Air dam

[dukedrummer89]

Im looking for this air dam to put on my duramax powered 72 c10. The frame hangs down too far below the front bumper for my liking and I want to cover it up. THanks



Id like to get that one^ and cut it to fit around my light bar, shade the lens of the light bar to blend it all together

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by dukedrummer89

Im looking for this air dam to put on my duramax powered 72 c10. The frame hangs down too far below the front bumper for my liking and I want to cover it up. THanks



Id like to get that one^ and cut it to fit around my light bar, shade the lens of the light bar to blend it all together

Looks like you'll need an English wheel, planishing hammer, a welder or two and a boatload of 16 ga cold rolled stock for that one. Good luck with your project!

[mcmlxix]

I dont thing anyone makes and airdam for the 67-72 trucks anymore. You may find one on craigslist or eBay.

[67ctener]

Lets see more pics/videos of this Dmax

[terry b]

Could you tell us more about the frame graft that you did to the front half of your truck? Looks like you cut it behind the cab.

[dukedrummer89]

I put the truck on an 01 duramax frame, it was an ext cab shortbed frame. I cut out 16in out of it, then set the 72 body on it.

No videos, I just got it running last week

[67c10rustbuket]

Nice truck!



How about an 88-98 CK1500 air dam?? Here is a pic from a member adding one to his blazer. Build link: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=570856&page=3 they are available without holes. Maybe an option??!

[yuccales]

Very nice! I don't think the front end parts showing looks bad at all. Paint it all black, and run that thing!

[dukedrummer89]

Originally Posted by yuccales

Very nice! I don't think the front end parts showing looks bad at all. Paint it all black, and run that thing!

Oh it will run, once I get efi live on it, should be an easy 500hp truck.

[67ctener]

That's awesome. On my second duramax now and love them. You running an lb7 in it?

[TonyJohnson]

Now that's a frame to mount a step to... lol

[TonyJohnson]

You could also but a winch there.

[skorpioskorpio]

Originally Posted by 67c10rustbuket

How about an 88-98 CK1500 air dam?? Here is a pic from a member adding one to his blazer. Build link: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=570856&page=3 they are available without holes. Maybe an option??!

See I knew I wasn't crazy, there's another guy... oh wait that's my truck.

[skorpioskorpio]

Looks like you could have still cut another 4 or 5 inches of the front of the frame and not have had much effect. You could maybe cut the frame ends off in sort of a quarter round and then make a under rounded panel / cross member for the front of the frame. The ’88 dam I’m going to use really needs to sit pretty far back to look right, like the back edge needs to be even with the front of the wheel well. I’ve since decided I’m going to use it with a roll pan kinda the complete opposite direction of your build.

Seriously cool BTW, the Duramax is a pretty fascinating engine. I thought about that option myself at one point, though if you read my build thread I’ve obviously strayed from that idea.

[kelsfine69]

Find a fiberglass shop local, thats where i got mine from. It was a 73-80 which I made fit.

[Fatherflash]

I believe this may look good and do a lot however, I don't think it will last long. I used a tool we have at work that measures air flow and have concerns. Due to the installed light bar, air dam structural integrity is compromised. Most of these parts are simple formed urethane and have no structural integrity except in the formed shape. Since a lot of the formed shape is being removed, this rigidity is lost resulting in probable flex and cracking. Loads at fastener location increase dramatically over 60 MPH and load along bottom lip increases quickly over 64 MPH. Both models showed component failure over identified speeds.

I made some assumptions on this to include flat width of the air dam, overall width however do strongly feel component will fail either during installation or within one year of installation.

To offset chance of failure, I would recommend entire back of air dam be covered with honeycomb core 3/8" cell width by 1/4" cell height using adhesive and allowed to cure. Once cured, two layers of kevlar fabric over the top of the applied honeycomb laid offset +45 weave on second fabric layer. This is a tough job and requires knowledge and time. Otherwise, I would recommend contacting a local metal fabric shop and having a air dam manufactured using available steel for fabrication. 19 gauge would be more than sufficient.

I know, your money but hey, 200 bucks is to me a lot of money.

See attached photo for more info.

[skorpioskorpio]

Um, my airdam is pretty much a sacrificial piece, I planned on buying a couple more just to have around. I also planned on mounting mine, let's say, not overly engineered, so that it's attachment would be the weaker than the panels it's mounted to. I'd rather replace a plastic piece that costs under a hundred bucks and requires no prep (I don't plan on painting it for that reason) than have damage to finished body panels should it catch on something. I certainly wouldn't put so much effort into one like mine.

Then again my truck will (frame to ground) about 9 inches off the ground in the frame center, so for me that is a real concern. That pic of my truck is actually mocked up pretty close to finished ride height and it's a lot lower than it looks in the pic, maybe 6 or 7 inches off the ground, here is a pic of one of the 28 1/2 in tall tires that are going on it set in the well at that same height and angle.

and one from the side showing how it will sit in the well.


Anyway, the body of the truck moves somewhat independently from the frame because of the body mounts so what ever the original poster does has to be mounted to the frame *OR* the body, but not both. This is one of the reasons I've decided to go with a roll pan it makes the air dam actually do something and not just act as a vanity panel/air brake and gives a continous body mounting surface. I plan on doing a row of dimpled holes in the center underside of the roll pan to capture that trapped air and duct it up and into the radiator.

The original poster is really looking for more of a vanity panel that looks like it belongs there. Where mine will be completely mounted to the body his probably needs to be completely mounted to the frame (and maybe bumper mounts). I personally think that rounding off and/or angling up those frame horns in the front would be my approach, I personally would be thinking more along the lines of skid plate than airdam. Any bit of frame north of the lower bumper bolt and forward of the core support isn't really doing anything unless there is suspension components there from the donor truck. I'd pull off the bumper and do a little grinder sculpting.

It really is an awesome truck, did you do a build thread on that Duke? I can appreciate the big and brutely thing, here's my previous truck ("Aurora"):

[DGulliver]

Seems like I remember using a stock front air dam from a '99 (? or so) on my old '72. Seems like it bolted right up on a few of the holes. It was really close to looking factory. Does anyone remember the years from the later models which work?

[skorpioskorpio]

Mine is from an '88-98.

[dukedrummer89]

I went ahead an order a 88-98 plastic one, gonna try it first since its cheap. Less than 30 bucks