Effect of trimming Air Dam - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

32valvesftw · 06-08-2017

My Vette is pretty low, so much so that I avoid driving it if I know I have to use a bunch of surface streets. The plastic Air Dam or deflector under the bumper is all scratched up and the metal attachments are bent. I know I can replace all that but it will just get beat up again. So I am thinking about trimming 1/2" off the plastic to increase the clearance a little bit, if I do buy a new piece.
Do y'all think that will have any adverse impacts. I don't normally drive at triple digits any more but not any less either.

GOLDCYLON · 06-08-2017

My thoughts are the triple digits you might see is an increase in your engine temps as the lower air dam is there to increase cooling to our bottom fed C4s. No sure if an inch or half an inch will make much of a difference however it gets pretty hot in Texas from time to time. GC

RussMcB · 06-09-2017

If your car is lowered 1/2" and you trim 1/2", maybe it's a wash. The dam is still the same height off the deck.

RichS · 06-09-2017

My GS is pretty low and the front air dam was messing with the staging lights at the track. I trimmed about 1 1/2" off and really didn't notice a major difference in temps. But I'm sure it gets a little hotter in Texas then NE PA. I was stuck in traffic coming out of Carlisle one year and it was 100 out, The car was 230-236 with the air on till I got in the open highway and turned off the a/c. It dropped down to my normal 200. So I think it still gets good air pulled in on the highway.

BigJohn · 06-09-2017

I don't have any at all!

32valvesftw · 06-10-2017

I like that

06-08-2017	#1
32valvesftw Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Texas Posts: 530	Effect of trimming Air Dam My Vette is pretty low, so much so that I avoid driving it if I know I have to use a bunch of surface streets. The plastic Air Dam or deflector under the bumper is all scratched up and the metal attachments are bent. I know I can replace all that but it will just get beat up again. So I am thinking about trimming 1/2" off the plastic to increase the clearance a little bit, if I do buy a new piece. Do y'all think that will have any adverse impacts. I don't normally drive at triple digits any more but not any less either.

06-08-2017	#2
GOLDCYLON Join Date: May 2007 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 9,155	Re: Effect of trimming Air Dam My thoughts are the triple digits you might see is an increase in your engine temps as the lower air dam is there to increase cooling to our bottom fed C4s. No sure if an inch or half an inch will make much of a difference however it gets pretty hot in Texas from time to time. GC __________________ GOLDCYLON - 91 ZR-1 #2014 GOLDCYLON - 90 ZR-1 #2794, 4L60e (Formerly Schrade's) GOLDCYLON - 11 CTS-V Arizona State Director 91 WHITE/BLACK #2014. 380 P&P&PCed,Ported Heads, Jeal Long tubes, Corsa Exhaust/FIKSE FM-5s /LED TLs, LED Headlights, Front Wilwood 6 piston narrowlite calipers and rear Wilwood caliper street shop mod,CNCed Coolant Pipes,TPI Cvr,Filter cover,Stainless Bolts, DRM/DOM PROM /ZFDOC mod build #102,DRLs,BMAD with stainless Debris Screen,Coplan Air Blaster, Pioneer APP Radio 4,Brey-Krause HB,Sub Bar,Fire extinguisher seat mount,DRM Coilovers,LEDs everywhere,Compass mirror (orange),V1 DIC hidden display, Homelink sun visor, Carbon Fiber top x3 and APSIS Carbon Fiber interior, APSIS CF Steering Wheel/NAPA Leather, Banski trailing arms, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension) ZFDoc drive shaft safety loop, raptor shift light (orange),AO engineering louver front plate, Console seat cushion, 96CE seats with black custom Sheepskins, ss billet catch can,Viper remote entry/alarm,Cragar Rear Louvers,LED side louver lights, Dewitts Radiator with SPAL fans and a Woods 160 T-Stat 90 RED/BLACK #2794. 4L60e Automatic Stage V by RPM Transmission, TCI Dedicated TCM, OBX Stainless Headers, Corsa Exhaust, SAN Secondaries and Haibeck PROM, Exotic Muscle Coil overs, LED Interior Lights, LED Tail Lights, LED Headlights, 94 Sport seats with black custom Sheepskins , Cragar rear louvers, GS Front calipers, Banski Trailing arms, APSIS Carbon Fiber steering wheel, Front and Rear Baer Eradispeeds, DRLs, Guldstrand front suspension,urethane bushings from Prothane (total suspension), Dewitt's Raditor with Dual SPAL fans and a Haibeck 170 T-Stat 11 RED/GREY CTS-V Last edited by GOLDCYLON; 06-08-2017 at 10:31 PM.

06-09-2017	#3
RussMcB Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Marietta, GA USA Posts: 1,160	Re: Effect of trimming Air Dam If your car is lowered 1/2" and you trim 1/2", maybe it's a wash. The dam is still the same height off the deck.

06-09-2017	#4
RichS Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA Posts: 148	Re: Effect of trimming Air Dam My GS is pretty low and the front air dam was messing with the staging lights at the track. I trimmed about 1 1/2" off and really didn't notice a major difference in temps. But I'm sure it gets a little hotter in Texas then NE PA. I was stuck in traffic coming out of Carlisle one year and it was 100 out, The car was 230-236 with the air on till I got in the open highway and turned off the a/c. It dropped down to my normal 200. So I think it still gets good air pulled in on the highway. __________________ 1994 ZR-1 #198, sold [img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48400173802_2a6f122cfb_n.jpg[/IMG] [COLOR=RoyalBlue]96 GrandSport#857[/COLOR],[COLOR=Red]Red Gut[/COLOR] 397 LT4, AFR heads,3:90 gears, DRM longtubes, Sepanek 700R4, Yank 3600, bla-bla... Best ET w/396 & 6-speed 11.02 @126.57 w/1.60 60' Best ET w/396 & 700r4 10.82 @124.87 w/1.48 60' 2003 DarkShadowGray Ford Lightning 460rwhp/550rwtq 12.11 @112.18 w/1.71 60'

06-10-2017	#6
32valvesftw Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Texas Posts: 530	Re: Effect of trimming Air Dam I like that