Rear Air Deflector - Need Fabrication advice

[vangremlin]

I had posted a wanted ad for a Gremlin or Kammback rear air deflector but haven't had any sellers come forward, so I started looking at alternatives.  When I was at the junkyard yesterday I found two that would work (from a Blazer and an Isuzu Trooper) if I can find a way to mount them.

At first I was hoping I could somehow attach it using the screws that go through the glass for the hinge, but I think that is a no go because it will bump into the body when the glass is opened.  So I'm thinking I'll have to have something fabricated and attach it to the roof, similar to the way the air deflector is mounted on the Gremlin.  I'd like to avoid putting screw-holes through the roof, but I don't think that double sided tape could hold it in place with just those two small mounts.  However, if I could have a mount that went across the width of the back I might be able to tape it in place.

Any ideas on how to get this done?  I know we've got some pretty bright people on the Nest so I'm sure somebody will have a good idea.   If I have to have brackets fabricated, what would be the best way to get those made?  I'm thinking it might be best to have them machined in a similar manner that GRONK uses to make his carb mounting plates.  Where would I find somebody that can do that type of work?  

Thanks in advance, here are some pictures of the Blazer air deflector taped to the Kammback, along with pictures of the Gremlin air deflecto.

[rollguy]

The chrome one looks like it was meant for your car!  What would be wrong with using well nuts like those used on the roof rack?   For the black one, how about some sheet metal brackets sandwiched between the hinge & the body?  You could have them powder coated so they will not rust.

[txjeeptx]

Man, if I were closer to you, I'd have a simple lil bracket fabb'd up in no time. I'd make a base plate out of . . well, plate, probably 11 ga, could countersink the mounting screw heads and nicely fillet-grind the edges of the plate. The uprights could be either square or round tubing, and at the top I'd have a through bolt as a pivot, in double shear(a tab on either side of the upright), with a piece of channel that attaches the wing to the upright. Stainless 1/4-20 hardware should do it for the pivot. I'll try to draw up something real quick and scan it. It'll give me something to do to waste time I should be spending on homework.

[vangremlin]

I'll try to draw up something real quick and scan it. It'll give me something to do to waste time I should be spending on homework.

Thanks txjeeptx!  Don't get too distracted from your homework, and have an egg for your effort!

[vangremlin]

What would be wrong with using well nuts like those used on the roof rack?   For the black one, how about some sheet metal brackets sandwiched between the hinge & the body?  You could have them powder coated so they will not rust.

I've never taken a roof rack off, so I'm not familiar with how the well nuts work?  Would I have to remove the headliner?

I was thinking about something to place between the hinge and the body, which would avoid drilling new holes.  I'll have to figure out how the hinges are attached.

[rollguy]

What would be wrong with using well nuts like those used on the roof rack?   For the black one, how about some sheet metal brackets sandwiched between the hinge & the body?  You could have them powder coated so they will not rust.

I've never taken a roof rack off, so I'm not familiar with how the well nuts work?  Would I have to remove the headliner?

I was thinking about something to place between the hinge and the body, which would avoid drilling new holes.  I'll have to figure out how the hinges are attached.

Well nuts are available from the Eaglnest store.  If you put a collar on the drill bit, it will keep from drilling into the headliner (only enough to drill through the roof metal). For mounting a bracket behind the hinge, you will probably have to remove the headliner, or at least remove the trim and lower the rear portion just enough to loosen the bolts that hold the hinges. If you make a slot in the bracket, you only need to loosen the bolts just enough to slide the bracket in.  I would glue a piece of thin rubber gasket material to the side of the bracket that contacts the paint, and maybe both sides if there is no gasket there now.