Spaggs

I've been interested in helping my aerodynamics on my C5 Z and am looking at the C7 Carbon Products, such as their Front Splitter, Side Skirts and ZR-1 Style Rear Spoiler. I emailed them and received a quick response telling me that the front splitter was made to hold up to track speeds, but I just want to confirm that before I spend over a thousand bucks for the products and expensive S&H. I know the rear spoiler won't do much for aero, but if this stuff helps just a little bit and doesn't fall off, then I'm sold.
Thanks.
Spaggs

charger21

Just ask them if you can stand on the front splitter once it is mounted. If you cannot, then the splitter is just for looks.

FYRARMS

It will "hold up" to track speeds, meaning it won't fly off. Considering it just bolts to the bottom of the bumper like other front lips, it may redirect air around the car like a regular air dam or OEM-type front lip. But, it isn't going to produce any down force like a proper splitter would.

RichieRichZ06

There will be next to no difference in meaningful aerodynamic changes. A very advanced driver that is already getting 100% out of the car might tell a slight difference in balance, but 99% of everyone else will not realize any benefit at all.

ShahulX

I looked at them too, the front lips are "stage 2 sylyed) but no undertray.. so whats the point

Im getting the one from APR, has an undertray

Spaggs

I appreciate the input, but I was really looking for someone to step up and say they had first hand experience with these products on track. My racing days have been over for couple of decades. Now I want a street ride that won't fall off the track when I'm chasing down some M3s at a BMW event. I drive my car as close to 9/10th (you only know for sure when you've gone 10/10ths when you start praying for grip as you start to slide off the gators at the track out point) as possible and have experienced some tail happiness at 130 and up. Just need a little help, not much and I want to avoid the teenagers in their Rice Rockets wanting to drag race me at the stop light because I've got a wing. I love wings, but I would only get one on a dedicated track car for that reason.

Thanks again.

Spaggs

charger21

It does not matter who the manufacturer is of these aero pieces. Bottom line is they must somehow be mounted to the frame to be fully functional. Anything you screw to the plastic bumpers without additional support is just for looks.

bullitt4110

I’d listen to Rich, he’s one of the been there done that guys

Spaggs

From real life experience I can tell you that a front spoiler, just riveted to the body, works. When I use to race in SCCA I would occasionally get my front spoiler knocked half off or all the way off. I was usually in the top three positions. When the front spoiler went bye bye, so did my ability to keep up with the leaders. I guess no one has used these products on the track or at least no one on this forum. I know this stuff works better if it's planted into the frame, but that is exactly what I'm trying to avoid.

Spaggs

charger21

If it works, why have you asked people here on the forum our opinion? Riveting parts to plastic does not work for a functional front splitter. That is not an opinion, it is fact.

RichieRichZ06

I totally agree, but the human brain will make people think weird things. I paid money for a piece of plastic zip tied and riveted to my bumper so it must provide a meaningful benefit.

I hear the same thing when somebody adds a cat back exhaust, throttle body spacer or GM's cold air intake to their otherwise stock car. It always adds a "difference I can feel" according to them, but we all know it's all in their head.

Splitters that will win a car show trophy at the local Cars and Coffee events are usually significantly different than splitters that will win you a trophy at the local race track.

RichieRichZ06

I don't think anybody has any track experience with those particular splitters/spoilers because this is the auto cross and road racing section. Most of the people in here know they won't do anything meaningful on track so we wouldn't waste our money confirming it. You'd have significantly better gains on track with a proper alignment and/or car setup than expecting to see a drop in lap times from the "aero" you're referencing.

fatsport

So if carbon fiber splitters and spoilers don't help how do we explain this quote from Car and Driver running the C7 Z06 at VIR?

Carbon-fiber feathers cover the body—not for flying, but to keep the car grounded. Gurney flaps, spoilers, and splitters push the car into the tarmac and make the impossible possible. You can, for example, accelerate through the last half of the Climbing Esses, which eats the speed of lesser cars. In the Z06 you enter at 134.8 mph, average 128.4 mph, and leave going 122.6 mph while cornering at 1.47 g’s.

Tadge posted a slide that said the C7 stage 3 aero produce 360 lb/downforce at 150 mph. Although this number is small compared to a real track car it's hardly insignificant.

RichieRichZ06

It's not that carbon splitters and spoilers don't create aero advantages because they do, assuming their mounted properly or the car is designed to have them mounted. A C5 or C6 that wasn't designed to have a larger splitter or any splitter at all with show very little gain by slimply riveting one to the bumper. Even GM added a fiberglass reinforcement to the C6 cars that came with a splitter. A C5 (like the OP's car) wasn't designed for aero so simply riveting a splitter on won't do much without reinforcing the bumper or mounting the spliiter to the radiator support/frame.

As another person mentioned, if you can't apply force (stand on etc) to your aero and have it not bend or deflect, it's doing very little at speed. If you try and stand on a splitter that's simply riveted to a bumper without any other reinforcement, it will flex or break off well before you get your weight on it.