Front Air Dam Support
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 250
Likes: 1
Front Air Dam Support
I'm about to put on the front air dam on my 82 but the hook that supports the middle of it is missing. Is this gonna be a problem with the fiberglass one I bought? If so has anyone figured out a way to support it without that hook? Pictures would help. Thanks
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 32
Likes: 3
i have 1980 corvette i had shop replace the air dam and valances as i could not get alighned and sealed properly my self i have no hook on mine
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
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Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Possibly nothing. The air dam/baffle fits around it. Here's the hook.
Not the best pic, but good enough for illustration purposes. The baffle on this car is not yet completely installed. Spoilers are also missing.
From the front:
If the new Photobucket does not improve soon, I will be making the jump to Flickr.
Not the best pic, but good enough for illustration purposes. The baffle on this car is not yet completely installed. Spoilers are also missing.
From the front:
If the new Photobucket does not improve soon, I will be making the jump to Flickr.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Mar 12, 2013 at 12:11 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 84
Likes: 1
From: Acworth Ga
That hook is necessary to keep the air from pushing your air dam into the pavement at high speed (e.g. 40-50 mph). If you don't have it, and do not find alternate means to secure the front of the air dam, you'll be buying another one...ask me how I know!
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Winchester CA
I agree with RaptorTest. The purpose for the hook is to prevent the air dam from scraping the ground as the car is moving at high speeds. The air dam catches cold air and forces or redirects it into the engine bay. Take the car to a machine shop and have them fabricate a metal piece and have them weld it to the bumper support. I suggest a short piece of metal with a lower and an upper hook (kind of in the shape of a "C") this way the dam won't be forced down or up. This is the case with the original air dams made of flexible polyurethane. You might be able to get away without a hook if your buying an aftermarket fiberglass one as that one will be more rigid and less flexible. Good luck.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 632
Likes: 38
From: Roseville CA
Here's what it looks like on my 80:
One thing I did notice with it is, if the spoiler is not resting on top of it, the engine can get a lot warmer at highway speeds. I check before any cruise I go on to make sure the spoiler has not lifted up.
One thing I did notice with it is, if the spoiler is not resting on top of it, the engine can get a lot warmer at highway speeds. I check before any cruise I go on to make sure the spoiler has not lifted up.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
If you have the fiberglass damn, I don't think missing the hook will hurt you... The urethane part was very flimsy and as stated above, if you didn't have it the air will pile drive it to the pavement.
Willcox
Willcox
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 15
Ok I'm trying to figure this out. My car is missing the whole thing except the metal bracket that is shaped like a "C". In all the pictures I've seen they have a wedge shape piece. Now does that cover the "C" shape metal piece and is the wedge plastic or something?
, don't now if it made it in the later year manuals. 