George Huisman must lie awake night after night with CAD-style 3-D Mustangs rotating slowly in his noggin's grey matter, his mind's eye examining restyling opportunities from every possible angle. The owner of Classic Design Concepts has always seemed to lead the way with just-right visual enhancements for every recent generation of Pony, and it looks like George's insomnia has paid off again, this time with cool choices in chin spoilers and rear ducktails for the S197 coupe or convertible.
CDC's three-piece ducktail...
CDC's three-piece ducktail spoiler kit is available with or without the subtly frenched-in Pony emblem. Either is available unpainted for $295, but for $100 more, you can buy one finished to match any of the S197 factory colors, a bargain if you're familiar with body/paint shop prices these days.
For up front, CDC (www.classicdesignconcepts.com) offers Classic and Aggressive GT chin spoilers, along with a specific model designed for the V-6 Mustang's slightly different front fascia. All are available unpainted or in textured, matte black for a real Boss look. Out back, CDC has crafted a subtle wraparound ducktail, with or without a frenched-in tri-bar pony, available unpainted or in any S197 factory hue.
In typical CDC fashion, materials are top-notch and installation is straightforward with help from well-illustrated instructions. We followed along as a matte-black Classic-model chin spoiler and pre-painted ducktail with a pony were fitted to a Satin Silver GT ragtop at CDC's Walled Lake, Michigan facility. Our suggestion? Order them pre-painted and you'll have them on your S197 with very little time and effort.
The spoiler attaches with...
The spoiler attaches with the double security of acrylic bonding tape in addition to screws on the center section and studs/nuts on the end caps. The drill-shy in the crowd can attach it using only the acrylic tape. The kit also includes all necessary fastener hardware.
1. To ensure adhesion, make...
1. To ensure adhesion, make sure the spoiler mating surfaces are clean and wiped down with isopropyl alcohol to remove any wax. This is especially important if you choose to rely solely on the bonding tape.
2. Since the ducktail will...
2. Since the ducktail will cover the trunk lid's third brake light, the first order of business is to render it inoperative. Pop off the plastic trim cover over the trunk latch area.
3. Then unplug the brake...
3. Then unplug the brake light's electrical connector. If the elimination of this brake light worries you, CDC has a $45 replacement that mounts inside the top of the rear window on coupes and uses the same DOT-approved LED strip found in CDC's lightbar. Convertible owners can use CDC's lightbar to perform this third-brake-light function.
4. The kit includes cardboard...
4. The kit includes cardboard templates to precisely locate drill points for the spoiler-mounting holes. The templates are tabbed for accurate orientation around body contours. The single-end template shown is used to mark one side and then reversed to do the other. Center-punch and drill two holes over each taillight with a 51/416-inch bit.
5. Likewise, a center template...
5. Likewise, a center template is taped in place to locate the six 51/416-inch holes to be drilled in the trunk lid rear face, two at each outer end and one on each side of the third brake light.
6. The two holes at each...
6. The two holes at each outer end of the trunk lid must also pass through the inner trunk skin. As the fasteners for the spoiler's center section are screwed from the inside out, the holes in the inner skin have to be opened up to 11/42 inch to clear the screw heads. A no. 10 Unibit is a great way to do this.
7. With typical CDC thoroughness,...
7. With typical CDC thoroughness, the ducktail kit even includes a packet of rustproofing liquid to treat the drilled holes before installing the spoiler.
8. The spoiler's end pieces...
8. The spoiler's end pieces are fitted with studs that pass through the holes drilled in the quarter-panel trim over the taillights. The trunk liner must be pulled back to get at them. Pop the pin out with a suitable V-notch pry tool, as shown, and gently pull the liner aside. The subwoofers on Shaker 1000-equipped cars will also have to be moved aside for this step.
9. The spoiler's center (trunk...
9. The spoiler's center (trunk lid) section goes on first, loosely mounted using the kit's half-dozen thread-forming screws. It's left loose so it can be precisely aligned with the soon-to-be-fitted end pieces. As previously shown, double-sided acrylic bonding tape also runs the full width of the ducktail. At this stage, leave the tape's plastic film in place, but create a couple of short pull-tabs at the top and bottom by peeling back the first inch or so, as shown.
10. The end caps also use...
10. The end caps also use bonding tape in addition to the mounting studs. They are mostly self-positioning, and with a little care, can be perfectly aligned with the center section. Once the three pieces are lined up, tighten all fasteners.
11. Plastic plugs are included...
11. Plastic plugs are included to finish off the holes drilled in the inner trunk panel.
12. The results speak for...
12. The results speak for themselves. We think it's much cleaner than the factory wing. For cars that had the factory wing, CDC offers a kit to hide the holes in the trunk left after removal, avoiding the need to fill and paint. However, it's easiest to start on a car without a wing.
13. This is CDC's Classic...
13. This is CDC's Classic chin spoiler; you've probably already guessed that the Aggressive model protrudes a little farther. In unpainted form, CDC's injection-molded urethane chin spoiler sells for $225, or it can be bought as shown in textured, matte black for $270. This thing practically falls on the car, screwing to factory mount points at the lower leading edges of the wheelwells.
14. Looking at the underside,...
14. Looking at the underside, there's also a strip of acrylic bonding tape, visible in red here, that secures the center section of the spoiler to the lower edge of the GT's bottom grille opening.
15. As on the ducktail, it's...
15. As on the ducktail, it's important to wipe this bonding surface with alcohol to maximize adhesion. The front wheels can also be removed to provide working room in the wheelwells.
16. CDC's Nick Alfano demonstrates...
16. CDC's Nick Alfano demonstrates how the lower two screws (arrows) that secure the wheelwell liner to the fascia are temporarily removed to prepare for installation.
17. The spoiler is set in...
17. The spoiler is set in place and secured in one wheelwell and reusing the factory fasteners.
18. Using the same approach...
18. Using the same approach as on the rear spoiler, start a little pull-tab of the bonding tape's plastic film, and press the spoiler firmly into adhesion on the lower grille opening as you pull the film clear. Then screw the spoiler into the other wheelwell.
19. Finally, insert one of...
19. Finally, insert one of the kit's included push-pins through each outer lower-corner of the spoiler into existing holes in the underside of the fascia. That's it: A half-hour should do the chin spoiler.
20. We told you the Classic...
20. We told you the Classic looks good. The more extroverted in the crowd may want to check out CDC's descriptively-named Aggressive model which has a more protruding chin.