[Bill Strong]

The research was done by Deno and Bruce Plumley. Bruce noticed dust tracks that were left on the rear of the MK1. This showed the airflow. By moving the spoiler back a few inches the spoiler can be put into a position to better attack the air flow.

Many Plumley Spoilers have been built over the years. Some much better than the way I did mine. This is to be used as a guide to give you an idea of how it is done.

This is a reprint from my website from 2000.

Bill Strong

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Rear Spoiler Relocation

It was suggested on the MR2 Board that the spoiler would work better sitting further back on the trunk. So we tried it. And boy did it work!

 

[Bill Strong]

NOTE: My usage of terms like downforce are wrong. I was still learning about aero mods on automobiles.
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This image shows what it looked like stock. Looks like it provides all kinds of downforce. HA! It looks good, and it does do a bit to spoil the air behind the car. Spoiler also has a center mounted brake light. This is effective at keeping people from hitting you at stop lights. Only problem is that it does effect the flow of air under the spoiler. That is where all of the downforce is actually developed. Not on top of the spoiler, but on the underside.

 

[Bill Strong]

The above images show the holes that are used to mount the spoiler. The drill is pointing at the new hole I drilled to mount the spoiler further back. The image on the right shows the center stanchon holes. The white holes are backed up with duct tape in preparation for filling with epoxy resin. I found that the rear trunk had 3 coats of red applied over time, plus my coats of blue.

 

[Bill Strong]

The above pics show the center stanchion before with the center brake light removed, and after cutting it out.

 

[Bill Strong]

NOTE: I later removed this aluminum patch and bondo'd the hole.

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I covered the holes with aluminum flashing. I just glued it down with epoxy resin. The rear bolt was cut off flush since it wont be used. Aluminum was also used to cover the drain hole. Later on I will recontour the spoiler to look better and not have the over hang. I just need to get some Bondo body filler.

 

[Bill Strong]

I like that much better. I applied a thin layer of Bar-B-Q Black paint to the spoiler and re-installed. A hint... wait until the paint is dry before you handle it! I could not wait. It looks like crap now paint wise. I have to get a few more cans of Krylon Blue. I have to wait until the epoxy filler dries on the trunk. Then it will get a whole new coat of blue.

 

[Bill Strong]

Yes it hangs way out there...but it works! It was moved back a total of 4 1/2 inches.

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I removed the spoiler and cut the end stanchions at an angle. I also removed the plate I glued to the removed center stanchion. I then filled each hole with triple expanding insulation foam. Then I applied a layer of fiberglass cloth, then some fiberglass reinforced Bondo. Once it all dried I test fitted it onto the trunk. Man, it looked so much better. I have to finish prepping the spoiler for a new coat of Krylon Blue. Then it will be reinstalled.
Just finished the project. Looks really good at night! Here are the pics.

 

[Bill Strong]

here is another view

 

[nw_mr2]

What differences could you see in how the car felt at high speeds after this mod? I think I remember you saying something about it but I can't remember... I might think about doing it after I buy an LED wing.

 

[RavenR6]

That looks quite good, and very professional. Moving the wing back could only mean good things for downforce, as the further you get the wing away from the notchback turbulence generator, the more aerodynamically effective it can be. Plus, wings work best when they have a lot of space above and below them, and moving it back means less of the wing is hugging the trunklid, giving it some space to work.

 

[Ottobon]

what about giving the wing 1 more inch of clearance? i have to be honest, although its a cool idea, atleast those pictures, at those angles im not sure about the way it looks

 

[Turbowned]

Although I do have two spoilers I could try this on, I'm considering just getting an aftermarket spoiler instead. Unless of course you can argue that the Plumley modded spoiler is better than getting an aftermarket spoiler or wing. However I'm still not sure whether or not I want more to reduce lift or increase downforce.

 

[Spots]

I wonder if Monash university would let one of the Victoria (Australia) MR2 owners park their car in the university's windtunnel. It's big enough...

 

[zanny]

Check ou this wind tunnel pic.

http://www.carpron.com/multisite/v/Upload/zanny/aw11aero.jpg.html

 

[Prilman]

wonder why nobody has ever decided to mass produce these things...
or why nobody has said, send me your spoilers and I'll cut them for ya.

just a thought :smile:

 

[zanny]

I just shipped a plumley wing to a board member. I modded the wing for him.
I have done three plumley modded wings.
My car has a plumley modded l.e.d. wing. Contact me if interested.

 

[Spots]

Check ou this wind tunnel pic.

http://www.carpron.com/multisite/v/Upload/zanny/aw11aero.jpg.html

I was thinking for the Before and After. Could do all sorts of fun stuff, like measure generated downforce, etc.

 

[Lord_Kyle_92NA]

Could moving the spolier back actually increase drag? I know that a raised tailgate on a truck creates a 'trapped vortex' that defelcts air away from the back of the truck. I wonder if the 'pink' air swirl in that wind tunnel pic is a trapped vortex as well. If that is the case moving the spoiler COULD destroy the vortex and increase drag. Granted it could move the vortex back and be a good thing as well.

 

[tommyg]

I just shipped a plumley wing to a board member. I modded the wing for him.
I have done three plumley modded wings.
My car has a plumley modded l.e.d. wing. Contact me if interested.

and a beautiful job it was!! :thumbup

 

[GoBlueTwo]

Could moving the spolier back actually increase drag? I know that a raised tailgate on a truck creates a 'trapped vortex' that defelcts air away from the back of the truck. I wonder if the 'pink' air swirl in that wind tunnel pic is a trapped vortex as well. If that is the case moving the spoiler COULD destroy the vortex and increase drag. Granted it could move the vortex back and be a good thing as well.

somewhat off topic and kinda long.

i was watching motorweek on pbs a month or 2 ago and saw a test with a new pickup (maybe dodge - doesn't matter). they were doing the acceleration tests with the tailgate down, presumably for aero purposes, so i emailed them stating that i had heard pickup truck aero is better with the tailgate up due to the trapped vortex you mention. i also linked the following: http://ask.yahoo.com/20050427.html

the host, john davis, emailed me back and cc'ed what appeared to be their entire staff (goss, choksey, other people i don't recall) with the comment that whoever told me that must have been "smoking crack". that was his entire email. i responded and said he was either too arrogant to respond seriously or that he just didn't know and this was his way of covering up. his response? apparently, i have no sense of humor (umm, ok) and he shared the absolute truth that any engineer worth his salt knows that aero is better with the tailgate down due to airflow. that's it. terribly scientific in his approach. major jackass. didn't feel like trying to at least get some sort of meaningul response from him.

resume the on-topic discussion.