Z51 air dams
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 158
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Ohio
Z51 air dams
the 3 piece air dam on my 87 base corvette are shreaded so i saved up and bought the 3 piece kit from eklers turns out they r the z51 package pieces and guess what they dont match up and the reprodution kit is outta stock and twice the price can the z51 air dam be modified to fit on my base coupe?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 3,495
From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
The only thing different about the Z51 dam is that it is longer than the base. The bolt pattern isnt any different to my knowledge.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 897
Likes: 12
From: Land of Whiskey Rebels, PA
I did the same thing. I didn't like it. The damned thing scraped the garage floor as I was backing out after I just put it on.
The shorter one never did that. It's 4" as opposed to 3-3/8" (I think). That 5/8" made a big difference. And, the center section just didn't fit right. I left it on for a couple weeks until I couldn't stand it any longer. I, also, replaced all the bolts with stainless 1/4 x 20 bolts, washers, and locking nuts. I think I got the short one from CorvetteCentral. Call them and ask about the height measurement.
My car just looks better with with the stock-looking shorter air dam. And, NO MORE SCRAPING.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 158
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Ohio
the bolt pattern is nearly the same and i could make that part work. its a little hard to explain but when i matched up the old reinforcement plates to the new outer pieces the new pieces had a bend to them that my old ones dont. so i put the new ones up to the bumper cover where it bolts up and this bend prevents it from being able to be pulled up flush to the bumper cover with out warping it. so after this i went to the center and the center air dam has a different angle to it from the air baffle and i couldnt get it on without warping the air dam
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
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St. Jude Donor '12
Well I needed a replacement on the 92 with longer sides so I could mount brake ducts.
I wound up getting the early Z51 and the 92 specific (so I would have the correct center section). To make the z51 sides work I had to drill a couple extra holes - no big deal.
Got the kits at whatever they renamed "The Last Detail" to. They were local to me and I was able to pick them up.
I wound up getting the early Z51 and the 92 specific (so I would have the correct center section). To make the z51 sides work I had to drill a couple extra holes - no big deal.
Got the kits at whatever they renamed "The Last Detail" to. They were local to me and I was able to pick them up.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 158
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Ohio
im gonna look into what all its going to take to get them to mount up right im not scared of a lil fab work but it would be nice to see a picture from someone who has done this conversion and what theyre final product looks like to base off of
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Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,689
Likes: 4
From: Yucaipa CA
I haven't mounted mine yet but looks like it will fit my 90 just fine. But here are pics and measurements of it.
think this is the center section 2.75"
4.25" from top mount to bottom on center section
outside side area about 3.75"
middle are of side pieces about 4.0"
think this is the center section 2.75"
4.25" from top mount to bottom on center section
outside side area about 3.75"
middle are of side pieces about 4.0"
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 897
Likes: 12
From: Land of Whiskey Rebels, PA
Jeff, that's the big one. It's for the Z51 option. That's the one I first bought. That center section does not have the same angle, and when I bent it to line up with the holes, it buckled in the middle. I bought one from another vendor.
Mike
'90 'vert
Mike
'90 'vert
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 4,689
Likes: 4
From: Yucaipa CA
I've had it under my car and it seems to line up pretty good.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 158
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Ohio
yea thats exactly what happend on mine
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 3,495
From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
Yeah mine did the same thing in the middle and I used a heat gun to warm it and kinda bend it in place. Its not perfect but it works for my track car.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 158
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Ohio
I've been asking around my local corvette club and one of our members had just put on a new air dam on their 89 coupe a few months back and wished they'd gotten the z51 set so we ended up trading last night I immediatly took the "new" parts and bolted them up and they look amazing were now both very happy with the trade 
thank you everyone very much for your advice i hope this thread can help out some other lost souls
so we ended up trading last night I immediatly took the "new" parts and bolted them up and they look amazing were now both very happy with the trade thank you everyone very much for your advice i hope this thread can help out some other lost souls
