Datsunparts.com BRE style air dam... how to mount it?

[Tomakze]

I bought the very cool air dam Dean offers on his site for $180. It is a really cool peice.... but so far as I can tell, there is no way to mount it!!! Dean sent some screws with it, but they have no where to go. I sent him a message asking him to help point me in the right direction for some instructions, and his only advise was "take it to a body shop and have them do it." Well, I'm stubborn. And broke. Mostly broke, actually. Lol. So I need to tackle this install myself. Has anyone installed one before? How did you do it? I have every tool I should need, or could need. I have premium body filler, a hammer and dolly set, a welder, and everything else. I also have access to any body shop material I could want, since my friend runs a Sherwin Williams store. Can anyone point me in the right direction for a "how to?"

[Skyman]

I have one as well that I still have to mount. Is yours the one with the "lip" at the top? These are not an exact fit as you may have already discovered. You will need to drill all your holes. I would start from the center and work your way out. Drilling each hole after you have drilled and fastened the prior screw. If you measure and drill first, the airdam will stretch or bend a little. That's why you want to start from the center and work your way out so your holes line up. Then take it to a body shop for some bondo and paint if needed after mounting.

[Tomakze]

I don't appear to have a lip at the top... can you take a photo of yours so I can see the lip? I'll do the same.

[Skyman]

Here are a couple of shots.

[Tomakze]

Okay, I guess I don't need to post pics, yours appears to be exactly the same as mine. So the lip you were talking about is the 1 1/2" extension at the top... Meaning the screws are meant to go through the front of the air dam into the bumper? Yuck. I was hoping there would be a way to hide them. And how are you supposed to blend in giant screw heads on a flat surface? I'm not sure I like this...

Also, I was hoping to not need to blend it in at all... it would be nice to have the option of disassembling it so the fenders will still separate from the body. Not to mention, the amount of filler it would require to delete the seam would crack easily. Especially considering the materials it would be joining have very different properties, and likely will move separately. I may need to ponder this and think of a better solution.

Does anyone have this installed already? If so, please, please post some pictures of it on the car. That should help solve this riddle.

Edit: I am actually pretty frustrated by this. I know most people worship the ground Dean walks on, and I understand... He does great things for the community. But this feels misrepresented to me. The photos he has of this on the car covers the seam between the car and the lip, yet they are clearly different colors (leading me to believe this was a bolt-on install) He says he includes the mounting hardware, and says they come primed and ready for paint. Mine has severe defects, and will absolutely need to be reworked some to make it look decent. That means it is NOT ready for paint. He never says it needs to be blended into the body. When you say "fastener kit included" and "ready for paint" I assume that means I will have the stuff I need to install it, with minimal work needed by me. I knew I would need to work the front of the car to make it match up and fit well, but I didn't think I'd have to blend the damned thing in! Sorry, this just pushes my buttons. I'll make it work.

[Skyman]

It does not bolt to the bumper, but the front valance behind the bumper. The bumper actually hides some of the mounting depending on the view. Mine for sure will need some filler and primer before being ready for paint and mounting. The lip can be tailored depending on your needs. Some have actually cut the lip almost off. Sorry for your frustration. This probably is more of a job than the description provides. Depending on your level of quality, it could be considered a "bolt on".

[Skyman]

Here is a link to some photos.

http://311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f= ... bre+airdam" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tomakze]

Opps, I meant the front valence, not the bumper. Derp.

Yeah, knowing the challenge involved in mounting it likely would not have swayed me and I still would have bought it, but it would have been nice to know. I love the look, and would have bought it anyway, I just would have made that decision with the understanding that it would eat more precious time for my restoration, instead of thinking "Looks simple enough. Might as well get it now before I send the car in for paint so we can do it all at once." Dean's descriptions often leave plenty to be desired. If he added "This is not a simple bolt on installation, and I would advise getting a body shop to help you with the installation" it would have completely changed my experience. I laughed out loud when I saw the screws. It was a "seriously? THIS is the included mounting hardware???" moment. They are very cheap screws. I will likely use something else, probably something stainless.

I think I will trim the air dam lip, and figure out how to mount it in a way that can still be removed. I try to make everything I do as serviceable as possible. It just makes things easier on myself in the future, since I always do all my own work.

Also, thanks for that photo... I wish I could see how they have it mounted though. Who's car is this? Maybe I can ask them to snap a few pics of the mounting configuration. I love the look. Very similar to what I have in mind.

[fj20spl311]

The "lip" goes DOWN.....Not up.

EDIT....I guess there is one with the lip up......so check the angle on the ends at the wheel....they point forward.

Here is picture of the one with the lip up.....



Here is the model with the lip down.

[fj20spl311]

I used a fender welting between the spoiler and the valance to help hide the joint.

There is a VERY small lip on the valance and the screws go around the outside of the spoiler lip and through the valance lip.
I use either #6 or #8 screws to joint the two.

Phil

[fj20spl311]

Blow this picture up to see the screws.......



I would use a few more screws.

[Tomakze]

The photo helps! Thank you! So you trimmed that lip off completely?

I'm considering welding tabs to the underside of the valence that would give the air dam a solid mounting surface far enough back to be hard to see. It might also add a little strength to what is a fairly flimsy part of the car, which should support the heavy air dam a little better.

[fj20spl311]

The spoiler is stronger than the valance...use enough bolts and together they are very solid.

[Skyman]

The photo helps! Thank you! So you trimmed that lip off completely?

There are models with or without the lip. That one on the blue car appears to be one without the lip. The ones with the lip are supposed to be a bit more stable.

[Tomakze]

Gotcha. I'll have to look it over. If the spoiler is pushed all the way up with the lip over the front valence, it starts to cover the holes in the valence. I may try to mount it a bit lower, rather than trim the lip. I think I'll create some brackets somehow.