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Steve,
Have you tried a breaker to see if any 400se's are being broken?
You could hacksaw it off and bodge it to fit.
Bell Hill garage and Douglas Valley spring to mind...
thumbup

Wedg1e

27,038 posts

295 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
L33 said:
Steve,
Have you tried a breaker to see if any 400se's are being broken?
You could hacksaw it off and bodge it to fit.
Oh no you couldn't. Only the early/ mid production 390s had a 'true' wing; for the late 390 TVR produced a rear bumper with a fake wing moulded underneath it... sometimes you can't get your hand between the 'wing' and the buper, sometimes you can, but all you find is the rough GRP on the back, not the top of the aerofoil.
When the 400SE came along they blended the combined bumper/ wing into the tail of the shell so the 400SE wing is a fake too, sorry. The two bits just behind the tyres are the only actual aerofoil sections.


L33

3,469 posts

254 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Wedg1e said:
L33 said:
Steve,
Have you tried a breaker to see if any 400se's are being broken?
You could hacksaw it off and bodge it to fit.
Oh no you couldn't. Only the early/ mid production 390s had a 'true' wing; for the late 390 TVR produced a rear bumper with a fake wing moulded underneath it... sometimes you can't get your hand between the 'wing' and the buper, sometimes you can, but all you find is the rough GRP on the back, not the top of the aerofoil.
When the 400SE came along they blended the combined bumper/ wing into the tail of the shell so the 400SE wing is a fake too, sorry. The two bits just behind the tyres are the only actual aerofoil sections.
I stand corrected bow

hehe

blaineuk

2,615 posts

277 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
still think you could adapt a 400 aerofoil to fit.

BoltonTVR

264 posts

294 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Wedg1e said:
Oh no you couldn't. Only the early/ mid production 390s had a 'true' wing; for the late 390 TVR produced a rear bumper with a fake wing moulded underneath it...
Well, my Dad's bigger than your Dad biglaugh.

JR

14,332 posts

288 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Wedg1e said:
...and despite approximating a true aerofoil its value on the road is debatable and should be considered a cosmetic addition at best.
Nonesense. Stuff rear diffusers, Lotus are wrong, this is the genuine article and is a superb piece of kit.

Wedg1e

27,038 posts

295 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
BoltonTVR said:
Wedg1e said:
Oh no you couldn't. Only the early/ mid production 390s had a 'true' wing; for the late 390 TVR produced a rear bumper with a fake wing moulded underneath it...
Well, my Dad's bigger than your Dad biglaugh.
Bloody hell, Noddy is bigger than my dad... biggrin

schimg

Original Poster:

1,923 posts

283 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Wedg1e said:
You'll be lucky. I've had my car 7 years and I have NEVER seen one for sale, nor heard of anyone supplying new ones. Best bet would be to find someone who's prepared to let you take a mould from theirs...
The wing hangs from the boot floor on two fabricated steel brackets. The brackets are bolted into captive threads in the wing: needless to say the bolts will not come out, they will just rip the captives out of the GRP. So chances are you'll be making two; one to replace the one you break wink
As far as I can tell it's hollow, made in two sections and then glassed together. It weighs a ton (well, 20 Kg) and despite approximating a true aerofoil its value on the road is debatable and should be considered a cosmetic addition at best. It's a b1tch to keep clean, gets shotblasted by the rear tyres and stained by the exhaust.
If you're desperate to have one you could look at fabricating one from alloy or carbon fibre (still useless but at least it'd look nice wink) - that is, assuming you've ruled out TVRCarParts, TET...?
Thanks for the reply, this is a learning curve for me as you can tell, but I will get there.

Desperate not, but fancy the look and with what I have planned for the Tasmin it sits best...that said probably will have to alter my plans as I have drawn a blank after contacting Mr Bee at TET, Tom at Bellhill and Douglas Valley, Doug at David Geralds...but have not tried TVRCarParts...I will call them in the morning because DG's suggested there too.

Carbon and alu are beyond my knowledge...pity they are only cosmetic then...cheers

schimg

Original Poster:

1,923 posts

283 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
L33 said:
Steve,
Have you tried a breaker to see if any 400se's are being broken?
You could hacksaw it off and bodge it to fit.
Bell Hill garage and Douglas Valley spring to mind...
thumbup
Thanks Lee done it...guess this will be a piece of work....still makes it all ineresting!

schimg

Original Poster:

1,923 posts

283 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
blaineuk said:
still think you could adapt a 400 aerofoil to fit.
Sounds like a load of work though..as you know I have got to cut the front spoiler / valance into three to get it to fit...still at least I got the sills off o.k....

schimg

Original Poster:

1,923 posts

283 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Gandalf said:
schimg said:
Hello!

Anyone got an idea of where I could get one from?
Well if anyone comes up with one (even in a sorry state) I have the facilities to create a mould - are there any others out there in need of a new or spare rear diffuser?


Steve,

This sounds the best route especially if we could loose some weight biggrin

...just try to get something to take a mould off..sounds like a scary process taking these things off for a starter...

Gandalf

2,381 posts

268 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Its not really feasible to try and do it on an actual car so the best thing would be to obtain either an unfitted wing or find a scrp car that we could cut the wing off.
I could then get a single or two part mould made on the bench.
Easy job moulding the actual wing thereafter.
I suggest we keep looking for any 390`s that may be getting broken up.

Wedg1e

27,038 posts

295 months

Thursday 20th December 2007
quotequote all
Gandalf said:
Its not really feasible to try and do it on an actual car so the best thing would be to obtain either an unfitted wing or find a scrp car that we could cut the wing off.
I could then get a single or two part mould made on the bench.
Easy job moulding the actual wing thereafter.
I suggest we keep looking for any 390`s that may be getting broken up.
You can break mine up. Just pay me a realistic price for it first biggrin