Restoring front plastic skirt

Joined
23 May 2001
Messages
47
Location
Oswego, IL
Folks;

Not sure what it is called but I need to do some work on the front plastic air dam. It appears to have been scrapped fairly badly either going up and incline or bumping into a parking block. The FAQ talks about Surflex Black Colorant as the product to use. I have two questions, first how good does this work? Second, where do I get this stuff, my local auto store has never heard of it. Net search does not find much. Thanks again.

Kevin
 
UNDERCARRIAGE PROTECTION

I posted this on another forum with little action. I would like some feedback if you think this a good idea. Thanks
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A&A Engines (Corvette Specialists) have a couple of really neat items to protect the low undercarriage of a Vette. They are:
  1. A couple of rollers that will hit bottom before the chin spoiler hits. See at this link - http://www.aaengines.com/c5menu/framesavers.htm


    <img src=http://www.nextnsx.com/upload/framesaver1.jpg>


    <img src=http://www.nextnsx.com/upload/framesaver2.jpg>
    <hr>
  2. And, Rocker Rails that protect the lower rocker panels. See at this link - http://www.aaengines.com/c5menu/rockerrails.htm


    <img src=http://www.nextnsx.com/upload/rocker1.jpg>


    <img src=http://www.nextnsx.com/upload/rocker2.jpg>
    [/list=a]

    Andy, the owner says he may be able to fabricate rollers and/or rails for the NSX. He is located in Southern California and would like to look under an NSX.

    If anyone is interested, please contact Andy at (805) 375-2636 or [email protected].

    I am very interested and also I am a new NSX owner so maybe this subject has already been discussed. Please let me know if anyone else has looked into something like this before. I have attended a few Corvette Club meetings and have seen these items and think they are great.

    Rick

    P.S.

    I just looked under the front end of my car. The tie-down hooks are at the same level as the chin spoiler and only about 6-8 inches behind. I think this would be a perfect place to mount some HD rollers. I do see where rails could be installed, but maybe really not needed.

    I like the roller idea, any thoughts?
 
keving, I've used a product called Black Again for the same purpose and it seems to work fairly well, and it might be easier to find. Just don't get any of it on your paintwork.

One place you might check out, for specialty detailing products like this, is Emmons Coachworks. They do a big mail-order business from their website http://www.emmonscoachworks.com NSX Club members get a 10 percent discount there. You can also visit their store in Villa Park, maybe 25 minutes from Woodfield Acura (from WA, take Higgins to I-290 east to IL-83 south to Roosevelt Road / IL-38 west). Maybe go there in the loaner while they're doing your alignment...?

tabasco, there's something I don't understand about this roller concept. Let's say you enter or exit a driveway where your front air dam would scrape. What, exactly, do the rollers DO? How do they prevent the air dam from scraping? I can't imagine that they are taking the weight of the car... So how do they work?
confused.gif
 
Originally posted by nsxtasy:

tabasco, there's something I don't understand about this roller concept. Let's say you enter or exit a driveway where your front air dam would scrape. What, exactly, do the rollers DO? How do they prevent the air dam from scraping? I can't imagine that they are taking the weight of the car... So how do they work?
confused.gif

They would be slightly lower than the chin spoiler (1-2 inches) and would hit the driveway before the chin spoiler and lift the car up slightly, enough that the chin spoiler does not hit. I have seen these on Vettes and the owners swear by them.

This is what Andy says in his ad:

"Keep your front undercarriage (and your driveway) protected from those awful scrapes when entering and exiting. These are a "must have" on any C5. Particularly if your car is lowered. Driveways you used to avoid altogether are now no problem. Tough nylon wheels are attached to the front skid bars. Barely noticeable, they are there to protect your investment at all times. You’ll wonder how you got by without them!

Bolt on with one-step drilling.
Can be welded for superior durability.
We can install on site, or ship the kit to you."


Hope this helps...Rick


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'00 Candy Apple Blue / Black
 
Thanks for the responce, now a question. How exactly does this type of product work? The spoiler has small dents and gouges in it. I take it that you can sand these out? then use this product to make it black again? Thanks much.

Kevin;
 
keving,

Why not just buy another front air dam and install it, rather than going to so much work to restore the original.

I just ordered one from Gunn Acura for something like $92 + shipping and bolted it right on (took 30 minutes total). You could keep the original (like I did) for the next owner, should he want it.

Mike
 
How exactly does this type of product work? The spoiler has small dents and gouges in it. I take it that you can sand these out? then use this product to make it black again?

The Surflex and Black Again and such are designed to restore the color to the air dam if it has faded and/or has gotten wax on it, so that it looks gray rather than black. I thought that's what you were asking about; my error.

No, it won't fix dents and gouges. For those, Mike's advice is best; it's an inexpensive part, just replace it. (Heck, it doesn't even need painting.)
 
re: replacing the chin spoiler

I believe that after 1998 or so, the only OEM chin spoiler available is the 97+ one, which is cut a little deeper on the sides, particularly on the front corner. Updates the look of the car, but also makes it more prone to scraping

Same question as Ken on the rollers -- for them to work correctly on the NSX, they have to be pretty far forward to drag BEFORE the front spoiler does, and most of the plastic parts up front weren't really designed to support the weight of the car (not concentrated at two points).
 
It sure is a small world. I know Andy from A&A engines. Good guy and very professional. I had those exact rollers installed on my C5 when I had one, and they worked wonderfully.

I had never thought of doing that on my NSX.
I was planning on getting one of the newer front spoilers and painting it body color. Now I know what I will do to protect it!
Andy is only 30 minutes away from me.
Thanks
 
I just looked - the spoiler was $92.55 and the shipping charge (from San Antonio to Nashville) was only $12.00. Total was $104.55.

Call Tracy Townsend at Gunn Acura. His # is 1-210-696-2462.

The spoiler was the '97 and up NSX spoiler, which does look better than the '91 in my opinion. BTW, I installed it without raising the front end (just laid on my back). Use a 10mm socket to remove and reinstall. Removal was only 5-10 minutes, but it did take a little longer (20 minutes) to put the new one one.
 
I don't know that you'll find anything far enough forward that can support enough weight to use those roller things on an NSX. I think you may just end up bending stuff, but it is probably worth measuring.

But I have no idea how you could ever scrape the underside of your side rocker panels unless you wrecked the car and ended up on a big curb or something, at which point that is probably the least of your concerns.
 
Originally posted by ilya:
It sure is a small world. I know Andy from A&A engines. Good guy and very professional. I had those exact rollers installed on my C5 when I had one, and they worked wonderfully.

I had never thought of doing that on my NSX.
I was planning on getting one of the newer front spoilers and painting it body color. Now I know what I will do to protect it!
Andy is only 30 minutes away from me.
Thanks


Ilya,

Thanks. Could you take your car to Andy and see if it is doable. I will be second in line if it works.

The tow/tie down hooks are only 6-8 inches behind the chin spoiler and can certainly handle impact. They may have to be a few below the spoiler to hit first, but I think you wouldn't see them.

I don't know, I just know Andy's rollers work on a Vette and he is willing to look at doing it for an NSX.

Thanks for helping
 
Not that it's necessarily relevant to this discussion, but the tie-down hooks are NOT toe hooks. If you tried to toe the car by one, you would destroy the hook because it is not made to support that kind of load.

The shippers for new NSXs do not even use any of the tie down hooks, they use the square holes in the side sill frame rails (requires a J-hook) because they are much stronger.

The only factory toe hook on the car is the one in the front nose with the little plastic cover over it. Actually, if you find what that is connected to, that would probably be a good place to connect the rollers...

[This message has been edited by Lud (edited 07 June 2001).]
 
Once it's determined where the rollers will go, I would not do anything without consulting with larry and others about the safety of that position. One I'm satisified that it's harmless and a safe mod I'll go for it. Can't go bending that expensive frame ya know.
 
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