Air Dam for 1980 US bumper? Is there such?

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Nick_from_Brooklyn
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2022 8:08 pm
Location: Brooklyn NY

Air Dam for 1980 US bumper? Is there such?

Post by Nick_from_Brooklyn »

Just received my 1980 633, very clean mostly original condition except new shocks, new exhaust otherwise original. I took to a vintage BMW specialist here in Queens NY (BKM Auto) for inspection. David, the owner offered to buy it without even looking under the hood. He looked it over himself we went for a drive and he found only very minor maintenance issues and said to drive the car hard over the weekend and come back with notes. When driving around with him he kept whispering to himself "so clean, so clean" 🙂

I asked and he advised against a euro bumpers swap due to its already very clean condition and NYC driving. However when I asked about an air dam he enthusiastically showed me a '79 parts car in back which he was using for an engine swap on one of his own projects. That original air dam in good condition and he quoted a base price to send out for paint and some straightening then install with original fog lights and switch all which he had in stock. He said minimum $1300 which seems a great price.

The thing I question is did the gen 1s with US bumpers ever come with an air dam option? Every US gen 1 pic with air dam I have seen has euro bumpers so I worry it's a lot more work than he's quoting. Perhaps euro air dam goes on with just minor mods?

Feels silly to question this guy, owner of the shop with 50 years experience and who insisted he do the inspection himself late on a Friday before NYE out of his own excitement over the car (he owns 6 himself).

So, any ideas on this air dam install or pics of gen 1 US bumper with air dam?
1980 633csi Safari Beige on Tan
2001 Toyota Tacoma SR5
2021 MB GLE AMG53
[img]https://ibb.co/tb2MW6r/[img]
GRNSHRK
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Re: Air Dam for 1980 US bumper? Is there such?

Post by GRNSHRK »

Front air dams from '85 through '87 will work :-"

Check out photos of the green shark, that's from an '87, which has the cutouts for an oil cooler as well, which was stock on an '87 M6 :wink:
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
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Nick_from_Brooklyn
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2022 8:08 pm
Location: Brooklyn NY

Re: Air Dam for 1980 US bumper? Is there such?

Post by Nick_from_Brooklyn »

I was wondering about your car. Are those US bumpers?
1980 633csi Safari Beige on Tan
2001 Toyota Tacoma SR5
2021 MB GLE AMG53
[img]https://ibb.co/tb2MW6r/[img]
GRNSHRK
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 3711
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 3:24 pm
Location: Gilroy (SF Bay Area) CA

Re: Air Dam for 1980 US bumper? Is there such?

Post by GRNSHRK »

Well, again, ask away \:D/

Those are the standard stock US bumpers, often referred to as diving boards :roll:

I thought about doing a Euro bumper conversion years ago, but the shop that did my paint job steered me away, told me that he wouldn't do the paint work required to cover the holes that would be exposed under the rear side covers :-k
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
Image
Nick_from_Brooklyn
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2022 8:08 pm
Location: Brooklyn NY

Re: Air Dam for 1980 US bumper? Is there such?

Post by Nick_from_Brooklyn »

Yeah the shop owner also discouraged a bumper change. With the air dam starting quote of $1300, even if it ends up being 2k for all original OEM air dam, fog lights, wiring and fog button painted, mounted and wired seems like a good price when just a replica fiberglass dams alone sell for that online. Nice finding a bimmer shop owner more enthusiastic to work on my car than I am to have it done. Just need a name for the car now.
1980 633csi Safari Beige on Tan
2001 Toyota Tacoma SR5
2021 MB GLE AMG53
[img]https://ibb.co/tb2MW6r/[img]
marc79euro645
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:31 am
Location: pensacola

Re: Air Dam for 1980 US bumper? Is there such?

Post by marc79euro645 »

Money pit!
Nick_from_Brooklyn
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2022 8:08 pm
Location: Brooklyn NY

Re: Air Dam for 1980 US bumper? Is there such?

Post by Nick_from_Brooklyn »

Lol. Not a pit deep enough to stave off the needs of this midlife crisis.
1980 633csi Safari Beige on Tan
2001 Toyota Tacoma SR5
2021 MB GLE AMG53
[img]https://ibb.co/tb2MW6r/[img]
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