These notes are aimed primarily at the owner wishing to fit glass fibre wings available from the Club Stores Department. They also apply to a great extent to the steel wings and can be used as a guide to fitting these to a car.

Nearside and offside wing fitting is identical except for the fuel filler trap on the nearside, so the nearside fitting will be the subject of these notes.

Remove the spat from the car and try it for fitting in the new wing, making sure that the rear tongue fits into the wing slot correctly and the edge follows the wing spat edge line. The spat front end, containing the two dzus fasteners should fall just forward of the front edge of the wing where the fixing holes will be drilled later. An approximate check can be made so that you will know that the wing is generally correct for length. A specific measurement cannot be given since experience has shown that each car tends to differ slightly.

Remove the rear bumper and tail light unit. On Stars, the rear apron (valance) need not be removed unless additional work in this area is planned. The old wing is no doubt in bad condition so that the easiest way to reach the fixing bolts is to chisel the wings off about one inch from the main body. Before removing the wing, it will be found easiest to remove the petrol tank filler pipe by undoing the jubilee clips (sawing it through will probably be necessary) and lifting the pipe out of the filler recess from the top. Try to ensure that dirt does not enter the tank and once the tube is off, cover the remaining pipe to keep dirt out. Undo the two front setscrews holding the wing and finally chisel off the wing. The bolts around the edge can now be seen and will be easier to remove. The front end bolts are withdrawn from the inside of the wheel arch whilst the rest are put in from under the wing and locate captive nuts inside the boot inner wing panel. Any captive nuts that are too rusted to remove should be chiselled off and can be replaced by nuts and bolts when refitting the new wing.

Access to the front bolts, under the interior of the wheel arch covering is as follows: Remove the rear seat squab and back. Several small self-tapping screws hold the interior side panel to the wheel arch at the rear seat platform; halfway up the armrest and at the seat back. The leather is trapped under the rear quarter light window ledge and the ledge can be prised froward about half an inch and lifted off – it has a “keyhole” fitting. Leather can be lifted away and the armrest removed.

The wing can be fitted as follows: Place the spat in position on the new wing and offer this up to the car; fasten the dzus fasteners in their correct holes and hold the rear end of the wing to the correct position. The wing should fit and spat line up correctly with the swage lines on the body. Locate rear of the wing just behind the fuel filler with one bolt. Remove spat and fit one of the wing front end bolts. Check line is still correct – try spat again to be certain. The wing piping, the plastic section which goes between the wing and the body can be cut to length and pieces cut out of the flange to clear the fixing bolt holes. Whilst the wing is secured only by two bolts, the piping can be pushed into position along the section not yet bolted up and another bolt put in, securing wing and piping. Removal of one of the first bolts allows the piping to be put in place further along the wing and after re-bolting, the first bolt is removed for the piping to be fitted completely. Bolting up of all the bolts can now be done. The position of the wing can be checked along the top edge of the boot side and by trying the spat. After final checking to satisfaction of the fitting, the petrol filler trap base is cut out to allow the petrol tubing rubber grommet to be fitted and the filler pipe re-connected. The filler trap lid can now be bolted up, a pair of long bolts being used to take the fixing stress through to the boot side, the nuts then being in the boot. A piece of timber between filler section and the boot side will prevent the tightened bolts from squeezing the wing at this point.

No mention has been made of the rust-proofing part of the fitting programme. The appropriate work to one’s own standard will prevent rusting of the metal areas. Needless to say, the removal of the wing is an excellent opportunity to clean and paint the wheel arch and cavities on this part of the car.