Front air dam

[Brown_Muscle]

So some models came with a small plastic front air dam. I assume to help prevent air flow under the car and assist with traction at higher speeds. How much of a benefit would be seen from making one of these out of aluminum and making it a little lower and wider than the stock piece? Is there anything else that could be done to help with higher speed traction that wouldnt take away from the look of the vehicle (like a rear wing would)

[WagonMan]

Boxes with the police/towing package come with the plastic piece under the radiator support. I believe it was to force air up through the radiator for better cooling. WagonMan

[Arquemann]

I know what you're trying to get at, but you'll find way more improvement in grip with high performance tires and suspension.
Lowering the car will also reduce the amount of air going under the car.

[gadget73]

yeah its cooling. The diesel Continental has one, and it sure ain't for performance. Gas models did not get it.

if you put underside panels on to smooth the airflow across the bottom though, that would be useful for fuel economy. Lots of garbage under a car for air to snag in, and drag is inefficiency.

[87gtVIC]

Depending on how you jack up your car a longer one may get in the way...especially one made out of steel or aluminum. I tend to go right from the front under the k member and jack up the car. I can see how a longer one than stock could interfere with that move.

[ZackN920]

I thought the spoiler/air dam on most factory stock automobiles were strictly for better fuel economy. Not really for downforce or the such. Just set up to divert air from going under the car and causing drag from all the suspension/steering components. I kinda want to expirament, make mine lower and wider. See if I can do better than 24 on the highway with my boat of a car.

[Brown_Muscle]

Currently the car is lowered- and should be getting wider/stickier tires soon.

That makes sense that it would help fuel economy. I was hoping that less air running under the car would mean lower pressure underneath, but I can totally see how it's not forward enough/sloped on the sides like a modern cars front lip is in order to make it truly effective.

My original thinking was, if i took it on a circle track and was able to get to 140/150 (if even possible), it might get pretty sketchy, and that might make a difference

[Kodachrome Wolf]

I tossed one of those air dams on my '87 after I yanked it off a tow package wagon. Might have been a placebo effect, but I could have argued that it felt just a touch more stable above 55 MPH. Obviously anything that changes air flow under the car is going to change the characteristics of how it affects the car to an extent.

IIRC, my friend with a '99 CV noted a slight MPG increase when we fitted an early Aero belly pan on his car. I figure not having that exposed gap between the radiator support and engine helps some. The Whales didn't get anything except a small air dam, and apparently the '92-'94 cars did the belly pan plus a small air dam.

[87gtVIC]

Belly pan can be adapted. I run one on my car. Three bolts to the k member. Four j nuts and bolts to the radiator core support and two plastic push pins up the sides of the cure support. I run it in conjunction with the front air damn AND the early 80's bumper mounted air damn thing.

[Brown_Muscle]

I forgot about the belly pans...perhaps i should focus my efforts on that.

[Lutrova]

Does anyone have more info on the belly pans? Pictures, or years/models they were installed? I've looked through photos of a couple early '90s Crown Vics and couldn't come up with anything.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

'92-'97 all should have belly pans, but having tossed a '92-'94 version on a '99, I can tell you that those have a little air dam lip at the forward edge near the bumper that the '95-'97 cars don't.

This is the one on my '97:


Covers the space between the lower radiator support towards the cross member.

[ZackN920]

How much does a belly pan do? Would you gain anything noticeable with one? I pondered the idea of fabbing one for the front of the Lincoln (and a Jeep) last summer but never got to it. That and I wouldn't want to go through all the trouble if all it would gain is a 1/4 of an mpg better.

[Brown_Muscle]

It must do something worth while, since all modern cars have them. I'm not sure if it would be worth fabbing one up though, however if you got one from a junkyard cheap and bolted it on...probably worth it.

Also the back of the car could really use one, i'm sure that back bumper is grabbing air like crazy

[friskyfrankie]

To "fab" one up would necessitate a knowledge of aerodynamics which most of us lack. That being said, if you could find one, designed for your specific car, as above stated, then it would be worth while. If not, you would probably make things worse than not having one as it may change air flow to the radiator and engine.