air dam / grill questions ?

[brobob]

I have a 73 240 . This weekend I plan on installing the front air dam and rocker skirts. The air dam is one of those full valance types that you remove the 3 pcs under the nose.

Question is....What do you guys/gals use for a grill once this is installed because it appears that the grill will only fill about half the opening ?

Question 2 .......The air dam is urethane and is very flexable do you folks use any type of bracing beyond the obvious bolts thru the nose ?

I dont want to install it only to have it sucked under the car or crack up the paint on it !

Thanks for the replies and if you have pics that would help.

Brobob:stupid:

[smg1404]

I am not running a grill yet. I had one on my last car.It was a sheet of perforated aluminum.. You could also use expanded aluminum, or steel. For the bottom of the air dam I fabricated an aluminum sheet to run from the lower part of the radiator frame out to the air dam.. I not only keeps the dam in place, it makes it work better.

[zorro]

Question one: the gap between the grille and the front air dam is noticeable huh. The amazing part is it bothered me alot at the start but I am so used to it now that not only doesnt it bother me but I think it looks great. Heres to hoping you will get used to it too. Question 2: I braced my air dam by making a bar up and mounting it directly behind the number plate so you don't see the bolt holding it, the other end I screw into the radiator support panel. It holds as firm as can be now no flex at all. To stop the paint further cracking the best way is to put a 'flexible additive' into the paint so that it gives it elasticity.

[brobob]

I am blasting and painting today (airdam).

Urethane paint is a must ! That is why its getting blasted.

I will shade tree the support for the airdam ,and hide it behind the plate.

I still think the grill opening looks odd, so maybe I will play around with some expanded aluminum and see what I come up with.

Thanks again.

Brobob:stupid:

[2ManyZs]

If you really want a grill piece in the bottom, why not look for a 280 grill? They are a two piece grill with one piece that went above the bumper and one that went below it. You might be able to use the lower piece and mount it in there (probably have to make up some mounts) to make it look stock.

Just another idea:ermm:

[Doehring]

I made the grill myself using the original (that had been destroyed in an accident) as basic model. The pic shows the raw version. Ii's now painted gun metal, like the original rear.

Rolf

[Doehring]

Finally

[brobob]

Thanks Rolf

Good pics , just what I had in mind.

Brobob:stupid:

[spudz]

Rolf,

That looks pretty darn good after it was painted

and the bumper hung.

[Mr Camouflage]

Dear god, the first picture is scary, like a pretty girl with a mouth full of crooked teeth and braces.

Got enough lights there Doehring? live in the black forrest do ya?

ok may as well try for a 3rd joke, though i don think its as funny as the first,......on second thoughts, forget it.