Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

So my Air Dam dinally gave up the ghost when 5 of the 9 mount points broke on it causng the middle to hang down and scrape the ground. I am leaving this Sunday to take my car to the shipping port in Los Angeles so I needed a new one. Opened my classic industries and ordered the one piece air dam for the 82-90 Firebirds which they assured me would fitf my 84 T/A with the 88 GTA nose. I expidite shipping and got it today. It looks good even though its obviously about an inch shorter top to bottom. Got the old one off aong with all of the old mounting bolts and started installing the new one. Middle 5 went in flawlessly but then I notice the last 2 on each side dn't match up. In fact, the whole thing comes up roughly an inch sort on each side! Thank god for zip ties. Still...I'm really not happy. If I didn't need it so badly, I would ship it back...still going to call and file a complaint for what good it will do me since I can't send it back. Car ships out for England Monday and I have to drive it 800 miles to get there. Does anyone know where I can get one that will actually fit? Did I just get a crappy one?

Thanks for letting me vent a bit. At least I got a new one that mostly fits.

jlarsson

iTrader: (5)

This is what you need if you have the 88GTA front ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWNX%3AIT

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

Actually it's not because I had a one-piece on it. The replacement I ordered was a one piece. Did they make different style one-piece air dams?

Dartht33bagger

Can't help with the thread but be sure to report back on how driving these cars in England is. I'm interested

david chambers

welcome to china where close enough is good enough

BigBadGTA

Well its not their fault if your car has switched around body pieces on it. If your car has an 88 GTA front bumper on it, it is supposed to have the 3 piece air dam, not the 1. I have an 88 GTA, 3 piece air dam and all.

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

Ok, previous owner did all the word, so that was out of my control. However, there was a ONE PIECE on it...if it's supposed to have a three piece, where did the one piece come from? I only say GTA, because that's what I was told, but looking at the pictures of the cars, it could have been anything from 85-90 I guess, when in 91 they changed the noses again?>

the solitaire

What's the measurement on the mounting holes?
Camaros all came with a one piece airdam, although that was taller then the Firebird ones if I remember correctly.

Just a thought, but they might have sent you a Camaro airdam?

The 86-90 GTA's had a 3 piece airdam.
So did any bird form 91-92 if I'm not misstaken.

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

It's in shipment to England right now, when it gets here, I'll measure it. Wouldn't that be something if the previous owner stuck a Camaro Air dam on the car? lol

the solitaire

Having the wrong airdam is still better then having none at all

My car came without one, and living in Europe it's not that easy to find a replacement, so I did my share of searching and guess I might by now have seen F-body airdams in all available forms and sizes.

Hearing your story one of the first things that came to mind when you mentioned the difference in size was that you might have just been sent the wrong part.

PS: your profile states the car is originally a 1984 bird. In that case, the radiator mount, as far as that has not been exchanged, has holes for the early firebird airdam. If the hole pattern changed for the 1991 and 1992 birds, then that might also be a reason why the holes in the airdam sent do not line up.

According to hawks 1982 - 1990 airdams for Firebirds were identical.
All 3 piece designs for T/A's

http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/Pr...92fbairdam.jpg

The only one piece design for Firebirds looks like this instead

http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/pr...RDEFLECTOR.jpg

And then there is the Camaro airdam, identical from 1982 through to 1992

http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/Pr...2camairdam.jpg

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

I bought the new one from classic industries. It looks identical to the once piece I removed...on the web site. It wasn't until I took the old one off that I started to notice the differences. the old one is longer on each side, taller from top to bottom, but otherwise looks the same. Even most of the bolt holes lined up, however because the new one was shorter on the sides, the two outer most bolt locations don't line up.

Now, i agree, having this one vs not having one is better than nothing and I haven't experienced any overheating issues. It works just the same. I just hate the fact that I had to use zip ties to secure it completely. Makes me feel ghetto.