Well, 3 years after having my car I finally figured out why the hell it always runs so damn hot all the time. After doing some research over on FRRAX.com I saw that a lot of guys had cooling problems anyway on non-gfx cars since they are demanding so much out of the stock cooling system. Most of them attach some rubber siding to the stock air dam and re-inforce it a bit to keep it from being peeled back at high speeds. These two aftermarket air dams will do the same thing and keep the factory look, which is what I was going for.

The owner before me installed a rksport ground effects kit on it, and for some reason decided to stick with the stock air dam. All the gfxs out there that come with a front lip (excluding the OEM one, since it's open in the middle) block a significant amount of the air hitting the deflector. Couple that with the fact that I'm running an SSRA and now I've probably got less then half of the flow I'm supposed to be getting to that thing. Didn't look like it would do anything when you're staring at it but I can imagine the path the air takes after it hits the chin spoiler must go all over the place.

I ordered the Wings west air deflector for my car:

the part number is (I believe) 88955. Be sure to ask and make sure thats listed as the air deflector. goes for $80 if you pick it up and $120 if you get it through a dealer.

RKSport also has one, and it's a bit cheaper too. The wings west one looks bigger and seems to catch more air though so I'm going with that one.

http://rksport.com/main/part_detail....mdid=1&catid=4

Hope I save somebody from a lot of heartache and empty wallet syndrom like I've been dealing with.

 

Or you can go the route I did. It would probably cost you $150 shipped, but I can put you in touch with the fabricator that made mine. It's an extended (1" lower)stainless-steel air deflector, with a replaceable 2" rubber element that hangs 1" below the air deflector. This thing is a beautiful product, and it works fantastically. I've had the vinyl Wings West air deflector, but it broke over time going over speed bumps. Haven't had a problem with the stainless one, since 1" of the 2" extension is flexible rubber. Here's a couple shots:





The only difference is that the rubber element is thicker, and only runs on the back side. The rubber elements pictured was the original design, but found that the single, thicker element worked much better.

 

or u coulda saved YOURSELF the hassle and asked us (assuming u didnt) cuz i knew the answer

 

GM part # 10229657

GMpartsdirect.com - $21.49

 

That is a nice set up, I like how the extended piece is replaceable. Is that the stainless piece from afterthoughts auto with attachement on there? I liked that stainless piece, looks real good, but there's some high curbs around here and there is several times I would have bent the whole thing back, so I'll have to stay with something flexible. The wings west piece I got was pretty affordable too. You mentioned you broke yours though, what happened?
EDIT: read again and caught why. does it really hang THAT low? I already ordered the dam so I'm going ot have ot use it for now, but if I run into any problems I just might go your route.

Lol, believe me, I have been putting up threads... and searching... and looking on other forums, for going on 3 years now. I never got any response other then people telling me my radiator is bad.

That's why I put up this thread so that hopefully people could find it with the search button.

What is that number for? Is that for an air dam off another car that's bigger then the f-bodies? I do have the stock one on, it's just that it doesn't drop down far enough below the gfx to pick up enough air to do anything to the rad.

 

Guess I didn't catch the thread completely. Either way, doesn't seem too hard to engineer something with some sheetmetal and a poprivet gun and get the same effect.

 

Mine was laser-cut with high-end computer-controlled machinery. The guy who fabricated this works at a place that gives him access to all those cool sorts of equipment...

 

Thanks. No, it was custom-fabricated by a local guy I know here. He's actually got a spare one of these sitting in his garage (he made two when he made mine), and he's got the computer program design saved on disc, so if anyone else wanted one, he can have more made at any given time...

Yeah, I tried the Wings West one, and that didn't stand up long against speed bumps and potholes. I replaced it with the custom stainless piece, and it does the job beautifully- cools very well, rigid where it needs to be, but also flexible where it needs to be, not to mention it looks good too...

If you decide you're interested in one, just drop me a PM and I'll put you in touch with the guy...

 

A lot of people do that on frrax but I think it looks like crap. They add rubber siding and l brackets to reinforce the plastic OEM air dam. most of them have track only cars so they could care less for the aesthetic value but mine only sees a few track events a year.

Thanks, I just might have to do that sometime later. My cars not slammed or anything but I do scrape the stock one going into my driveway and around curbs and speedbumps around here.

 

i thought this was a "common knowledge" issue with gfx??

seems like i've even read warnings on the descriptions for some gfx setups that an extended air damn is required.

as for the treads...there's a good chance you never mentioned you had the gfx....cause i knew the answer too...before i even opened the tread.

sorry...

 

i bought my car used with the ground effects already on. i didnt think it was a problem until i noticed how regular camaros have a rise in the middle, and how oem gfx dont continue around to the front. evidentially the previous owner didnt know either if he ditched the piece. besides, ive seen several threads where people with xenon kits had my problem, so im not alone. just trying to help here.

 

Not knocking the SS one, it's real pretty, but you could fab one of these out of a piece of aluminum in about an hour. Be a lot cheaper too.

 

Hahaha, I'd like to see you replicate that in an hour...

Besides, aluminum would be garbage if it was used for an air deflector.

Even IF you could replicate it out of aluminum in only an HOUR (which you can't), it'd be nowhere near matching the quality of the stainless piece. The guy who made mine took accurate and detailed measurements to replicate every angle, curve and whatnot from a stock air deflector. Also, it's funny you think that you can replicate this out of something like your garage, because you're sadly mistaken. This guy does all sorts of fabrication, and if he can do it by hand, he would. In this case, he didn't, and he used the extremely expensive and high-tech equipment available to him at work. Think I'm exaggerating? The company he works for fabricates parts for NASA, the military, you name it. There's no way in hell you have access to tools HALF as good as he does, unless you happen to work for a large metal product fabrication company...

 

Yeah, well there are plenty of companies that make quality CAI kits too, but plenty of guys have made nearly the same thing out of pvc pipe.

 

i agree u can make a deflector urself....just take ur time and do it right...it would come out pretty damn good....u def dont need NASA equipment to make a nice looking piece of sheet metal with rubber on the bottem half of it lol

that piece is sweetly made tho.... cant deny that!