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Hi all. Just wanted to provide some feedback on the Hawks aerowing that I just received. Basically, fitment is just o.k. at best. Plan on adding some material along the sides to reduce the clearance between the wing and your quarter panel. Between the front tips, which run right up to the quarter panel nicely, and where it bolts down in the back, there is a gap of 1/4" between the wing and the quarter panel. It allows nearly the entire OEM clip on the window to be seen. You can NOT spread the spoiler far enough apart to cover those clips or attach the wing to those clips. The only OEM window clips that align to the wing are those in the front(towards the front of the car). Hawks' response was that they have a mint GTA there with the same wing that has the same gaps.. I just can not understand how this is acceptable for such an expensive item. Hawks also said there is a gap so the wing does not touch the paint on the quarter panel. Well, there is no chance of that happening with a 1/4" gap. Actually the caliper showed a gap of 0.24-0.255" to be accurate. You can even see the dirt on the deck lid where the old wing sat. The wing also bows in a little on the sides between both ends of it and that amplifies the gaps. It's much easier to just remove material than to add it and then remove it until it fits properly.
Also, There is a little over 1/8" gap between the underside of the wing and the back of the decklid. The OEM wing sat completely down on the decklid. See the pictures that I attached. Maybe it will help someone making the decision on where to buy from. I expected a LOT better fitment for an item that costs nearly $500, over $600 with the shipping. So it's going to cost me a few more days of bodywork and lost hours on this restoration. My suggestion would be to try Classic Industries as they have 25% and 30% off sales all the time. I called Hawks before ordering from them to ask them if they would beat Classics' price and they said their product was a different manufacturer and the Hawks product was a superior product. Well, if I did it again, I would give Classic a try and hope for a better fitting piece. Maybe some have had better luck, but doing a nice restoration all the gaps on the car are important.
Maybe this will help some in their decision in the future. Thanks for reading about my experience.
Just an FYI - the Classic Industries coupon code typically doesn't cover very much. Every time I've tried to use the discount on an order, most of the parts aren't able to be discounted. Classic typically has pricey shipping as well.
Battmann, you are correct on the Classic shipping. It was around $230 for me to get that part. However, I popped in their coupon code every week while I was looking and it gave me that 30% every time. It does work.
Bob88, I will ask Steve at Hawks to send me video or photographic proof and see what he says. Thanks..
Another thing is that these cars are not all built exactly the same down to a nats azz.
The factory wing was a pliable rubber to help hide the differences. Fiberglass is fairly easy to modify so you can make it fit like streetrod parts
TTop, I understand and know full well that no car of the same model and year is exactly the same. However, when a $500 spoiler requires a fair amount of additional work to make it fit 'properly', that I have an issue with. It's off a 1/4" for most of the length of the entire sides. That's crazy in my opinion. They should put extra material on at the factory as it's much easier to remove to make the fitment proper.. I have done a few C3 vettes with the bumper covers that don't fit well at all. That's no problem to modify, but those were half as much cost wise...
Not sure about their supplier. There are some small pin holes in this thing too. I have asked hawks how many clips was I supposed to have received.. waiting on that answer yet. Was your spoiler gapped like mine on the sides? The tips run right up near the edge of the decklid, but the area between those tips and where it bolts on the back is bowed in about 1/4" on both sides. Why it's not straight is beyond me...
I think the pin holes are for condensation,I have them also.I received 2 Clips also,according to the direction you only use the 2 clips as I did.I also have a gap but you can't see it when the Hatch is closed.
Pin holes in the spoiler top and sides? Haven't ever seen that for condensation.. My pictures are with the 2 front clips on and it bolted in the back.. not even close. Unless I use extreme force and add clips to the middle 2 spots, you will see 1/2-3/4 of the other clips on the window. That's looking down on it because of it being bowed in so far.. I may end up drilling holes and installing screws with a large head on it and try and slide them in the clips at the same time. Not sure without adding nearly 1/4" of fiberglass the side of this thing if that will work. I may just modify the sides to my liking and make it a one-off custom spoiler..
No holes on top or sides ,just on the bottom in the cross piece(maybe for the 3rd Brake light)Before you go and start drilling holes I would question Hawks why you have holes on top and sides.you might have a reject spoiler.
I did see some of our members install the wing the same as you explained above,just like the stock wing without the clips,they just used screws and slid it on like the original.
I'm sorry you are having such issues with it, sparks454.
From what I have read, there seems to be a 60/40 or so consensus that the Hawk's piece is the better of the two. But not everyone felt that way.
They are damned expensive (I have one too, but have not put it on the car yet), and it would be nice if it fit better.
But after watching my neighbor build several fiberglass street rods, where the manufacturer was in charge of both sides of a panel gap...well, he had to do some CRAZY things to build those cars. Glassing in huge braces with clamps to straighten bowed panels, building up his own lips all along the hood to fender gap with kitty hair to get things right, doors that did not fit their openings...too big and hitting in one spot, gaps big enough to stick your fingers through on the other, etc. etc. etc. What a mess. So I had always figured on paying my body guy to fit the thing.
It's not an expense or hassle I'm looking forward to.
Mine from Classic industries only had the two mounting clips as well but that's all you need. It did take a lil stretching and massaging and drilling some holes out a lil bigger to make it fit but it turned out well I think. I have a small gap at the rear mounted brake light but not a big deal I'm probably the only person **** enough to notice it most of the time.
How did you make out with install? I am having same issues - mien was shipped to me in August, and just getting car ready for paint now and running into exact same issues you are.
I have not completely installed it. Disappointed in the fitment of it for sure. It will fit once I get back to working on it, but it's going to require drilling some mounting holes in the bottom and installing some screws to secure it to the OEM clips on the window. It would have been nice had Hawks thrown more than 2 clips in the with the wing. Guess that wouldn't have been cost effective. Not sure if I will make it around to painting it this spring as I'm still working on assembling the drivetrain first.
Good luck with it. It's not simply a bolt on item and in my opinion of doing this over 25 years now, fitment simply is much worse than I expected for a piece of glass that costs a small fortune. I'll probably get back around to it about April sometime...
Mine from Classic industries only had the two mounting clips as well but that's all you need. It did take a lil stretching and massaging and drilling some holes out a lil bigger to make it fit but it turned out well I think. I have a small gap at the rear mounted brake light but not a big deal I'm probably the only person **** enough to notice it most of the time.
I have the same one from classic and that gap drives me nuts!
10-13-2016, 08:38 AM
