Well, I have taken a left turn, sort up, and changed the design and material I am using for my DIY splitter. I have given up the Komacel (for sale if any interest, cheap, all cut and sanded, PM me if interested) and gone to ABS with a metal/rubber trim. The fit is all set, the holes all drilled, and tomorrow I am getting the wedges cut and then I should be set for the install. I am opting for no stand-offs, but 1/4 wedges which I will glue on to the splitter and the ABS chin on the MINI. In the rear it will be held on by the 7 stock screws. I have tested the ABS glue, and once dry, it's not budging. I will probably go with 5 wedges, all equal distance around the splitter. I like that look the best.

The splitter, (OK really a lip) is 2", carved down to 1 /14 inch around the front opening. I bought a chin from Mini for fitament purposes, so if the gluing is a flop, I can get another splitter cut and go the bolt route, but the glue should be just fine and look like stock, which is what I really like.

So that's where I am at, it's been fun, the material is reasonable, but I didn't figure in all my time, (I just like fooling around in the garage!).

Thanks again to all who have PM'ed me with help and advice.

Gene

 

Wow that looks awesome!

Why'd you give up on using Komacel?

Ken

 

I really really like the ABS. Looking good I also really like the move to go with wedges rather than standoffs

good job

Where did you pick up your ABS?

 

LOL good job in finding the abs, it looks like the stuff i got for mine a while back, thou you used a different edging but still looks good, trust me the abs will do the trick, good job !!! did you get the 4 x 8 sheet or did thye have scrap! you could make extras incase of an opps! i hope i helped but in the end its easier and no painting so way cheaper plus the benifit is if it does get junked your not out alot of time and money with sanding and painting ya know

 

The reason I chose the ABS, was after doing a little more research on the Komacel, I was afraid it was going to cost me an arm and a leg to get it prepped and painted at a boat repair shop. I read all of this info on how to get paint to last on it and it seemed more then I was willing to do. Now, I was not going to subject this to constant wave battering, (LOL), but I just thought the ABS was going to be easier and the finish will be what I was looking for.

I bought a 4X8 sheet and made three of them, so if I break one I have spares. I also bought a 3/8" piece of ABS and I'm going to make 2 rub blocks for the bottom and use VHB tape to hold them on, so they can be replaced when the inevitable scrape happens.

Gene

 

Looks awesome! Can you give more details on your wedges and where you procured the ABS and trim? I'm thinking I want to try this one...

 

Almost in any city, there will be a store that sells plastic. They will have the ABS in a variety of sizes, as it is one of the more popular plastics, I have found out. It cuts very easy with a band saw, or Dremmel tool but it also melts when it cuts, if you go too fast. I found using some vaseline on the blade keeps the heat down. If not, McMaster Carr or ePalstics sells it in sheets, but with shipping it's best to get local because you will need a 5' long piece so it will wrap around the MINI's chin.

After I fit it exactly how I wanted it on the chin (I bought one from MoT for under $40.00 which I used for fitting and drilling purposes), I installed on my MINI using the stock screw mountings around the chin. Then I taped it up to get to level and made the wedge template, so it fits flush around the stock chin and my splitter. I wanted the ABS textured look on each side, so I took my template to a local plastics guy who is going to cut me a bunch, 1/2 one way, 1/2 the other so I can glue them together and get the textured look on both sides of the wedge. I used 1/8 ABS for the wedges, so when glued they will be 1/4 inch thick. I will use clear plastic epoxy on the wedge where the seam will show, then paint that with a Krylon, textured black satin paint for plastic, which will give me close to the textured look. They should then look like a solid piece.

Once I get the wedges back I will glue to the splitter, let set over night, then mount and glue to the ABS chin using ABS cement, which after some tests, I found will hold like heck. It should then look like a stock piece. I also used a scrub pad to knock some of the sheen off the ABS so once installed I should be able to use WOW and get all the plastic to look alike.

The trim came from McMaster Carr, which they sell in many sizes and by the foot. It sounds more complicated then it is, but I am really looking forward to the end result looking factory, which I wanted. You just have to decide the shape and size you want for your splitter. If you use the wedges and no stand-off, I wouldn't go much more then 2" out from the stock Chin.

Seeing as how this is just for looks, I am going to drill 5, 1" holes close to the back mounting screw towers, in the arc of the splitter and equal distance apart for air relief. I will be gone much of the time for the next 2 weeks, but when all done I will post pics.

Gene

 

Nice looking splitter ! !

Aren't you concerned about hitting something and having the splitter rip off part of the bumper with it being glued on?

 

Not really, because my MINI is not lowered and the splitter only hangs down only about 1/2 inch from stock. If it does, it will only take off just the plastic, as it's plastic mounted to plastic with no stand-offs attaching it to the upper bumper. Plus the chin is cheap and I now have an extra one.

Gene

 

Shoot pics of the wedges if you'd be so kind - that's the only part that I'm unclear about.

Thanks!!

 

When I get the 1/2's back next week and glued, I will do that. They are really just formed pieces of ABS that will attach to the splitter and the MINI chin. You can shape them anyway you want, just a long as they will keep the splitter level.

Gene

 

I likes!

 

Great Job

 

I'm back in town, picked up all of the cut wedges, they're all glued together, so.... I hope to have them glued onto the splitter and the splitter installed by this upcoming weekend. I will post pics of finished project when it's all done.

Gene

 

Any updates on this one? Still keen to try this - I really like the way you cut the shape in the leading edge of the splitter. I'd want to use stand-offs though - any issues with using them in conjunction with the wedges (for masx strength) do you think?

 

Also - what did you pay for your ABS sheet, and what thickness did you use? I just called a local plastics place that has black ABS in stock and was quoted $90 for a 4X8' sheet of 3/16" or $120 for 1/4". Seems like I'd be able to cut multiple spoliers from that much material though...

 

Any updates?

 

The splitter is done and mounted on the "chin" that I bought, so all I need to do is find the time to swap "chins". I made the wedges by gluing two pieces of the ABS together so the texture will show on both sides, then used ABS glue to attach to the splitter. When mounting the splitter on the chin, I used VHB tape, plus I drilled a 1/8" hole through the splitter, wedges and the chin and sandwiched it all together with a 6X32 stainless bolts, using fender washers on the top and bottom.

I drilled out the 5 screw holes that mount the two pieces of the chin together, and ran 10X32 stainless bolts through the splitter and the chin. I made 5 quarter inch rubber spacers that went between the splitter and the chin so the angle would be level and the wedges would line up at the angle I wanted. I also drilled 4-1" holes through the splitter, evenly spaced near where it mounts via the bolt holes to the chin, for water run-off.

The look is what I wanted, it won't flex with the wedges and it sure won't fall off. My MCS is not lowered, but I am going to add a couple of ABS 1/4" "rub-blocks" on the bottom just in case.

That's my version of a splitter. I know it's not going to add down force, but I just wanted a bit more of an aggressive look, that looked factory.

I can answer any questions if anybody has any. There has been some PM's about wedge templates, but that really depends on how you want it to fit. I just used cardboard as a starting point, the transfered to the ABS when I got it right.

Hope this helps for anybody that was interested.

Gene

 

Looks very nice and "finished" - congrats.

 

Nice work it look very good...

 

wow, looks hells better then that landscaping rubber strip that goes along side gardens.

 

really nice! its so cool to see custom pieces like this! A+ work

 

Thanks for all your kind words. I really like working with plastic, all kinds. Now, I'm trying to perfect my welding of it. I'm a pretty fair TIG welder, but plastic welding presents many new problems to overcome. I was really hoping to be good enough to have welded the wedges on the splitter, but I'm not that good yet. Maybe next one

Thanks again, Gene

 

Bumping this up!
Any pics of it on the car?

Are you taking any orders?

 

No orders, but it's really not very hard. Get some ABS sheet, some ABS glue the template from MC2 (although mine is altered a bit), some cardboard for your wedge template, a bottle or two of brew and away you go

Gene