1986 Spoiler with 3rd Breaklight on 1985 Turbo

[dgeorge79]

Dear all,

I own a 1985 Z31 Turbo 228HP. The car as is, doesn't have a spoiler, not even the installation holes in the rear hatch.I guess at some point in the past the rubber spoiler rotted away and the prior owner replaced with a new hatch as he didn't find a replacement for the spoiler.

Now I found myself one of the 86 plastic spoilers with 3rd Breaklight and had it painted, but I am wondering if anyone ever installed this on a standard 84-85 hatch. I am especially looking for answers to the following:

1. Does it make sense to install the breaklight at all? As I understand the 86 version had a special hatch that had holes to get to the break-light bulbs and some kind of raised mount for the breaklight. Now I guess the breaklight could just be bolted to the 85 hatch, but then I guess there are no cable connectors for the 3rd break light present in a non-86 car anyways?

2. What about the wiper-arm? Is it possible to fit this spoiler with the 85 wiper arm, or modify the wiper or do I need an 86 wiper arm? As I understand these were also different.

Maybe someone has done this conversion before and can shed some light on my project.

Thank you very much,

Daniel

[Z_Karma]

Question was just asked earlier today, actually.

You can eliminate the brake light cutout, using your choice of body filler. That has been done.

The 86 had a year specific dog-leg wiper arm, any other year wiper arm will interfere with the smaller cutout pocket the 86 spoiler has.

If it were me, i'd fabricate a smaller LED friendly bulb housing that didn't require a large cutout in the hatch, retaining the stock lens.

I would only need drill a small hole in the hatch for the wire pass-thru and the ones around the perimeter for the mounting studs.

Leaky hatches suck and the fewer holes you need to create the better, imho.

[dgeorge79]

Thank you Z_Karma. Much appreciated. You don't happen to know of anyone who converted the housing and has any pictures of such a conversion?

[Z_Karma]

Sorry, no. I had one for awhile and entertained the idea but it never happened and i gave the wing away to a local z owner.

I would imagine something off the shelf, like one of those aftermarket LED marker lights (there are tons of options on aliexpress and banggood) could be placed inside and provide enough light to not look like crap. Take some measurements, find one that is sealed and maybe even has doublestick tape and it shouldn't be too hard to come up with something.

[dgeorge79]

Thanks again, will try it out and report here.