Need help installing replica "OEM" sideskirts

[sheppardpat47]

Hello everyone,

My Sprinter Trueno coupe came without the sport package (no spoiler and no sideskirts)

I managed to find an OEM spoiler and installed it with all the original hardware sourced directly via Amayama

The problem is, sideskirts are VERY difficult to find and their prices were too expensive for me

So I bought replicas for 600€ incl shipping from someone in Germany, I have no idea which model they are or where they come from but they are unpainted and I have no hardware (I think) perhaps screws, and I have weather stripping.



What would be the best way to install them after they are painted? Some say rivnuts, some say try to glue them, some say try this or that...

If someone have ideas, I'll take it!

Thanks for everyone helping

[Ivan141]

Does that someone in Germany happen to be called Josip? Our Zax has quite the parts collection so I'm sure he could tell you what they are if they were his.

As for mounting options. All are kind of shit in certain ways, so you'll have to choose your poison.

OEM cars with sideskirts usually had the mounting holes prepunched in the body panels, IIRC square holes with little plastic plugs that you can thread a screw into.
This is nearly impossible to replicate, and there is little point in doing so.
Your other option is to go with rivnuts. These install into drilled holes and are easy to work with. The downside here is that they are round, and metal.
This increases the risk of fasteners getting stuck in them (corrosion), which can easily cause the rivnuts to spin in their hole, which would make it impossible to remove the bolt.

I went with stainless steel rivnuts and spotwelded them in 2 places after installing them, that should mitigate the risk of them coming loose.

Whichever way you go, make sure you treat any bare metal with decent paint and if at all possible, apply rust preventing wax/fat afterwards.