Dusky

Hi guys

afaik there is a stock piece of plastic/rubber that goes under the car to force more air through the radiator.
I don't know what's it called, and I don't really know how it looks as my corvette didn't have it when I bought it.
Although I ve heard that without this piece they tend to overheat.
Some pictures would be nice, also of how its fitted. I think I'll make something myself out of rubber, but would like to recreate the stock look.

Many thanks

Drifter36

I call it an air dam. Just replaced mine as one of my winter projects. They are readily available.

7T1vette

That air dam builds air pressure in front of it, which forces more air up and into the radiator. Absolutely necessary on a C3.

BKarol

If your profile is correct that you are working on a 79 it is a front air dam spoiler extension. The picture shows a factory installed extension. When making your own, if I remember it is about 4 1/2 inches wide and the one I made for my 78 extended down @ 2 inches over the factory spoiler. I assume you want to add this to the present factory spoiler? or are you in need of that also.?

Bikespace

In karol's photo above, the extension is screwed into the stock air dam. They are two different pieces. You may need both if your crate engine is sufficiently hopped up. I believe some L-82s came with the extension in 1979.

Here's the stock air dam:
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...am-stock-73-79

And extension:
https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...oling-l-82-eng

The second link has a helpful diagram.

BKarol

The extension from " the factory" was attached to the front of the air deflector with eight large head aluminum pop rivets. A two piece reinforcement is placed inside the deflector to provide a sufficient attachment point for the rivets. The reinforcement is a narrow steel strip.

I used screws to attach mine with no reinforcement strip and has still been attached for years. It has kept my temps down on the highway.

Dusky

Thanks guys!

I plan on doing something like karol.
But I dont have the stock extension, I hope the lip on the 'bottom piece'( the reinforcement with the 2 holes that's screwed under the front) is big enough to support my rubber strip, plan on using a 4mm piece of reinforced rubber mat.

7T1vette

The material for that air dam can not be flexibe...at least, it needs to be stiff. At speed, there's a lot of wind force on that piece. If it's to do its job, it needs to withstand 100 mph+ wind forces.

Street Rat

I think that these are only available in fiberglass reproduction now.

Craig

derekderek

The air dam slopes to the rear with the contour of the nose. I would think a couple of blades hanging down butted up against the dam and pointing forward just outboard of the big holes in the valence would catch more air and send it up where needed.

HeadsU.P.

I wouldn't want any material hanging lower than stock that is rigid. You will snap that sucker off at the first parking lot curb, speed bump or very uneven terrain.
You would want something that has some give and flexibility.

A rubberize material that is used from a old conveyor belt, about 1/4" thick, would be easy to cut, contour, shape and drill, and is still rigid enough to handle speed but giving enough not to shatter.

derekderek

It would only need to be as low as the dam itself and maybe even sloping upwards as it travels forward. Could almost make the piece out of coffee can lid and attach it with existing valence screws to see if it works. Kind of like the fin on the end of airplane wings. Reduces what they call spanwise airflow.