Drivers Side Front Wing

chrisjcoe · Oct 5, 2012

Does anyone know of a good place to get a 2nd hand/cheap wing?

As usual, mine is rusted behind the wheel arch and the bodywork guy says it will be a lot easier to cut a panel from a replacement. It doesn't matter if it's tatty, dented, etc, as long as it's not rusted in the important area. I'm struggling to find any to be honest.

Diver944 · Oct 6, 2012

I'm sorry to say you will struggle to quickly find any wings that are solid in that area as they will all have some rot down there [

]

I recently sold a brand new wing that had been crumpled at the front after it was fitted to my car for less than a year. If you are lucky you may find another in a similar condition but only if the owner has the foresight to salvage the wing from the bodyshop before replcement.

Has your bodyshop guy expressed any desire to fabricate the section for you. Very few have the skills to do a good job.

At Chateau Impney I saw a very good repair to wing bottoms where a couple of racing fibreglass wings (circa £150) had the bottoms cut off and bonded onto the steel Porsche wing. It was a very good repair and after 2 years there were no signs whatsoever of the join. The good thing is a multitude of sins and imperfections can be hidden underneath the gloopy stoneguard paint [

]. Longterm I think this could be the preferred rout for 944 owners wanting to safeguard against wing rot

chrisjcoe · Oct 8, 2012

Bugger, just noticed I posted this in the 944 FAQ section, that's the last time I create a new post using my iphone! I've asked a kind moderator (you) to move it for me!

Has your bodyshop guy expressed any desire to fabricate the section for you. Very few have the skills to do a good job.

He's said he can fabricate it, but it will take longer and he'll have to work out the exact shape based on the other side. He's suggested that an old/damaged panel will be the cheapest and quickest way for me to get it done. On another note, he's going to grind off the hideous MOT patch bodges on both sills for me before properly welding them. One is so bad, just a 6 inch roughly shaped lump of metal welded on top, no attempt to cut it to size and embed it in the sill. He thinks its about a 2 day job, and will just apply the stonechip black paint over the top to match what's there until I can afford a respray. £2-250 isn't bad to undo a bad job.

At Chateau Impney I saw a very good repair to wing bottoms where a couple of racing fibreglass wings (circa £150) had the bottoms cut off and bonded onto the steel Porsche wing. It was a very good repair and after 2 years there were no signs whatsoever of the join. The good thing is a multitude of sins and imperfections can be hidden underneath the gloopy stoneguard paint . Longterm I think this could be the preferred rout for 944 owners wanting to safeguard against wing rot

Is stoneguard paint correct for 944s? If/when I get it resprayed I was thinking of having the colour all the way down. Would doing this mean that the join between steal and fibreglass would be visible due to cracking paint?

Diver944 · Oct 8, 2012

ORIGINAL: chrisjcoe

Is stoneguard paint correct for 944s? If/when I get it resprayed I was thinking of having the colour all the way down. Would doing this mean that the join between steal and fibreglass would be visible due to cracking paint?

Yes, the factory finish 'bobbly paint' at the bottom of the sills and wing is a thick Stoneguard coating (like Wurth SKS Stoneguard) which is then painted over in body coloured paint. It protects the bottom of the car from stonechip damage and hides a multitide of sins when patch repairs are being done [

]

zcacogp · Oct 9, 2012

ORIGINAL: Diver944
Has your bodyshop guy expressed any desire to fabricate the section for you. Very few have the skills to do a good job.

Have to say, this surprises me. I made a new wing bottom using some steel sheet from a local engineering shop and some tools for £20 from eBay. It took me a couple of hours, and then a friend spend a couple of hours cutting the old bottom off my wing and welding the part I had made on. Neither of us had done any bodywork before in our lives, and it was all done in half a day or so and is as good as new. The finishing touches were done by a local Chipsaway chap (>WavesAtSmiffy<) who did a wonderful job of painting the new patch and blending it into the existing paint. I'll take some pictures if it stops raining for long enough ...

Oli.

Copperman05 · Oct 9, 2012

ORIGINAL: chrisjcoe

Does anyone know of a good place to get a 2nd hand/cheap wing?

As usual, mine is rusted behind the wheel arch and the bodywork guy says it will be a lot easier to cut a panel from a replacement. It doesn't matter if it's tatty, dented, etc, as long as it's not rusted in the important area. I'm struggling to find any to be honest.

Perhaps easiest to do on a Saxo where wings are plentiful and cheap, but on a 25 year old porsche most wings will be shot or ££ if found in good condition. Porsche parts are not cheap.

If the bodyshop is any good then he should be able to fabricate the lower part of the wings for you, however your better getting it done by someone thats done a few of these cars before, otherwise your just going to get a bit of a botch imo. Dave a Daytona Coachworx in Stevenage did mine. Cheapest isnt always best when it comes to bodywork IME.

Edd

chrisjcoe · Oct 9, 2012

Yes, the factory finish 'bobbly paint' at the bottom of the sills and wing is a thick Stoneguard coating (like Wurth SKS Stoneguard) which is then painted over in body coloured paint.

Thanks, I didn't realise that was factory standard, just assumed it was applied to hide the horrible patch-up!

If the bodyshop is any good then he should be able to fabricate the lower part of the wings for you, however your better getting it done by someone thats done a few of these cars before, otherwise your just going to get a bit of a botch imo

He's more than capable, having converted his mk1 and mk2 escorts into works rally clones and restored several old-timers for other people. He's just trying to save me time and money. I did think that the cost of a second hand wing would be a lot more than he thought, but you never know what you lovely people have laying around in the garage! Your point is taken though, he's never worked on a 944 before.

T3rra · Oct 9, 2012

If you do make a repire, I wouldnt put such a large shelf on the bottom, I would make tabs 4 the mounting points, and a small shelf then use some filler or fribe glass 2 bulk the area up 2 a curve 2 stop anything building up under there. Most 2nd wings will still need this doing. Or some rust work. Iv got 2 wings that have been repired in the past that are 2 be removed soon.

But with the time changing wings and doing colour change on eages ur prob be quicker / have yours fixed. If the other side has started 2 go get it done as well.

chrisjcoe · Oct 9, 2012

If you do make a repire, I wouldnt put such a large shelf on the bottom, I would make tabs 4 the mounting points, and a small shelf then use some filler or fribe glass 2 bulk the area up 2 a curve 2 stop anything building up under there. Most 2nd wings will still need this doing. Or some rust work. Iv got 2 wings that have been repired in the past that are 2 be removed soon.

But with the time changing wings and doing colour change on eages ur prob be quicker / have yours fixed. If the other side has started 2 go get it done as well.

That's a good idea, I'm sure that would be a very simple job to do. Luckily the other side is pretty solid, but doing your filler trick would be sensible on both sides.

Hilux · Oct 10, 2012

If you do make a repire, I wouldnt put such a large shelf on the bottom

Its lack of maintenance not the shelf thats at fault. Good preparation, (seam sealer to slope it) and underseal is all thats needed.

Then occasional cleaning.

chrisjcoe · Oct 15, 2012

£80-100 quote to do the wing, which is pretty cheap. I've seen (and lusted after) his 2 modified track cars, so have no problems trusting him. Besides, my car is no show-winner even with the light behind it.