Sam Colalillo
low 9's w/ a 109
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2005
Front Air Dam
- Thread starter Race Jace
- Start date
I think that a simple piece without any scoops would work,
or more exotic with a scoop in the center that incorperated blocking sealing off from the scoop to the core support, kind of like boxing off the bottom of the area between the front bumper and the radiator core support only incorporating a scoop to scoop the air into the front mount intercooler as well.
of course the exotic one would cost more. prices ? that is a good question, i would pay $200 for the simple piece easy.
or more exotic with a scoop in the center that incorperated blocking sealing off from the scoop to the core support, kind of like boxing off the bottom of the area between the front bumper and the radiator core support only incorporating a scoop to scoop the air into the front mount intercooler as well.
of course the exotic one would cost more. prices ? that is a good question, i would pay $200 for the simple piece easy.
turbojimmy
Supporting Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
I think that's nice an subtle. What does that do to air flow tho? Is there any benefit to keeping the stock 86-87 style dams and putting a scoop in the middle? As it stands it seems air is being funneled to the middle of the car. Maybe there should be a design that takes advantage of that rather than blocking it off. I dunno. I don't know how the air really flows when it hits the nose of the car.
Like I said, I have my trans cooler between the stock air dams and was going to connect them by putting a scoop in between them that forces air up through the cooler and up into the intercooler. Kind of like the stock one except bring it forward so it uses the bolts for the license plate bracket. A one-piece deal that does that would be cool - especially if it blocks the area between the rad support and bumper at the same time. Air is forced into the middle and up into that area. That would be a big piece, though, and would have to work around the I/C pipes.
Jim
Like I said, I have my trans cooler between the stock air dams and was going to connect them by putting a scoop in between them that forces air up through the cooler and up into the intercooler. Kind of like the stock one except bring it forward so it uses the bolts for the license plate bracket. A one-piece deal that does that would be cool - especially if it blocks the area between the rad support and bumper at the same time. Air is forced into the middle and up into that area. That would be a big piece, though, and would have to work around the I/C pipes.
Jim
Sam Colalillo
low 9's w/ a 109
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2005
update
Jason, I like your idea of the lower scoop that would feed up into radiator core support, but I am proceeding with the simpler design. Sounds like the consensus is an air dam similar to stock appearing piece. What I currently have laid out is a component that would be 1 inch taller than stock and fill the void in the center, where we are currently forced to have a gap.
I stayed up late last night laying this thing out more accurately, and I am staying up late again tonight. My goal is to have it fit as nice as the factory pieces and use the OEM fasteners in the stock locations. The difficult part will be designing a part that will fit like I just stated, because of the components of the car that this air dam will be mounting to. Every car body will sit on the frame a little differently, every fender will be in a slightly different location, the front bumper is mounted to the frame differently on each car, and this air dam will mount to all of these parts of the car.
QKRNYRS, I am going to get out to your place and measure yours and Brains car. I’ll probably stop by Scott’s body shop, because the last time I was at his place he had three turbo Buicks in his shop. This should give me a pretty good idea of how different these cars can be.
By the end of the week I should have a very accurate design of what we are after.
Qwknyrs and I are working on this together and it sounds like you guys are really interested in this product, so we will see what we can do. I am planning to meet with a couple of local plastic vendors early next week, and have them give me a quote on the tooling cost. Hopefully we don’t have to refinance our houses to obtain the cash for the tool that is necessary to make this happen.
QKRNYRS said:Sam, I hope that you are designing this at work and not wasting your precious time at home.....
Jason, I like your idea of the lower scoop that would feed up into radiator core support, but I am proceeding with the simpler design. Sounds like the consensus is an air dam similar to stock appearing piece. What I currently have laid out is a component that would be 1 inch taller than stock and fill the void in the center, where we are currently forced to have a gap.
I stayed up late last night laying this thing out more accurately, and I am staying up late again tonight. My goal is to have it fit as nice as the factory pieces and use the OEM fasteners in the stock locations. The difficult part will be designing a part that will fit like I just stated, because of the components of the car that this air dam will be mounting to. Every car body will sit on the frame a little differently, every fender will be in a slightly different location, the front bumper is mounted to the frame differently on each car, and this air dam will mount to all of these parts of the car.
QKRNYRS, I am going to get out to your place and measure yours and Brains car. I’ll probably stop by Scott’s body shop, because the last time I was at his place he had three turbo Buicks in his shop. This should give me a pretty good idea of how different these cars can be.
By the end of the week I should have a very accurate design of what we are after.
Qwknyrs and I are working on this together and it sounds like you guys are really interested in this product, so we will see what we can do. I am planning to meet with a couple of local plastic vendors early next week, and have them give me a quote on the tooling cost. Hopefully we don’t have to refinance our houses to obtain the cash for the tool that is necessary to make this happen.
turbojimmy
Supporting Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
Sam Colalillo said:
Thanks for all of your hard work. I understand the potential problems in getting everything to line up. My stock air dams are split from stretching them to meet the fenders and the bumper.
I'm definitely interested in buying something like Jason describes.
Jim
getting there
Here is countless hours of design work and measuring etc... Our design will complete the front of the car and look factory. The material that we have chosen will be more durable than the factory piece against curbs, bumps and the like. All while not deflecting at high speed should the need arise. Here is a nearly finished CAD drawing of the part. I would like to get as much feedback as possible, thanks
Pat
Here is countless hours of design work and measuring etc... Our design will complete the front of the car and look factory. The material that we have chosen will be more durable than the factory piece against curbs, bumps and the like. All while not deflecting at high speed should the need arise. Here is a nearly finished CAD drawing of the part. I would like to get as much feedback as possible, thanks
Pat
Attachments
Can't give you any technical feedback but I think it looks great and if you can sell them for $200 and make enough to make it worth your time I think you will sell a bunch. Especially if you can have some done by the Nats so you can have them in a vendor's tent where people can see them in person.
As a companion product for another $75-)) add in a flat sheet with the holes punched on one end to match the air dam mounting holes and the other left plain so people can trim it to fit their front mount pipes and attach it to the bottom of their radiator core support. Have "arms" on each side that fold up to seal the sides, like the stock pieces. Looks like a long sleeve shirt laid flat on a table, with the bumper mounting holes where the collar goes, the plain end where the shirttail goes, and the arms sticking out to the sides. You will have to pick a thickness that is stiff enough but not too heavy, and decide how wide and how far up the arms should go, trading off sealing for fit with various front mounts. Use the same material and color as the air dam for that nice matched set, stealthy look.
As a companion product for another $75
-)) add in a flat sheet with the holes punched on one end to match the air dam mounting holes and the other left plain so people can trim it to fit their front mount pipes and attach it to the bottom of their radiator core support. Have "arms" on each side that fold up to seal the sides, like the stock pieces. Looks like a long sleeve shirt laid flat on a table, with the bumper mounting holes where the collar goes, the plain end where the shirttail goes, and the arms sticking out to the sides. You will have to pick a thickness that is stiff enough but not too heavy, and decide how wide and how far up the arms should go, trading off sealing for fit with various front mounts. Use the same material and color as the air dam for that nice matched set, stealthy look.turbojimmy
Supporting Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
I like it!
Walker231T
Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2003
AWESOME!!! :biggrin: :biggrin:
I'll take 2 when they are available!
I'll take 2 when they are available!
You might want to check out the ones offered by Lauren Engineering. www.laureneng.com They have several options. HTH
MLH
MLH
Powder said:
they do not have anything like what we are looking for. Plus they are made from very unforgiving fiber glass, I would not want to have a piece of glass hanging down in the front of my car.
I think what you will be making will be the one and only and a very good seller.
