Spoiler modification

Personalize your spoiler

Raising the spoiler
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Side view of spoiler up and away spoiler Detail of spoiler

The styling department at Ford / Mercury did a wonderful job with the Tempo / Topaz twins, specially the two door model. The only shortcoming on my view was the spoiler. It seems too short, not aggressive enough, at least for my taste.
Therefore I decided to personalize it.
The desired look was stock but with a bit of muscle to it. I realized I could achieve that look just by raising it about one inch.
You will need:

5 bolt extensions to connect to the stock bolts.

5 bolts, washers

Wood

Paint

Soft material to make a gasket

Here's the plan; - fig 1

Plan - fig. 1

Plan ahead how high do you want to raise the spoiler.
Take the spoiler off. By unbolting the five nuts from the inside on the trunk.
Make the spacers cut them out of wood in the desired shape and height- fig 2

For the Tempo / Topaz twins you will need three. Two longer spacers (with two wholes drilled) and one spacer with one whole. We cut the back on an angle because the spacers are placed on an angle (because of the factory wholes). That way the edge of the spacer is even with the trunk.

Drill the wholes according to the wholes on your trunk. Make a template out of cardboard first.
Make sure the size of the wholes are big enough for the bolt extensions, (a snug fit is ideal so that the spacers slide on and stay in the bottom of your spoiler, after the next step).

Finish the spacers on the color of your car.

You can buy bolt extensions at your local hard ware store. You will need them because the factory bolts are molded to the spoiler ( It could be easier on other models if the bolts can came off - just substitute them for longer ones).

Tighten the extensions to the five factory spoiler bolts, then slide the spacers on. (fig 4)

fig 4 spoiler bolts -> extensions -> new bolts - fig 5

Use the templates to make a gasket, cut a soft material in the shape of the spacer, You should use two for each spacer. first in between spoiler and spacer and second in between spacer and trunk.
It should be made out of a material like foam, rubber, etc.

Finally put the spoiler on top of your trunk, align wholes and from inside the trunk tighten all bolts.
fig 4 & 5

Enjoy your much sportier looking car