Find below a few pics of kitty up on blocks. As you can see, I've dismounted the spoiler, and found that the panel just behind it is well along on rusting away.

When I hold the spoiler back up, it seems to hide the panel fairly well.

Is the panel necessary? I see that it serves to partly secure the spoiler, but I could fabricate a piece that would serve just as well.

Thanks,

John, 1987 XJS V12, 62000 miles

 

then yes, it serves to both support the grille area and perform two other functions, capture the air in the radiator opening and also direct the outside air to the chin spoiler which I did not see in your pic. The chin spoiler is also important for cooling and handling.

 

Your real worry is that rusty beam behind the panel. that is a structural member holding the two sides of the car together. Carefully inspect it and weld if needed and rustproof it. The panel itself is available still, and quite easy to repair, and if absent allows the lower valences to be less well supported than they should be. Worth fixing as even a rough welded up panel is invisible!

Behind the spoiler and attached to the back edge of it, should be a plastic undertray, which is often missing. Its absence affects high speed stability, so worth ensuring it is also replaced if it is not there.

Greg