I need 240sx front splitter/air dam ideas

[handfulz28]

I've been wanting to do this forever but I'm the least bit creative when it comes to this stuff. This would be for my ITA 240.
I guess I'll start with a sheet of plywood, park the car on it and trace the bumper line. I have no idea how it should mount, if it should be covered (fiberglass?) with anything, or just sand it, clean up the leading edge and throw some paint over it.
And thoughts/tips/tricks/pictures/how-to manuals greatly appreciated :)
Good luck, have fun,
Michael
SEDIV ITA 240SX #09

[DavidM]

Sheet metal and pop rivets are your friends. Get a piece sheet metal big enough to go under your entire front facia. Take off the facia, sit it on the sheet metal, and trace your outline. Remember that the splitter can't go beyond the body. Use some metal shears or your favorite metal cutting tool to cut out your splitter and pop rivet it to the facia. I'd use metal backing washers on the rivets or they'll pull out of the plastic over time. You'll probably have to dink around some cutting out slits for things like tension rods and anything else protruding out the bottom. For an extra bonus, cut holes and mount brake ducts in the splitter.

I bought my car already with the splitter, but it's just sheet metal pop rivetted to the facia. Looks like it took some trial and error to get it to fit so I'll probably re-do it at some point in time.

David

[handfulz28]

Thanks David. But should that go forward out to the bumper profile, or just from the lowest part of the bumper fascia? That's where part of my confusion (lack of design/creative vision) comes from. Since I don't have the factory plastic undertray, I definitely need to take full advantage of the rule and run the "splitter" back to the axle line (that's what's allowed right?). But I'm not sure how or what I should do (if anything) for the area beneath the bumper profile, and/or perhaps creating an air damn down there.

[DavidM]

The splitter can go forward to the front of the bumper. Draw a line from the bumper edge straight down to the ground and that's how far your splitter can extend. The fascia angles in at the bottom so my splitter extends probably 2-3 inches past the fascia at the bottom. I'm not sure of the exact wording as to how far back the splitter can go, but the axle line sounds about right. You're going to have to cut out holes and slits for things like the tension rods to get it back that far.

David

[Greg Amy]

Negative on that axle line, David; it can go back to the front edge of the wheel opening.

Always read the rules for yourself...


8b. A front spoiler/air dam is permitted. It shall not protrude beyond the overall outline of the body when viewed from above perpendicular to the ground, or aft of the forward most part of the front fender opening. This body outline does not include bumpers or bumper mounts. The spoiler/air dam shall be mounted to the body, and may extend no higher than four (4) inches above the horizontal centerline of the front wheel hubs. It shall not cover the normal grille opening(s) at the front of the car. Openings are permitted for the purposes of ducting air to the brakes, cooler, and radiator. Dealer installed or limited production front/rear spoilers/air dams/ wings are prohibited. The spoiler shall have no support or reinforcement extending aft of the forward most part of the front fender wheel opening.

NOTE: Integrated bumper assemblies are defined as those designs where an external non-metallic bumper cover completely encloses the primary energy-absorbing bumper and where this cover could be installed in its normal position with the underlying bumper removed. On cars with integrated bumpers, the front spoiler or airdam may be attached to the bumper cover. Where an air dam/spoiler is used, two total openings may
be cut in the front valance to allow the passage of up to a three (3) inch diameter duct leading to each front brake/rotor assembly. Where no air dam/spoiler is used, two total openings of a maximum size five (5) inches by seven (7) inches maybe cut in the front valance so that brake ducts can be added with a
three (3) inch diameter hose leading to each front brake/rotor assembly.

c. No part of the car, except for the exhaust system and suspension components, shall be lower than the lowest part of the wheel rims.

[handfulz28]

I forgot Greg would be surfing the Nissan forum :) Thanks for the clarification.

That actually doesn't work out bad either because the factory undertray/splash shield picks up about where the splitter would end.

[CCARVER]

I am very interested in some pics of what you guys come up with.

[DavidM]

Negative on that axle line, David; it can go back to the front edge of the wheel opening.

Always read the rules for yourself...
[/b]

What's a couple inches. :) Like I said, my car came with a splitter so I haven't had to fabricate one yet and it's hard to visualize how far it goes back sitting here in front of a computer at work.

Read the rules. Greg is watching. :cavallo:

David

[zracre]

Negative on that axle line, David; it can go back to the front edge of the wheel opening.

Always read the rules for yourself...
The spoiler shall have no support or reinforcement extending aft of the forward most part of the front fender wheel opening.


[/b]

by this it looks like you can't have any mounting points beyond the front wheel opening...

[its66]

by this it looks like you can't have any mounting points beyond the front wheel opening...
[/b]

"b. A front spoiler/air dam is permitted. It shall not protrude
beyond the overall outline of the body when viewed from
above perpendicular to the ground, or aft of the forward
most part of the front fender opening"

From this, I would say that it not only can not mount beyond the wheel opening, it can't extend past that opening.... :D

See ya'll at Daytona...

[invisible saddle]

yah I was curious as well as I'm building a car here in socal to compete. I have the 89-90 front bumper. look at the front fascia, the 91-93 front bumper might be easier to construct the typical front bumper design. as it doesn't angle backward like the early term front fascia

[[email protected]]

Pay attention to the comments about back-up washers on the rivets. I did some playing around with a splitter on my Z and just riveted it into the poly spoiler. Running at LMS years ago, between Nascar 3-4 I heard a loud slapping sound. I didn't hear anything else, and the car settled back down after initially moving around a little. That was back before the last paving/levigating..... Later I noticed a big piece of something off the line. On the cooldown lap I realized that it was my splitter, it would appear that it worked, and created more downforce at speed than the rivets would hold! Glad I wasn't somewhere that I was really counting on that downforce!

Mike

[ozal92]

Anybody have any pictures on this? Thanks.