Just a little question here:

Was every thirdgen equipped with the air dam, more specifically the early ones with the early nose?

I have yet to see one on any 82-84 (I've seen like 3) I looked under, including mine.

My car runs decently cool on long trips on the free way. My stock temp gauge using unequal incraments of only 100-220-260 makes it hard to tell exactly how cool but I'd say >200*.

Any takers?

 

My '83 V6 Berlinetta had one that was ripped off when I put it into a field when I was 16. The air dam was never replaced, and the car ran fine for another two years.

My '87 V8 Camaro had one that was ripped off during a wild slide in the snow and ice. It was the only thing damaged during that mishap, but would overheat without the air dam, so I had to repair and replace it.

 

AFAIK yes.

My 83 certainly was. (is)

 

Maybe it's just that they are highly likely to have been ripped off or removed for whatever reason for the 30-20 years they have been on the road or owned by someone else.

I was just wondering if the 82-84 cars didn't need one to cool properly due to their facia.

Would you think I should find one and put it on my car anyways?

 

my '82 z originally came with one.

 

They need it as much as any other car; the wrinkles in the plastic don't change the need to create a high-pressure zone in front of the radiator, and even more important, a low-pressure one behind it.

Yes.

Might however, be easier and more effective, to make one... go to HD and get a piece of aluminum angle, and to a truck parts store and get a rubber mud flap for a 18-wheeler trailer; use the angle to make a bracket, and bolt about a 5" tall strip of the mud flap to it. Won't break off like the factory plastic piece often seems to.

 

Essentially a vacuum, right?

I like that suggestion and just might do that if I find the time. If i do ill be sure to post it up with pictures, because everyone loves pictures.

I also like the idea of being overkill on the potential for cooling then just at par, also. So either way ill get something under there.

Thanks.

 

I made mine. Cheap and effective as hell.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/cool...n-air-dam.html

 

Z28's Had The Tall Number (65) Air Deflector Sport Coupes And Berlinetta's Had The Short Number (79) Air Deflector.

 

So that piece you started off with is literally a mud flap for a tractor trailer? I just need to know where to find one.

& thanks for all the input guys, especially the schematics . I'm sure others have wondered this as well. I'm going to make one for sure.

 

Truck stop, truck supply place, truck service, truck rental place, trailer service, etc.

 

It's from a 4th gen (93' - 02' Camaro, firebird, transam)
10$ from the junkyard. That will probably be the easiest option.

 

Yeah, I didn't think yours a mud flap lol.

What do you guys think strength wise is better? I found a local thirdgen one locally for $25 last night? That or a 4thgen one with aluminum angle for a brace/mount?

I don't want this tho break off !

 

The plastic ones ALWAYS break. Usually around the hardware holes.

A rubber one will NEVER break. Might tear off, but at least won't break.

Aluminum reinforcement won't help; in fact will likely only make it worse.

Strength is irrelevant; in fact, it works AGAINST you in this application.

The ones most inclined to break off are the ones made out of harder plastic. Look nicer before you put em on, but the first curb you park at, GONE. The cheesy looking flexible ones last ALOT longer, in fact the one of those on my 83 is still "there" if somewhat worse for wear. (lots of gouges, splits, cracks, etc.)

If you can find a OE one, go with it; but if you do, don't be surprised to find yourself right back where you are now again some day. There's a reason for it being in the situation it's in, and it ISN'T because the OE one was such a shining paragon of excellent design.

 

Yeah I figured that plastic is plastic. I'd love one made out of hard rubber but finding a mud flap that wide, or for that fact a local truck accessories depot, is proving to be more difficult than just getting this OE one.

I'm going to throw this on and continue to look for a rubber source. At least I will have one on there in the mean time.

When I do find rubber, are these sopose to be perpendicular to the ground or at a slight angle to scoop air?

 

OE is perpendicular, the 4th gen is angled. FWIW, mine barely sticks down past the inverse wing under the very front and works.

 

Very Slight Angle

 

That probably sticks down at least 1 1/2" lower than mine. No wonder they break off

 

Doesn't really matter what angle they're at. The fact that it separates the air in front, from the air under the car, is what makes it work. It's not a shovel or something.

There's truck shops EVERYWHERE. At least, everywhere that there's expressways and traffic.

I'm not sure where in CT you are, but the last however many times I've been up that way, I saw plenty of truck shops. In fact seems like one time recently I had to go to New Haven, and I stayed in Milford somewhere right off the 95, and had to drive right by one to get to my hotel. When I was working in Bristol (well, between Southington and Forestville actually) seems like I saw one near Berlin. They're everywhere.

Yeah that one in GT's pic is the kind that not only breaks off, but also twists up the core support piece it bolts to, in the process.

 

I'm surprised mine is still there. I have the same style as in gt's pic and to the best of my knowledge it's the OE piece. Has some pretty deep scratches running down the full length of it. Actually it looks more like someone took a belt sander with 80 grit to it.

I can say I put it up over a curb a few times. Now that it's lowered and freshly painted I'm EXTRA careful because I'd have bigger problems to worry about. Once when I was younger and alot dumber right after I bought my car I thought I was going to be cool and oversteer sideways David Hasselhoff style into my parking space. Put the front end of the car over the curb HARD all the way to the front wheels. Come to think of it I'm surprised I didn't break anything more serious up front that dumb and reckless morning.

 

I'm right outside of Waterbury. I found one in the yellow pages online I might try. I couldn't find any through a google search though. I honestly can say that I never NOTICED one before. If they are as plentiful as you say I most defiantly drove right past a few in my 18 years haha.

 

So I couldn't pass on the one I found locally. I found it on Ebay but the guy was across state. For only $30, I got it 2 days later and with all the bolts included.

I can totally see how these things break off... they hang really low.... AND my cars kinda high.

This will be temporary (until it breaks off or until I fab one up, whatever comes sooner)

Anyone ever think of putting these things on a spring loaded piano hinge?

Before


after, of course

Do you guys think I should shave this down a good inch or so?

 

Haha. So what's your clearance between it and the ground with it lowered? I would like to give my car a little better of a stance eventually.

 

My '84 had the skirt-style undernose air dam. It kind of sucked, so we pulled one from a Camaro that just goes straight across. Not as discreet, but does a much better job.

 

Well the 84 goes right through Waterbury (duh)... hop on it and hit the first truck stop you come to.

But, looks like you're good to go, for the time being anyway. My car came with the shorter one, and it's kinda .... ragged (300+k miles); I got a brand-new one of those, but I've never put it on because it looks like it would almost rub the ground even if it was flat and level. It's like 2" taller than the other kind.

I don't think a piano hinge would work very well... think about what would happen if it snagged on a curb and you backed up.

IMO making a rubber one, thick enough to hold its shape but flexible enough to just bend out of the way on impact, is the way to go. If I ever need one that's certainly what I'm going to do.

 

My 84 has one................

 

82-84 Coupe and Berlinetta had a 2-piece air dam.

85-87 Coupe, Berlinetta and LT got a re-designed 3-piece air dam to accommodate the changes to the front bumper cover. ( Part number 64 - Left AND Right side - AND part number 79.

85-87 on the Left (center section not pictured ) and 82-84 on the right.




What you've got is an 82-92 Z28 / IROC air dam. There are 3 parts to it & you can clearly see the 2 small square air deflectors in gt4373's picture. ( Under the driver and pass side 'battery tray" - the corner mounts under the outer mounting bolt for the center air deflector.)

FYI: 82-84 Coupes and Berlinettas didn't get the front end bracing that all 85+ F-Body cars got. Your well advised to find/install these front end "Frame Rail" braces if you plan to keep your car. They will help reduce the likelihood of the frame rail ripping apart - like so many others have - due to stress caused by the steering box. ( Good time to upgrade that pencil-thin front sway bar too ! )

They are the triangle shaped braces that are bolted to the engine cradle and the frame rails on each side in this pic.



There is another one located under the drives side 'battery tray' too for additional support for the steering box. Part Number 40 in the diagram posted by 'gt4373'.

 

I have an air dam for my 86 z28, but I do not have bolts to install it. What size bolts would i need to get it on there?

 

short 10mm,... IIIRC they have a coarse thread.

 

Yes they have a 10mm head but they are more screws than bolts.
They can be found here:
http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/pr...%26-Screw.html

 

This was very helpful, thanks guys

 

ok..I didnt know the air dam had 3 pieces to it. After reading this,I went and looked under my car, and it does look like there was something there at one time, but not anymore.I took a few pics. Does it look like i am missing these other 2 pieces? '1986 camaro. Would these pieces make a difference? Thinking of ordering from somewhere. Thanks.

 

Looks like your missing the inverse wing and the two side skirts.
you can see the outline marks of where they used to be
your actual "air dam" is still there and is probably the most important piece.

see this picture below

 

OH..Ok. I see now from your pic,the missing side skirts. What is an "inverse wing"? Where is it missing from? Thanks alot by BTW!

 

It is the plastic rounded piece in the left top side of the picture above.
It sits in front of the air dam (piece that hangs straight down) and creates the Bernoulli effect to force fee air to the radiator.
couple more pictures

 

Ok, I see now.I found some side skirts for sale, But I cant seem to pull anything up on that inverse wing to order one. Does anyone sell these new? I'm just trying to make sure I have all the pieces that are supposed to be there. Thanks.

 

I had a 2000 Saturn that had a hinged and spring loaded one on the front.I bet it could be easily adapted to fit on a third gen.

 

Doesn't sound like a good idea.

Flexible rubber is the way to go. Not limp floppy flexible; just, able to bend and give, rather than break, when bashed on a parking lot bumper or something. Something about like a 18-wheeler mud flap. See above.