Author Topic: Air Dam  (Read 12091 times)

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Offline wheelrdealer

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Air Dam
« on: June 28, 2014, 10:43:59 PM »
Built a new air dam. Not sure if it will be better than what I had but I can change back to the original air dam in about 10 minutes.

The old version followed the valence panel. It looked to me like an area that could create some lift. I had no issues up to 207 but the D/CBALT record is 27.319 mph higher. See picture with the tow bar.

The new air dam runs along a 1971 Camaro bumper and is currently adjusted to 1.5" of ground clearance. I can adjust the clearance by either flipping the lip up which gives me 2.5" clearance or swapping for another lip with something in between. Turnbuckles brace the low back backside. The idea to use the '71 is from a car I saw at Speedweek 2011.

Think it will help or hurt?  Not going to hurt my feelings if you think not. I had fun making it.

BR

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Offline manta22

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2014, 12:42:12 AM »
BR;

Looks very good. I hope it adds a few more mph. I love that year Camaro body style.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ
Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

gkabbt

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2014, 06:53:01 AM »
Looks good Bill. Kinda reminds me of the TurkBurger Hot Rod Special Camaro:





They have gone 261 with this setup so it must work pretty good.....LOL!  :-D

Gregg

Offline wheelrdealer

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2014, 09:47:04 AM »
Turk and Frei's model camaro has a cleaner front end than the '73. I admit studied there car but got the idea to replace the split bumpers with a full bumper from a camera at 2011 Speedweek.

Thanks

BR
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gkabbt

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2014, 10:49:45 AM »
Got the idea to replace the split bumpers with a full bumper from a camera at 2011 Speedweek.

Thanks

BR

I like the split bumper on street Camaros but I REALLY like the full bumper on your car. Cleans up the front MUCH better!

Gregg

Offline metermatch

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2014, 02:51:13 AM »
I need to build a similar air dam for my car.  I was wondering if you could tell me what thickness aluminum yours is made of, and would you have used the same thickness again, or a thicker or thinner piece of aluminum?  Yours looks pretty nice.

Also, has anyone made an air dam out of steel?  What thickness?  I have a spot welder, but no way to weld aluminum so I was thinking steel could be easier for me to fabricate.

I was also thinking of making the bottom 1-2" of the dam out of some 1/4" firm rubber.  Good or bad idea?  What ground clearance is commonly used?

Thank you,

Jeff

Offline Buickguy3

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2014, 07:58:22 AM »
   The one on the Jag is 22 ga. with a 1/2 inch cold roll bottom reinforcement.
    Doug  :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
I keep going faster and faster and I don't know why. All I have to do is live and die.
                   [America]

Offline wheelrdealer

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2014, 08:25:21 AM »
I need to build a similar air dam for my car.  I was wondering if you could tell me what thickness aluminum yours is made of, and would you have used the same thickness again, or a thicker or thinner piece of aluminum?  Yours looks pretty nice.

Also, has anyone made an air dam out of steel?  What thickness?  I have a spot welder, but no way to weld aluminum so I was thinking steel could be easier for me to fabricate.

I was also thinking of making the bottom 1-2" of the dam out of some 1/4" firm rubber.  Good or bad idea?  What ground clearance is commonly used?

Thank you,

Jeff


Jeff:

I thought about steel as well but went with 11 gauge 3003 aluminum. My current air dam was made of 11 gauge with no bracing and help up to 207. 11 gauge is easy to work for a guy with out metal shop tools. I have a homemade sheet metal brake that I broke the center crease and I used 1" piece of DOM and clamps to roll the corners. I braced the air dam back to some aluminum angle I mounted on the bottom of the valence. I used 3/8 tubing and built a turn buckle end on one end with 1/4" eyes for quick pins. On the air dam side I used 8" section of 1/4 aluminum Td to bolt the no adjustable end of the brace tubing. Countersunk the brace Ts from the front and Dzus tabbed the bottom of the bumper with 1/8" x 1 3/4" cold rolled I between the Dzus tabs for support. I'll post some pictures when I get to my office computer.

BR
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Offline metermatch

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2014, 12:30:19 AM »
I would appreciate the pictures of the dam and the underlying structure.


Thanks,

Jeff

Offline Sumner

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2014, 12:25:03 PM »
I'd like to see the pictures also  :-).  Sounds like you are bracing it well.  That is really important with that large of a surface up there.  Think of you hand out the window at 60 and then all of that area at 4 time 60 mph.

Hooley's air dam is fiberglass and has been braced..



...well at the bottom in the center, but pictures have suggested that outward from there that it might be bending back at speed.  We just finished adding a lot more bracing to the air dam itself and also more support to the rest of the front-end also.  Hooley bent a bumper like piece of heavy steel that rides right behind the air dam and I made up some braces that attach it to the frame. Here are a few pictures ....







http://1fatgmc.com/car/14-Hooley/Air-Dam-Brace-23.jpg


.... and there are a number more here....

http://1fatgmc.com/car/14-Hooley/14%20-%20hooley-construction-2014-1.html

Sum

Offline wheelrdealer

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2014, 01:34:04 PM »
Sum:

I read all of your post and mine ideas from you all of the time.

I had the metal shop shear the sheet on the long end

Then I bent it about 30 degrees on my welding table with some angle iron and strap.
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Offline wheelrdealer

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2014, 01:54:59 PM »

Air Dam braces. The braces adjust on one end. The air dam is 1/2" behind the leading edge of the bumper and can be adjusted up to 1" to push it out or pull it in to account for any change in rake to tire swaps. On the second photo you can see the Dzus tabs and the strap in between to mount and brace the air dam to the bumper.

BR
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Offline Sumner

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2014, 04:08:11 PM »
Nice work  :cheers: 

I would consider...



... running some diagonals down under each of the horizontal braces you have now with the same type brackets that you have used to spread the load.  Just a thought considering the speeds you will be running,

Sum

Offline wheelrdealer

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2014, 09:46:05 PM »
Sum:

You may be right. I have plants of 1/4" fasteners running along the lip. I can easily triangulate down to them. I have time since I won't make Speedweek 2014. I will mock some things up.

Thanks

BR
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Offline tauruck

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Re: Air Dam
« Reply #14 on: July 02, 2014, 02:06:27 AM »
Bill you put a lot into that project.

It looks great.

Sorry to hear you won't be at Speed Week this year.