I have a fiberglass areo kit that I would like installed. I do not have any directions on how to mount the kit. Does anyone have any advice? Should I attempt to do this myself or have a shop do it? I live in the Phoenix area can anyone recommend a shop? Thanks.

 

Hi Jason-------------Ok I must first start with which type of kit did you purchase???? Was it a Motorsport Auto kit???? Or by who??? Also, you would need to tell us which type of Z-car you have and which particular kit you bought.......

Most kits are relatively easy to install.......A definite do it yourself thing----------Unless you wish to have them painted to match your current paint job------Then i would recommend having a shop do it-----------If you plan on painting the car after you install the kit than I would say do it yourself..........

Most kits do come with instructions--------however if you do not have them i can probably talk you through what you need to do----------Plus if it is an Motorsport kit I can get or relay the appropiate instructions since I live not more than 15minutes from their shop...............Most kits are either of the polyurethane or fiberglass material----------both kits usually require the same tools and the same bonding material----------All kits no matter who makes them needs some minor corrections to fit the contour of your Z............My Aero kit II from MSA required numerous adjustments so it would fit appropiately................

Just give me the added info I asked at the top of the reply and I will help you as much as I can

LaterZ, 81 TURBO

 

Thanks Jason for the added info----------sorry it took a little while for my reply, but unfortunately I get a little busy sometimes with my own cars to even get on this puter of mine.

Ok---onto the helpful instructions.

To start off you will need to remove both your front and rear bumpers. You will than need to strip the bumpers of everything useless-----ie. the big ugly rubber bumper stops and the side rubber bumper extensions--------If your bumper has anything else on it like an aluminum or crome cover over a steel bumper than you will need to get rid of that too...... The whole reason you need to remove the bumpers is so that you can get to the bumper shocks.....Those are the strut like devices that your bumper attaches to the car.......In the very front of the bumper shock on the flat bolt up portion you shall find either a phillips type screw or a small bolt------You will need to remove this screw so that you can relieve the air from within the bumper shock-----You will need to push the bumper shock all the way inwards til it bottoms out------Than re-insert the screw back into the hole and than re-attach the bumpers both front and back----------That is about the most complicated portion of the transplant.....


Next you will need to start with the sideskirts--------Do one side at a time---------and while one side is drying you can attach the rear dam--------and than move onto the other side skirt and while that is drying you move onto the front dam.........Basically that is the best order to these procedures so you can save time and utilize your clamps appropiately.................

Now things you will need to have to do this procedure------A medium coarse file---------and some 60 grit sandpaper---------a bunch of clamps-------some scrap 2 by 4's or 1 by 2's or both-------each car will vary somewhat--------------and most importantly some E-6000 Epoxy Adhesive by Eclectic------MSA sell this stuff for about $5 a tube and you will need 2 tubes(actually just a little over 1 tube but get 2 just in case)----I used this E-6000 and wow it worked great---------it is sandable/flexible/ and paintable-------great stuff.....

Onto the sideskirts-----------you will need to do some tril fitting to the first sideskirt---------making sure it is lining up both at the front and rear inner fender lip and at the corner points inside the door----------Now your sideskirts you told me you have are of the Aero Kit so they should line up with the with the body line on the bottom portions of the front and rear fenders---------You may have to do some filing and sanding on the inside of the sideskirt to make everything line up correctly----------don't be afraid to file because these units are normally thick fiberglass-------------Once you get that close fit you will than need to drill 2 holes in both the front and rear of the skirt(this is the area on the inside wheel well lip)----so you can insert the 4 screws(of the extreme flat stlye head and they have a large washer type head too)-----------this is so when you get to the E-6000 you can lay the glue and than set it up with the screws----------you will need to put enough glue where ever the skirt meets the metal------------you will also need to run a bead of the glue along the top ridges of the skirt-------so that you can blend it into the body-----I know this sounds confusing but really when you get to doing it you will understand-----------You may need to use some clamps and some wood to help hold the skirt tight to the metal body----------along the top of the skirt you will need to insert between 4 and 6 more screws to hold the top of the skirt to the inside of the door frame--------------make sure to smooth out the glue with your finger along the top ridges of the skirt( of course you will want to have a rubber glove on)---------------wow that was long

Now move onto the rear dam------the rear dam will basically need to have the same filing done to make a perfect body fitment-----------so make those alterations---------basically the rear air dam will lay on top of the compressed bumper----you will need to do another 4 screw treatment on the inner fender lips and than you will only add glue to fill the gap between the air dam and the body-------the glue will not truly be used to bond the piece to the car just to fill the gaps---=-----The 4 screws and the bumper are what keeps the air dam in its place----------I added some extra screw to help hold the air dam on -----I did mine from the bottom side of the car-------and I did them where ever I could do them with out them being visible--------------------------

Now you will remove all your clamps and move to the other side skirt while the rear is drying---------------do the same procedures from the other sideskirt

Go to the front Dam now this was the easiest out of all of them------You will need to do the fitting as you did with all the other panels trying to get the fiberglass shaped as close to the contour of the attaching point---------Once done you will need to do the same 4 screw treatment to hold the front dam on------this is basically held on once again by the bumper and the 4 screws-----Now this is where you will need to do some strong thinking----------You may or may not opt to glue this air dam on---------Not perse glue but to fill the gap with the glue------I personally choose not to use any glue what so ever on the front air dam-------I choose not to because if I put glue on the front dam it would make it extremely difficult to remove it without destroying the paint job----Why may you ask the front dam??? Basically because of curbs, road debris, accidents, ect.-----The one area of the car that sees the most abuse and damage is the front-----and with an air dam up front it becomes multiplied-----So opted not to-----that way if I was to hit a high parking curb I could do the fiberglass repair work on the dam and than re-paint just the air dam alone-----not worrying about the attaching glue or anything else but the 4 screws---------Oh yeah by the way I also added some extra mounting screws to the front dam----from the bottom side out of sight-------

Remember take your time------use plenty of clamps-----------allow the glue to dry fully-----------and use as much glue as you think you have to-----overkill is good when you use the glue just as long as it is not in the visible places----LOL-------

If you have any other questions feel free to ask away-----Plus if you still need the instructions from MSA I can get them for you......Or you can just call MSA and have them fax you a set of them-------It is only like 1 or 2 pages

Good Luck, 81 TURBO