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Introducing New ProTEKt skidplates for the C6 Grand Sport and Z06
Hey guys,
Mitch here, from ProTEKt Skid Plates, making my first post as a Corvetteforum supporting sponsor, to introduce you all to our newest Corvette application, bumper protection skidplates for the C6 Grand Sport and Z06 models.
Here are the basics, as well as a few pics.
underside 1
underside 2
exterior 1
studio 1
studio 2
. replaces the easily damaged factory plastic front splitter
· Protects the underside of your front bumper from scrapes from curbs, speed bumps and driveways
· Guaranteed to provide protection for the life of your car; designed to strike the ground over and over while maintaining an undamaged appearance
· CNC machined for your specific application; blends in with your car's factory lines, for a seamless, OEM appearance
· Easy to install; includes all necessary hardware; no special tools required
· Designed, engineered, and manufactured in the USA
Product description
Tired of scraping your front bumper cover on every curb and driveway in town? Take the pain out of the scrape and protect your valuable paint with lightweight, easy to install, ProTEKt skid plates for your front bumper. Let the replaceable ProTEKt skid plates take the beating and wear, so that your paint stays pristine.
Each set of ProTEKt skid plates…
· Protects the underside of your front bumper from scraping during everyday driving
· Maintains factory ground clearance and approach angle, unlike a splitter or lip kit
· Is precision CNC machined to specifically fit the lower bumper cover of your vehicle
· Uses factory-mounting holes whenever possible to minimize drilling and make installation easy
· Is made from 3/8 inch thick, marine-quality, high-density polyethylene chosen for
o Superior outdoor performance
o Temperature stability
o Low coefficient of friction
o Extreme high-wear resistance
o Its use in industry as a replaceable wear-spot on moving production lines, conveyor systems, and in automotive and motorcycle chain guides
· Uses this super slippery, low-friction material with a beveled edge to reduce pulling stress on the bumper cover during contact
· Has full stainless steel hardware for long-term corrosion resistance, with nyloc nuts for added security
· Uses only metric nuts and bolts, to properly match the existing hardware on all modern cars
· Is guaranteed for the life of your car
· Is made in the USA
We have them in stock, and ready to ship right now. buy a set soon, so you will be ready for springtime Corvette weather.
www.protektskidplates.com
Last edited by ProTEKtMitch; 02-22-2017 at 12:18 AM.
Really great idea. Wish it had more of a "splitter" look though. I'd be all over it if it did.
I like this idea. It wouldn't have to be much bigger. Just have them extend a couple of inches passed the bumper. I know that's not their intended function but I think it would look good.
yep, make these stick out 3" and ill buy one right now.
Man, you guys are really making me think I should try making a splitter. first though, i have a few questions.
1. There are already several splitters available. Are they not durable enough? What are you thinking that a ProTEKt splitter would do differently than what is currently out there?
2. what would be the cost limit on this? one or the reasons I haven't been making splitters is cost. the High Density Polyethelene that i am using for the plates is really good stuff, but holy cow is it expensive. doing a big one piece part would make it so that instead of 10 kits per sheet, it would only be 2 or 3.
3. My original motivation for building these parts was to make it more practical and enjoyable to use your Corvette regularly, without worrying about it so much. I know what it is like to have a car that you love get shuffled to the front of the garage, and berely ever get driven. i am thinking, however, about doing a splitter or two, just to see if there is interest.
4. any thoughts on splitter length? (how far it protrudes from the bumper) i figure about 2" or so is max for good practicality, but i would like to hear what you guys have to say
How about an add-on skid system to an existing splitter, like an OEM ZR1? If the brake ducts are the same in the ZR1 as the GS and Z06, the right side pieces might be a nice mod. But those, and even the middle piece, would have to be retooled to fit completely underneath the OEM splitter to offer bottom protection, but not block the exposed carbon fiber top and forward facing surfaces. No additional cost for you to make a splitter and you can still keep shipping costs low because it's a 3 piece system vs. massive one piece splitter.
Man, you guys are really making me think I should try making a splitter. first though, i have a few questions.
1. There are already several splitters available. Are they not durable enough? What are you thinking that a ProTEKt splitter would do differently than what is currently out there?
2. what would be the cost limit on this? one or the reasons I haven't been making splitters is cost. the High Density Polyethelene that i am using for the plates is really good stuff, but holy cow is it expensive. doing a big one piece part would make it so that instead of 10 kits per sheet, it would only be 2 or 3.
3. My original motivation for building these parts was to make it more practical and enjoyable to use your Corvette regularly, without worrying about it so much. I know what it is like to have a car that you love get shuffled to the front of the garage, and berely ever get driven. i am thinking, however, about doing a splitter or two, just to see if there is interest.
4. any thoughts on splitter length? (how far it protrudes from the bumper) i figure about 2" or so is max for good practicality, but i would like to hear what you guys have to say
thanks,
Mitch
Here's my take on it.
The biggest complaint I hear about the available splitters is their durability. Fiberglass and carbon fiber stand no chance against pavement, parking barriers, and speed bumps. Even at low speeds. I personally don't care much for the current splitters because I think they're too big and hang down too far. Especially on the base C6, where they often look out of place. What I would be looking for from yours, and this is my opinion only, would be to mold yours into 1 piece and have it extend another 2" or so passed the bumper. Basically just double the size of the current plates you make so they stick out a couple of inches. Keep it flush with the bottom of the bumper, as they are now, but extend it out more. It's hard to tell what the finish is of the plates but the top exposed part of the plate/splitter would have to be visually appealing and not look like a scratched up piece of unfinished plastic sticking out from under the car. If the current material looks good exposed, then you could just leave it as is and make it bigger to stick out. The more flush position of the splitter would give more clearance and if someone does unfortunately bump something, the material wont crack or shatter like fiberglass or carbon fiber. I don't know the cost of material and fabrication so I can't comment on what's the best price to be profitable for you. I can say that if you're looking at the $500 range, I would not be interested.
If you could design these to be affordable, with a subtle low profile look, durable material, and easy install, I don't see any problems selling them. Please don't leave out the base C6s though.
The biggest complaint I hear about the available splitters is their durability. Fiberglass and carbon fiber stand no chance against pavement, parking barriers, and speed bumps. Even at low speeds. I personally don't care much for the current splitters because I think they're too big and hang down too far. Especially on the base C6, where they often look out of place. What I would be looking for from yours, and this is my opinion only, would be to mold yours into 1 piece and have it extend another 2" or so passed the bumper. Basically just double the size of the current plates you make so they stick out a couple of inches. Keep it flush with the bottom of the bumper, as they are now, but extend it out more. It's hard to tell what the finish is of the plates but the top exposed part of the plate/splitter would have to be visually appealing and not look like a scratched up piece of unfinished plastic sticking out from under the car. If the current material looks good exposed, then you could just leave it as is and make it bigger to stick out. The more flush position of the splitter would give more clearance and if someone does unfortunately bump something, the material wont crack or shatter like fiberglass or carbon fiber. I don't know the cost of material and fabrication so I can't comment on what's the best price to be profitable for you. I can say that if you're looking at the $500 range, I would not be interested.
If you could design these to be affordable, with a subtle low profile look, durable material, and easy install, I don't see any problems selling them. Please don't leave out the base C6s though.
Oh, boy, if only it were that simple.
1. Right now I am cutting my parts out of 3/8" thick High Density Polyethenene sheet, with a CNC machine. Since they are not "molded" it limits what i can make.
2. the underside of the bumper is not all in the same plane, so making a one piece splitter would be pretty complicated, and it would end up being more than $500, just due to the amount of material that I would end up using.
3. believe me, I'm not forgetting about the C6 base model! As soon as I can get one in to measure and prototype, I will have skidplates for it. (I'm also looking for a C7 with the stage 2/3 aero kit, to make skid plates for that as well)
4. +1 on the current lip kits available for the C6. I havent seen any that work for me, either.
How about an add-on skid system to an existing splitter, like an OEM ZR1? If the brake ducts are the same in the ZR1 as the GS and Z06, the right side pieces might be a nice mod. But those, and even the middle piece, would have to be retooled to fit completely underneath the OEM splitter to offer bottom protection, but not block the exposed carbon fiber top and forward facing surfaces. No additional cost for you to make a splitter and you can still keep shipping costs low because it's a 3 piece system vs. massive one piece splitter.
I actually have a C6 ZR1 in the shop right now, and unfortunately it looks like a can't make anything that works with the factory splitter. (though we will have something for the C7 Z06 splitter)
the issue is that there is no flat underside of the splitter to attach my parts to. as the C6 splitter is only a single layer, any bolts or fasteners would protrude right through the topside.
Also, the ZR1 splitter has way too much contour for me to be able to make a part that attaches to the bumper only, but reaches out to the perimeter of the splitter to protect it.
believe me, I would like nothing more than to have a part that works with the ZR1 splitter.
I actually have a C6 ZR1 in the shop right now, and unfortunately it looks like a can't make anything that works with the factory splitter. (though we will have something for the C7 Z06 splitter)
the issue is that there is no flat underside of the splitter to attach my parts to. as the C6 splitter is only a single layer, any bolts or fasteners would protrude right through the topside.
Also, the ZR1 splitter has way too much contour for me to be able to make a part that attaches to the bumper only, but reaches out to the perimeter of the splitter to protect it.
believe me, I would like nothing more than to have a part that works with the ZR1 splitter.
thanks,
Mitch
well dang it.... OK, last suggestion....maybe skeletonize the plates to reduce weight so it doesn't droop the OEM splitter, use the same rear attachment bolts as OEM splitter and use the crazy strong body molding tape (double sided tape but can hold panels at 200+ mph) on the entire front edge and maybe even parts in the middle to help support the reach to the front lip. The plates don't have to be as thick as your stand-alone replacements and even 1/8" is enough to be a sacrificial layer to protect the bottom of the splitter and body panels behind the brake ducts.
Maybe consider a "trim" kit that's only 1" wide but covers the most likely areas to bottom out and scrape the splitter. I would think maybe 1' around each front corner and another 6" wide piece for the front middle. These pieces would be so small and lightweight that double sided tape would be strong enough to hold these parts with no need of bolts, etc. This would just prevent minor scrap damage but if enough force is applied to a carbon splitter, like hitting a parking block head-on or bottoming out a corner hard, the carbon will still crack. Keep a small trim kit cheap enough and there may be a market just for scrap protection. Either way, I'm glad to see vendors continue to innovate
1. Right now I am cutting my parts out of 3/8" thick High Density Polyethenene sheet, with a CNC machine. Since they are not "molded" it limits what i can make.
2. the underside of the bumper is not all in the same plane, so making a one piece splitter would be pretty complicated, and it would end up being more than $500, just due to the amount of material that I would end up using.
3. believe me, I'm not forgetting about the C6 base model! As soon as I can get one in to measure and prototype, I will have skidplates for it. (I'm also looking for a C7 with the stage 2/3 aero kit, to make skid plates for that as well)
4. +1 on the current lip kits available for the C6. I havent seen any that work for me, either.
thanks,
Mitch
Looking at the underside of the above pictures, I understand what you mean. On the base C6 however the underside of the bumper is all on the same plane. Well not quite on the same plane. It appears to taper down slightly from the outer end of the bumper coming to a slight point in the center and then back up to the other end of the bumper. But the wide body bumpers, although stepped, appear to at least be flat underneath. The base bumper has a slight bevel upwards. Which is why I feel the current splitters which are designed off of the wide body's flat bumper, look out of place on a base. It just doesn't flow with the shape of the bumper. This may make it more difficult to design a piece that sits flush or close to it. Even with your current plates. You'll understand once you get a base car in the shop. So while the tooling to make a splitter for the wide bodies may not be cost affective for you, they have enough options anyway, hopefully you'll be able to come up with something simple for the base bumper. You'll have to get one in the shop and see what you think. Either way I look forward to seeing what can be offered for the base, whether it's a plate or splitter.
Looking at the underside of the above pictures, I understand what you mean. On the base C6 however the underside of the bumper is all on the same plane. Well not quite on the same plane. It appears to taper down slightly from the outer end of the bumper coming to a slight point in the center and then back up to the other end of the bumper. But the wide body bumpers, although stepped, appear to at least be flat underneath. The base bumper has a slight bevel upwards. Which is why I feel the current splitters which are designed off of the wide body's flat bumper, look out of place on a base. It just doesn't flow with the shape of the bumper. This may make it more difficult to design a piece that sits flush or close to it. Even with your current plates. You'll understand once you get a base car in the shop. So while the tooling to make a splitter for the wide bodies may not be cost affective for you, they have enough options anyway, hopefully you'll be able to come up with something simple for the base bumper. You'll have to get one in the shop and see what you think. Either way I look forward to seeing what can be offered for the base, whether it's a plate or splitter.
I agree, I think.
As soon as I can get a base model C6 in the shop, we will design a set of skidplates that work with the curvature of the bumper cover, and check out the possibility of doing a splitter.
Really, thought, the skid plates are a really strong product I think, and are perfect for the person that has a Corvette that they want to drive regularly, without worrying about damaging it.
In fact, right now we work to make them blend in as much as we can, so it looks like a factory part, rather than an accessory.
well dang it.... OK, last suggestion....maybe skeletonize the plates to reduce weight so it doesn't droop the OEM splitter, use the same rear attachment bolts as OEM splitter and use the crazy strong body molding tape (double sided tape but can hold panels at 200+ mph) on the entire front edge and maybe even parts in the middle to help support the reach to the front lip. The plates don't have to be as thick as your stand-alone replacements and even 1/8" is enough to be a sacrificial layer to protect the bottom of the splitter and body panels behind the brake ducts.
Maybe consider a "trim" kit that's only 1" wide but covers the most likely areas to bottom out and scrape the splitter. I would think maybe 1' around each front corner and another 6" wide piece for the front middle. These pieces would be so small and lightweight that double sided tape would be strong enough to hold these parts with no need of bolts, etc. This would just prevent minor scrap damage but if enough force is applied to a carbon splitter, like hitting a parking block head-on or bottoming out a corner hard, the carbon will still crack. Keep a small trim kit cheap enough and there may be a market just for scrap protection. Either way, I'm glad to see vendors continue to innovate
I hear you, but so far I haven't found any adhesive or tape that will stick to this stuff.
We make the plates from material that has an amazing wear rate, (you will never wear them out, and if you somehow manage to do so, we will replace it for free!) but also it is super slippery, to try to reduce the force on the bumper while dragging it during contact. As a result of that, they pretty much need to be bolted into place.
The good part of the grand sport is that we can reuse the holes that originally held the GS front spoiler.
02-21-2017, 11:33 PM
Introducing New ProTEKt skidplates for the C6 Grand Sport and Z06
