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So I have found the ever so elusive original rubber gta wrap around wing for sale. The wing is in really good shape and the guy only wants $200 for it and its less than a 2 hour drive to pick it up. The question is, should I keep the stock spoiler or go aftermarket fiberglass? I've read a lot of reviews saying how much lighter the aftermarket is but just as may saying how horribly they fit. So is it worth the $400-$500 for a new one for the weight reduction? Or does that even matter? Its not a race car, and it never will be, just a fun weekend cruiser.
I doubt there is much weight difference. I went with the aftermarket 4th gen spoiler and don't regret it one bit. I had to make my own mounting brackets on the sides because the ones I received were too thin and bent easily. You could buy the rubber one and it might last or it might not. I'm just not impressed with how the rubber one was made.
Yeah, I've read a lot about the steel inside rusting and expanding causing the rubber to split. but I've seen a lot of pictures on here of aftermarket wings that just are not up to par. I've found an original wing with zero VISABLE rust for a very decent price, about a quarter of a fiberglass on when you take into account the cost of shipping.
When you take the original rubber oem wing off it will likely crack and pretty much come to pieces. Mine looked good until I pulled it off to paint. Bite the bullet and get the aftermarket wing. Way under lighter than the rubber one. As for fit, it takes a lil work to get it perfect and you may have to bore out the holes a lil more and do a lil sanding to get it right but its well worth it. Trust me the rubber wing will come apart I have never seen one that eventually did not.
Save your $200.00 and put it towards a new FG one. I had no issues what-so-ever with the fit and it weighs about at least 25-30 lbs. lighter
like 82tarecaro says"I wouldn't trust the rubber wing. They all seem to suffer the same fate eventually"
Save your $200.00 and put it towards a new FG one. I had no issues what-so-ever with the fit and it weighs about at least 25-30 lbs. lighter
like 82tarecaro says"I wouldn't trust the rubber wing. They all seem to suffer the same fate eventually"
Where did you get your wing and who makes one that is precise and exactly the same shape as the factory original one? Thanks
I eventually have to go this route also.My only gripe is that regardless which vendor you get a fiberglass wing from.they are not the exact same shape of the oem rubber and visually to me its an eye sore. There is a thread that goes into detail of the differences,the blades going up the sides of the car are a different shape and thickness,also the decklid area does not have the same slope and its most noticeable when mounting the original 3rd brake light shows the gap.I know Im being picky but the gta wing is one of my most fav parts of a transam,seeing a aftermarket piece is something i can effortlessly spot out even in pics. its something i would have to modify with my experience in body work to adjust to make it look right..to me.
I read so many negative reviews on the after market wings that when I found an original I had to buy it. I know that EVENTUALLY it will rot out, but it was on a garage kept car, then removed and kept in the loft of a garage for almost 10 years. There is no visible rust and has a vinyl wrap on it, I'm assuming that's why it is still in good shape and my plan it to rewrap the entire thing in vinyl again before installing on my car.
Yes the spears are a lil thicker but other than that it looks good. Yes the third brake light has a very small gap but barely noticeable you would have to really be looking for it. Nobody but a real enthusiast who really knows these cars will usually know its aftermarket . I would have loved to kept my original sure and it looked great until I removed it. It came apart and eventally they all do. I am glad yours is mint and maybe you will get a lil longer use out of it than most of us.
I eventually have to go this route also.My only gripe is that regardless which vendor you get a fiberglass wing from.they are not the exact same shape of the oem rubber and visually to me its an eye sore. There is a thread that goes into detail of the differences,the blades going up the sides of the car are a different shape and thickness,also the decklid area does not have the same slope and its most noticeable when mounting the original 3rd brake light shows the gap.I know Im being picky but the gta wing is one of my most fav parts of a transam,seeing a aftermarket piece is something i can effortlessly spot out even in pics. its something i would have to modify with my experience in body work to adjust to make it look right..to me.
For $495 you have all the right in the world to be picky. It's only by people being complacent and accepting inferior/inaccurate workmanship that manufacturers get away with this. Seriously,if you're going to do a repro,do it right.
I don't want to buy an aftermarket spoiler if it isn't exactly the same shape as the original. There's no excuse for a company charging $495 for a fiberglass repro part to not have it dead on accurate.
Unfortunately this is too often be the case with reproduction parts. I bought a reproduction Pontiac arrow for a 1977 Firebird front nose from classic industries, and the darn thing was way too small, there was very noticeable size gap in the indentation where the original part fit exactly. I ended up taking it back and getting a refund and then spending $175 for an NOS factory GM one online.
My rubber one is showing the same issues as others posted above so I would be in the market for a repro IF it were exactly the same shape as the original
Last edited by JimRockford; 04-19-2017 at 09:40 PM.
02-01-2017, 01:10 PM
