Hi to anyone reading this. I have been doing research for a lower front air dam for my '09 HHR, and the idea of black, wide, stick-on (3M tape) thick automotive side moldings came to mind. I am thinking of extending the stock piece since I can't find a company that carries air dams for HHRs. I looked on several websites and side molding is available in chrome, stainless, ribbed, flat, in many lengths and widths. Since it sticks on, there wouldn't be any bolt-heads to see except maybe for the ends. I know an inexpensive alternative is garden lawn edging but maybe this is a different idea. I am just throwing the idea out there. Has anyone done this ??

Also - I am looking to see if anyone has installed a fiberglass air dam from another car or small pickup of similar rounded shape to their HHR and it worked ? I am thinking of Hondas, or Toyotas. Cobalt maybe ?

Thanks for any information !

 

Anything stuck on such as you mentioned above, probably would'nt last long with the air pressure or brushing a crub ect. Any air dam has to be mounted securley to be able to last long.
I was also checking around about modding a fiberglass air dam off another car to fit, but you would have to cut it to fit, then glass it back together[lots of work].
Instead of extending the stock air deflector under the front facia, remove it, as it does nothing, is nothing but a curb feeler.[before any of you brains out there dispute this-crawl under the car and you will see there is no opening above the front of it, to channel air anywhere except sideways and create drag.
Anyhow mount your homemade air dam at the front, and screw it on tight, or get a front air splitter made[they do more than a air dam does].
Hope this helps what you were looking for..maybe. "Moon"

 

I agree with MOON..this is simply just for estetics...I never thought id ever put a piece of edging on my wheels but its the only piece of material I could find that will take the abuse..Ive hammered this thing into the pavement about 100 or so times..folds under the car nicely..very little damage..over the winter I will modify this some more but it does what i want it too..make the HHR look lower..the whole reason i added my pipes too...just dressed it up with some stainless accorn nuts....

 

Being one o those "brains" you deride, I raced SCCA and auto X for years, while directing air to the side may cause drag on some body designs it creates downforce by removing lift that air passing under the car causes. That same air creates way more drag than turning it to the side could ever dream of creating because of the turbulence that air passing under the car induces.
A front spoiler will often do a better job if properly designed for the individual ap. What you guys are building may or may not work as well as the factory unit, if you got lucky it will. If you like the look and are happy that's really what matters.

 

I have to agree with Randy W on this too. GM didn't just slap a piece of black plastic to the front of the HHR merely for looks. I'm sure they played in the windtunnel with this to get a certain benefit that they desired. Aerodynamics aren't used by the manufacturers only for improving mileage... Yes, a well designed splitter would work better, but no dam would be far worse as he mentioned.
Since I doubt most of us drive our HHR's as speeds where it becomes a notable issue, the appearance is probably more important, and I'd suggest taking your time to design and test whatever you create that fits your taste. Try making up some models with heavy construction paper or cardboard, then see what materials will work best -- holding up to abuse (curbs and stones) and normal wear and tear.
Pyro's looks pretty good, and like it may actually work pretty well too. His material of choice also seems like it's working out well too.

 

The main reason I removed the air deflector was I will be installing a front air splitter soon. It will be custom made by Maier Racing[locally] that are well know racers, and autocross champions, not home made. I will also be going with them on my rear air diffuser also.
I have to agree, at race speeds the deflection of air to the side may help a little, instead of going under the car, but I'm sure you really would'nt notice the difference anyway. The one on my HHR-SS directed the air out to in front of the front tires[which by the way are going the wrong direction for any aero benefits]. The angle was all wrong, for any true benefit. As to the HHR being in the wind tunnel. I'll bet it was'nt in there very long. The thing is a brick through the air. "Moon"

 

Moon- I'm sure it didn't spend nearly the same amount of time in the tunnel as the ZR1 or the Camaro, but I bet between the desktop and the tunnel, they got most everything they could out of the design for efficiency, controlling wind noise, and trying to reduce any air flow problems that could be experienced. I'm sure with software today, they could probably do the majority of the work in the studio anyway. Certainly, appearance probably compromised the full benefit of the work too.

I also think a lot of meeting CAFE standards plays into the equation heavily too. After all, the more they can get out of vehicles like ours the more they can afford to sell the SUV's and performance models. All in all, I'm sure there's a balancing act in everything they do.

 

Im painting mine tonight to match the lip on the rims how do you remove just the dam? the screws on the side? or the pop out bolts?

Thanks,