Spoiler repair
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Discussion

e21Mark

Original Poster:

17,588 posts

203 months

Wednesday 12th February 2014
quotequote all
I am building an e21 BMW and have got to the point where I want to sort the bodywork. I had planned to run a Ronal fibreglass front spoiler, but because the car is quite low and there are speed humps where I live, I have imported a 320is item from the USA. These weren't readily available in Europe so it's a bit more unusual compared to other UK e21.

Anyway, it arrived today and there is a slight warp in one side. It isn't huge but it's enough that I wouldn't want to fit it as is. The spoiler is made from a sort of plastic / vinyl and although stiff, it doesn't seem at all brittle. I tried simply bending it back into shape, but the warp returns.

My question is, does this type of material retain any sort of memory, whereby were I to use a hot air gun it would go back to the original shape? If not, is there anything else I can do to fix and straighten the spoiler? I was thinking along the lines of sandwiching it in a vice, between 2 wooden blocks, then warming it? Is that just a silly idea?

Any help/advice would be appreciated as obviously a new spoiler isn't an option.