aargh! Some *%#$ tried to rip off my spoiler.

** Some *&#^#%#% POS apparently tried to rip the spoiler of my Mustang ** today in the Walmart parking lot (SR 60 and mt. Carmel here in Brandon) ** When I came out of WalMart I heard an alarm blaring

You park your Mustang at Wally World????????? You are a brave man. I don't EVEN like to park my Beater car there.

** Does anybody know how to fix it? The wing is aftermarket and made out ** of fiberglass or the likes. If it could be fixed and new mounting nuts ** put into place I should be able to remount it. Now the holes in my ** trunk lid are covered with clear tape. Great, just before the 2005 ** intro show next week...

Sounds like it is time to file both a police report and an insurance claim. You'll likely need a new trunk lid, and they ain't cheap. If it were mine , I'd take the opportunity to leave it wing-less. I think they're cheesy, but that's from a 46-yr. old guy's perspective.

Hell, if it didn't leave holes in Charlene, I'd send you mine. Just the same, you must promise everyone here: I WILL NEVER, EVER AGAIN PARK A NICE CAR AT WALLY WORLD! Their lot security is a joke anyway; they would have done nothing to prevent what happened. In fact, (and this is ONLY heresay, folks), I hear that serious lot theives pay the guards to look the other way. Business is business.

-JD

________________________________________________________ | | | 1998 Laser Red GT RAMFM Member Since 1997 | | M-5400-A Suspension http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams || Subframe Connectors & Seat Bracing, Strut Tower Brace || 4-point K-frame Brace, Tremec T-45 & OEM 3.27:1 Gears ||________________________________________________________|

It's actually not that hard. Go to the boat store and get some fiberglass repair material. You use it like body putty, but it's a lot stronger. Something like 3M Blister Repair works nicely. The threaded insert ferrules are not hard to come by, either. It's almost like a Rivnut, but heavy plastic/nylon instead. Do not replace with steel - it will rust. Use plastic, nylon, or brass. Some inserts are bonded in, and some are screwed in. Those that are bonded in are a little more difficult to install correctly. They must be bonded in at the correct angle and spacing to match the uprights. If you spend a little time and make a jig, it will be a lot easier. Take your time, it's not hard to do.

at 10 Jul 2004, boB [ snipped-for-privacy@access4less.net] wrote in news:40f05a78$0$62167$ snipped-for-privacy@news.usenetmonster.com:

Judging from the one that came out, it's bonded in. Actally the insert ferrule is in like a little protrusion that goes inside the wings support. I believe it is brass by the look of the material. can you explain the jig part more detailed? (if email, try pksnet.com with the user of mustang) Basically you are saying put a nice wad of this repair material inside the wings support so that ferrule can be pushed in and will be secure so I can remount?

The jig should be something simple. A couple of bolts and a plate. What you want is something that will hold the inserts perfectly straight and parralel while the filler is drying. Nothing fancy there, a piece of steel with threaded rod at the correct spacing and angle that you can clamp to the wing. Just something to hold the ferrules in place. As the filler dries it tends to shift a little, too

Basically you are saying put a nice wad of this repair

That's pretty much it. 3M Blister repair; it looks and works like bondo. But it's much much stronger. Corvette and Cobra kit builders use this stuff to hold panels together, bond hood and trunk hoops, fill holes, reshape panels, etc. I used it to bond the hinge hoop to my hood. That's not going anywhere. It's kind of expensive, around $45 for a small can.

Wouldn't a better approach be to tell the store manager of Wally World what happened, and why you're never coming back to his store?

It's amazing what happens when enough people vote with their dollars. Ditch the store.

at 10 Jul 2004, Jay Honeck [ snipped-for-privacy@NOSPAMmchsi.com] wrote in news:yb2Ic.65392$XM6.22431@attbi_s53:

I intend to tell them later this week. It was not a good idea going in there this afternoon, not in the mood I was in. Unfortunately not going back is not an option. They are the cheapest place around for a lot of items. but maybe they'll tighten down on security a bit more...

at 10 Jul 2004, boB [ snipped-for-privacy@access4less.net] wrote in news:40f08b95$0$29542$ snipped-for-privacy@news.usenetmonster.com:

Ahh! Now I understand what you mean. Quite simple and easy to make using the holes in my trunk lid as a guide.

Ouch! That price is a draw back. But way cheaper than $175 including shipping for a new spoiler painted in my KF color that I found on eBay. I found a place that does fiber glass boat repair and also seems to do it on cars. I'll take the spoiler there and ask for a quote. If they charge me not to much, I'll have them do it..

Thanks again for the help, now I know how to fix this myself if I can't get it done reasonably somewhere else...

If you DO wanna park at Wally World, park out in front of the tire and lube express and chat up the oil guys for a minute or two about it. They keep a good eye on it (good enough that I'm able to drive my 73 there and leave it with the top down.)

Of course, this is in St. Charles, AKA suburbia St. Louis...very little serious crime outside wife beating ;-)

- Nick

We have more than 1 walmart supercenter in this small city... but I agree that walmart has just too good of prices on a lot of stuff that it's unavoidable to shop there.

-Mike

Damn Paul! I swear you have the worst luck of anyone I know!

I am so sorry about what has happened, and I agree with JD, you need to call the cops and call your insurance comppany, this should be a new deck lid. In fact, I would insist on it.

Kate

Here where we live, it is the ONLY place to shop unless you want to take a huge hit in the wallet.

Funny thing, when I was in CA, I never shopped at Wal Mart unless I had no other choice. If my friends and family could see me now, they would laugh their asses off.

Kate

| > > Wouldn't a better approach be to tell the store manager of Wally | > > World what happened, and why you're never coming back to his store? | >

| > I intend to tell them later this week. It was not a good idea going in | > there this afternoon, not in the mood I was in. Unfortunately not going | > back is not an option. They are the cheapest place around for a lot of | > items. but maybe they'll tighten down on security a bit more... | >

| > -- | > _ 1995 Mustang V6 Coupe (Bright Blue) | > |_| Member Modern Mustangs of North America (MMNA) | > |__| snipped-for-privacy@tampabay.rr.com

| > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | >

| |

** If you DO wanna park at Wally World, park out in front of the tire and lube ** express and chat up the oil guys for a minute or two about it. They keep a ** good eye on it (good enough that I'm able to drive my 73 there and leave it ** with the top down.)

Around here, notifying the Tire-N-Lube guys that you're about to leave your prized Mustang alone for a bit in their lot merely gives them first-crack at it.

-JD

________________________________________________________ | | | 1998 Laser Red GT RAMFM Member Since 1997 | | M-5400-A Suspension http:/207.13.104.8/users/jdadams || Subframe Connectors & Seat Bracing, Strut Tower Brace || 4-point K-frame Brace, Tremec T-45 & OEM 3.27:1 Gears ||________________________________________________________|

LMAO... what's so bad a/b Walmart in CA?

-Mike

Noooooooooo but they DO have a responsibility to be certain that their parking lots are safe for their customers and their vehicles.

I absolutely will not park my car in a place where I do not feel it will be secure, and in Jackson, the next largest shopping area to us, I don't think it's safe ANYWHERE, so I take the damn truck!

Kate

| >

| > Wouldn't a better approach be to tell the store manager of Wally World what | > happened, and why you're never coming back to his store? | >

| > It's amazing what happens when enough people vote with their dollars. Ditch | > the store. |

Thankfully, the nearest one is 12 miles away. The second nearest is 36 miles, and the one after that is 45 (not counting the one 40 miles away by ferry).

The further, the better IMO.

Again thankfully, I've never had no other choice since there are stores nearby that are both much more convenient and much less corrupt. :)

Unless you know of a local wholesaler/retailer who sells to the public at wholesale prices. ;)

Fiberglass Mart in Lynnwood, WA is where I got all my fiberglass supplies for my boat's transom and floor replacement project, and they sell a gallon of poly resin for $15, and those small cans (quart?) of fiberglass putty for about $12.

Of course, you are right -- but it's pretty hard to fight each and every one of those turds.

The Wally-World manager is allowing what is known as a "hostile environment" out front of his store, by not maintaining a secure parking lot. If he wants to stay in business, it's HIS responsibility to make sure that you don't get ripped off when you shop there.

If you choose to shop there anyway, YOU are to blame for the continuing crime, just as much as the little f*ck who tried to rip off the spoiler.

The power of the dollar is almighty at Wal Mart. Use it wisely, and they will build a wall around their lots, if need be.