Spoonfed Tuning Extended rear wing - project in progress

 

While in the process of moving, I was forced to clean out my garage. My garage was my refuge and I'd accumulated boxes of parts which were stacked everywhere. I had two VW's in various stages of disassembly and boxes of parts on the shelves and inside the cars. I had enough parts to assemble both cars, but never got around to doing it. 

So while organizing my garage, numerous items rise to the surface which force me to set aside my years of procrastination and address it. I either discarded the item into the bin,sold them, traded parts with other VW enthusiasts, or installed them into one of the project cars.  

One of those items stored in my garage was a custom Spoonfed Tuning extended rear wing which I’d purchased several years earlier. I’d intended to replace the existing wing but never got around to having it painted. Another casualty of my procrastination. In addition to the rear wing replacement, the motor and assembly also did not work. So that was another task I needed to tackle before I spend time on cosmetic enhancements.

In an earlier post in 2020, I’d outlined my endeavor to rebuild the rear wing motor and assembly. I had previously attempted to do this 10 years earlier. This after my rear wing motor (And gauge cluster) burned out.  In that first attempt,  I purchased a “Rebuilt” Bosch wing motor only to discover that it didn’t work when power was applied. Disappointed, I put everything away for another day.

However, moving out of my house compelled me to look more closely into resolving this issue. So this time, I rebuilt a single operational rear wing assembly using parts from three other assemblies I’d acquired over the years. I cleaned and greased the cables and when I tested on the work bench, the motor did operate as intended when I applied 12V power. With the rear wing motor resolved, I could now focus some attention towards the aftermarket wing.

The Spoonfed Tuning extended rear wing is a beautifully crafted fiberglass part that looks like an OEM wing from the factory. It is roughly 2-3 centimeters longer than the original. I do not know if this larger rear wing has any aerodynamics advantage or improvement on the existing down force. But I bought it strictly for it’s cosmetic appearance. The larger rear wing visually accents the active rear spoiler when in operation. The active spoiler is one unique feature of the Corrado which I enjoy showing off.  I admit it’s pure vanity but that’s why I bought the piece in the first place.

The fiberglass piece comes from Spoonfed Tuning unfinished. It is constructed from high quality fiberglass and the surface is smoothed using a good quality gelcoat. So the items arrives in a box in its pure white finish. Gelcoat requires that I seal and smooth the surface before priming and painting. Gelcoat naturally has pinholes and pores which must be filled and smoothed.

I used standard off the shelf body filler and sand-able primer. Since I no longer have a garage, I had to perform this outside. I used various sandpaper grit in typical fiberglass prep until I could get a very smooth and non-porous primer coat.

For color I decided to use “Touchupdirect” for paint.  This online retailer provides various ways to fix small scratches, dents, or repairs using two stage base and clear coat. They reference the exact factory color codes and can deliver them in various delivery methods. They offer a can of your chosen color for use in a professional spray gun and booth. But they also offer your color choices in spray cans or pen style markers. It’s a great alternative to a body shop if you simply want to fill in rock chips or shopping cart scratches in your paint.

TouchUpDirect had my Nugget Yellow (LK1B) color which I had delivered in spray can form. I opted for the kit which included the corresponding primer sealer as well as various sandpaper grits. Lastly, the kit came with a can of the clear that will be applied once the base color is laid down on the part.

I fabricated a make-shift spray booth by propping up plastic sheeting over several ladders. This created a space inside where I could be shielded from wind and allowed a little bit of protection from airborne dust particles. (It wasn’t perfect) But it served as a DIY Spray booth

Living at high altitude poses some challenges. It’s typically cooler up in the mountains so I attacked this project during the summer months when the air is dry and temperatures are more ideal for paint curing.

I applied the primer sealer without any surprises. Surface preparation proceeded as I had expected.  However, when it was finally time to lay down base color, I discovered there wasn’t enough material in the spray can to lay down multiple coats. The Spoonfed Tuning wing is not a large piece so I was disappointed that the base color spray ran out after only one coat. I’ll have to purchase one more can before I can apply the clear coat. If the clear is the same as the color, I may opt to purchase an additional can of the clear. (I think it’s best to apply 3+ coats of clear over the base color)

Despite this setback, I have no complaints about the touch up paint kit. It is exactly as described. It is designed to touch up small areas but is not intended to paint large areas such as a door or fender.

My cabin situation simply isn’t optimal for a spray gun paint booth setup.

However,  I must mention that the TouchUpDirect base color (LK1B) looks perfect and matches my Original Nugget Yellow.

I’ll order more paint when the temperatures are once again within ideal application temperatures.  Unfortunately for me, up here in the mountains above Southern California, it’s already cooling down and approaching the winter ski season.

So I’ll need to postpone any further work on this piece. I will post an update when I’m able to apply another color coat finish the item. I’m really anxious to install the finished wing on my corrado. Spoonfed Tuning parts are visually distinct and of high quality. Unlike so many other aftermarket kits, Spoonfed Tuning  parts do not look like body kits but more closely resemble OEM replacement parts designed for German Sports Coupes.