I modified my stock spoiler with lots of lexan plastic, fiberglass, bondo, and way too much time. I'll post some pics later. Just curious what other spoilers other people have modified to work on the Mini. Love the Fubrication spoilers, but the cost is out of my price range. I was honestly looking at one of the Hamann knock off spoilers from ebay. Anybody have one on their car? looks different and relatively conservative. I really liked the look of M7's first wing that they came out with before the big Challenge style wing. Anyways, lets see what you guys have done, ive seen Orange crushes artwork with fiberglass, what have the rest of you done?

 

Here's what I did.

 

to be honest its ricey, i would put back the original.

 

Yeah it is kind of ricey, but I like it still. I like a little bit of and edgy, raw look. Even the JCW spoiler, or the GP could be called ricey by some. I was trying for a 1st gen. Mini Challenge Car look and, though it is definitely not the same, I think my spoiler has some similarities to the 1st gen challenge cars.

 

i like what you did

this is a project im still building in my head... i wanted to do a JCW spoiler / GP spoiler cross... still working out the details...

 

Nice, any idea on what you will be using to make it?

 

well, i found one of these on ebay (in black), and got it for pretty cheap. i thought it looked similar to the JCW spoiler....

http://d3d71ba2asa5oz.cloudfront.net...sp-ac_4__1.jpg

then, i wanted to actually mount it like the GP spoiler, with those side fins. i was thinking, maybe using lexan? since its fairly readily available, semi easy to work with, and sorta cheap. finding ABS plastic is difficult, and fiberglass is a pita, IMO. (and for some reason, they either dont make or i cant find "universal" spoiler mounting hardware)

again, still working on that. its a little more difficult than it sounds (and you may very well know, having made a spoiler)! so im open to ideas!

 

I Would Not use Lexan. It is too brittle and cracks too easy. I used lexan on mine and ended up having to fiberglass over everything because the lexan cracked. Go through the trouble of finding ABS. I would if I was doing mine again (which I still might do).

 

Nice work on the modification, doesn't look too bad at all!

 

Astro Black Metalic Mini, heres what Id do if I were you. Get some ABS plastic, cut two sections approx 6in x 24 in. Cut an angle on each section so that when the angled edge is put against the boot hatch, the piece of plastic will be vertical. Use a heat gun to heat the plastic at the top edge and the angled edge and bend these edges over so that you have a flange that you can drill mounting holes through. Bolt the angled flange of the ABS to the outer most part of the boot hatch just below the rear wind screen, bolt the spoiler you bought on Ebay to the flange at the top. This rough "paint" sketch might help to show you what Im trying to explain.

 

im a little hesitant to start drilling into the boot hatch... its so permanent when you do that!

 

R53MAO - I really like the spoiler you made. I think it's aggressive looking yet subtle. Ricer is all about sticking out like a sore thumb, and I believe you've managed to avoid that. Nice work!

 

It's true it is very permanent, but I don't know how else you would attach it. Maybe some seriously strong double sided tape.

 

i wanna see your customer strut brace! i ended up with some super cheapy ebay one... reckon its more for looks than performance :P

and, ya, i was thinking a combo btwn double sided tape, and somehow attaching to the existing spoiler...

I still wanna do something to this effect...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/280576051542...84.m1436.l2648

i think its neat that its 1. clear, 2. lights up!

 

YOu could do the same thing that I described above, using ABS and bending the top and bottom edges over to make flanges and just mount it on top of the stock spoiler, that way if you run into problems, you can just replace your stock spoiler and no harm done.
I would be more in tune with that clear spoiler if it didnt light up, and it didnt have the etched design in it. I like a little more subtle aesthetics.
My Strut brace is actually just craven speed STD's with a rectagular aluminum bar bolted to them. It definately has help in handling, better turn in. And besides that, all the cracks and creaks that you hear in the cabin are gone!

 

How much was this, and do you have a link to the seller?

 

From the perspective of someone who really doesn't care for wings on anything, I like what you did . I'd keep it.
Flat black stripes look nice, also.

 

Does that actually add downforce? I've noticed my "box" at above 80 or so starts to feel like it could use a bit of downforce if I wanted to take a corner at that speed..otherwise bad things may happen

 

I doubt it. I made it purely for aesthetics. No, clue if it adds downforce or not, no real way to test it either. Doesnt feel squirrely at higher speeds. PLEASE, DONT ASK ME IF THIS KEEPS THE REAR WIND SCREEN CLEANER, LOL!!!!! Ive been waiting for that question to come up but suprisingly nobody has asked it yet. But, we're getting closer to it, soI had to cut it off at the head.

 

How would it affect the rear wind screen's cleanliness?

From the appearance of the design, to me, it should provide some sort of additional downforce. Looking at the shape of the OEM spoiler there is literally no aerodynamic value I can see...which saddens me since the "S" is supposed to be a performance oriented model...

 

Being a FWD car does the M7 C-Wing spoiler have any effect? And if it does add down force, wouldn't more down force on the rear mean more under steer in turns?

And on my Neon I had a wing that looked like this:
http://d3d71ba2asa5oz.cloudfront.net...sp-ac_4__1.jpg
on the edge of the trunk (regular place for a spoiler on all sedans) it was OEM from Chrysler. I don't think it added down force, but it did cut down on drag, and made the rear of the car, especially the window, 95% cleaner.

Dude... That is thee gayest thing I've ever seen. Even if it magically added torque, still no. I guess we each have our own tastes; but please tell me you were joking.

 

I may have had a quick race with one of my buddies...and as I was doing about 90 there was a decent turn so I let off the gas as I was entering the corner...and to my surprise the back end started letting loose...luckily I knew if I mashed the throttle I'd get some corrective understeer...but it was an "OH ****" moment to say the least....

The R53 is incredibly front heavy thanks to FWD, an iron block and an intercooled supercharger setup...plus if you look...the entire engine and transaxle sit in front of the front wheels...this makes for a skittish back end.

 

What you experienced was lift off oversteer and has very little to do with aerodynamics. Lifting off the throttle (and braking to a greater extent) in a corner, especially at high speeds, automaticly induces some amount of oversteer. As you identified, hitting the throttle again will put the weight of the car to the outside again and induce understeer or at least correct the oversteer. I dont think a better spoiler would have done much for you at all. Now you know though, let off the throttle BEFORE you turn in for the corner, LOL! By the way, a stiffer rear sway bar will allow you to enter corners at much higher speeds without any understeer, just be careful because if you let off the throttle in the corner you can induce so much oversteer that you will spin the car!

 

Kevin,

i have a link to the seller, but it was just some kid i think, def not a store. i got the spoiler for a "steal" at $20... u interested in it?

and leaf,
no, i was not joking. i think its still a cool idea. i doubt its the "gayest" thing you've ever seen, bc you look in the mirror every day! lol jk. again, i said something "like" that... i think itd be cool to do a GP style spoiler like that, put the Mini logo in it, light it up at night...

 

hahaha well played.

How many solar panels do you need to power that spoiler :p