Yet another rear spoiler question post

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My Car
73 Mach 1
351 Cleveland
PS, PB, A/C, rear defrost
I have run through the rear spoiler posts and can confirm that mine is backwards. Does anyone have a good picture of the proper pedestal direction? Trying to find out if I need to take the entire thing off and turn it around (if possible without paint problems) or if the pedestals are correct and the spoiler is mounted on them backwards. The narrow end of the pedestal is to the front, the sweep in the pedestals is going away from the edge of the truck lid (kind of aerodynamically backwards) so I suspect it is assembled properly but installed backwards.

Thanks in advance for any help and a picture of the correct direction for the pedestals if you have one.

 
I have run through the rear spoiler posts and can confirm that mine is backwards. Does anyone have a good picture of the proper pedestal direction? Trying to find out if I need to take the entire thing off and turn it around (if possible without paint problems) or if the pedestals are correct and the spoiler is mounted on them backwards. The narrow end of the pedestal is to the front, the sweep in the pedestals is going away from the edge of the truck lid (kind of aerodynamically backwards) so I suspect it is assembled properly but installed backwards.

Thanks in advance for any help and a picture of the correct direction for the pedestals if you have one.
Here's a picture of the spoiler pedestal on my 71 taken from the rear of the car.

Jim

Spoiler.jpg

 
That is what I was afraid of. Everything is backwards. Maybe the paint is good and I can just undo it and turn it around. Thanks for the pic. Here is from the top:

108b82h.jpg


and from the back showing the pedestals reversed from yours:

353cwmd.jpg


EDIT: DO NOT MOUNT THIS WAY (unless you like it backwards!)

 
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If the paint on the car was "completely dry" when they put the spoiler on it should come off with no paint damage, depending how long it's been on, you'll probably need to use some rubbing compound or polish to blend the colors back before you turn it around. Shouldn't be a problem.

Jim

 
OK, took it off and turned it around. It is a Ford spoiler (surprisingly heavy). The paint survived with a bit of cleaning.

15mxx5l.jpg


The rubber gaskets were stamped D1ZB-6344228AA and even indicate the right hand side (that was ingeniously placed on the left hand side - maybe the installer was sitting on the roof?)

3588gti.jpg


The spoiler pedestals were stamped with D1ZB-6344226 AWA.

2rd7lp1.jpg


And finally - facing the right direction!

2rennev.jpg


 
OK, took it off and turned it around. It is a Ford spoiler (surprisingly heavy). The paint survived with a bit of cleaning.

And finally - facing the right direction!
You put it on backwards.

LOL, just kidding, looks much better. Concerning the weight of the spoiler, yeah they're really heavy, I suspect they do more for traction than they do for aerodynamics on our cars.

Jim

 
OK, took it off and turned it around. It is a Ford spoiler (surprisingly heavy). The paint survived with a bit of cleaning.

And finally - facing the right direction!
You put it on backwards.

LOL, just kidding, looks much better. Concerning the weight of the spoiler, yeah they're really heavy, I suspect they do more for traction than they do for aerodynamics on our cars.

Jim
You are EVIL! :)

 
I've come in to work on a saturday to catch up a bit. (actually it gives me an excuse to bring the stang in). While reading this post, I'm looking at the spoiler and now I think mine's on backwards!. Just to make it real easy for everyone: does the pointier part of the spoiler face the front or the back of the car? I mounted mine years ago with the sharper, skinnier part facing the front. This made sense to me as it cuts the air with less friction.

 
...Just to make it real easy for everyone: does the pointier part of the spoiler face the front or the back of the car? I mounted mine years ago with the sharper, skinnier part facing the front. This made sense to me as it cuts the air with less friction.
The pointer part of the spoiler faces the back, probably the reason so many people put it on backwards.

Jim

 
Can i jump in here and give my 2 cents worth?

Iv'e just installed my spoiler on my '73 Convertible and wrote a thread telling all about it.There is an easy way for folks to get the blade alighnment right.(spoiler facing the right way round)

1.The spoiler blade has a fat edge and a thin edge on the sides.The FAT edge always faces to the FRONT of the car and the thin edge towards the back.

2.With the correct mounting of the pedestals - there is only one way the pedestals can fit or mate up to the recessed mounting cavities on the underside of the spoiler blade. This means the pedestals will always face in the right direction. Fitting them in will prove this true.

3. It's interesting that a lot of Mustang folks tilt the spoiler blade sloping backwards. Maybe that's the look they're chasing.But aerodynamically, the blade is meant to be at least level or more preferably sloping downwards towards the front of the vehicle. As the wind comes off the roof and flows to the trunk, the wind should be exerting a downwards force to the spolier, thus making the spoiler do the job it was intended to. When the blade tilts backwards, it does nothing to help in that regard. In fact, it would act like an air drag anchor to the car. Maybe looks good,but not much practical at all.

Hope that helps.

Greg:)

 
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The plan (top) view of the spoiler has s slight rear-facing curve to it...a curve that matches the slight curve of the trailing edge of the trunk lid.

When the spoiler is put on backwards (I have seen SO MANY mounted backwards over the years), the curve is now front-facing and looks ridiculous.

I have never been able to understand how so many can get it on backwards and not see that it looks odd...

 
I turned mine around with no paint issues. Unbolted the pedestals, washed, and reinstalled. I guess there might be issues if the spoiler was left on during painting but otherwise it worked for me with no paint issues.

 
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