I’m thinking more and more about adding a front splitter and side skirts my vette. Besides ground clearance (my car isn’t lowered) what pros and cons should I be concerned? Thanks for the input.

 

The only cons is clearance. I'm lucky my driveway is straight flat and just about everywhere I go is pretty flat. Need to be careful with the front. Sides not so much just don't jump any curbs.
pros well just look at my pictures

 

Another potential con is cooling issues. You have to be careful about which front splitter you choose. Some of them have been known to block some air flow to the radiator and condenser. This can result in overheating. A splitter like in the picture above get around this problem by having openings for the air to get in where needed. Other than that, and the mentioned ground clearance problems, there really are no cons. As a pro, they look good, and (again depending on which ones you choose) can improve the aerodynamics of the car.

 

That is correct. The only 2 front splitters I would buy are the C7 carbon or the one I have made by ACI. The ACI splitter has the opening but also channel the air up into the radiator cavity. I have had no heat problems at all.

 

If you run the full package vortec generators,canards,
splitter and wing you can have very stabil ride at speed.
I run APR Performance aero equipment. and get rid of
the stock hood.
Good luck

 

Thanks All. Much appreciated 👍

 

Another Pro I have found, particularly since supercharging my car, the ACI front splitter converts the car's cooling from a bottom breather (center air deflector underneath no longer used), to a front breather. My car no longer vacuums the roadway and sucks anywhere near the volume of debris up into my condenser, radiator, and SC intake air filter. Air is coming in from about 4" off the ground (at my lowered ride height) vs. right off the ground with the OEM center air deflector. This principle is the same for a NA car, but anyone with a Centri SC knows how much more air and debris it pulls in.

You have to learn to drive a car differently if you add a front and/or side splitters. You simply have to ALWAYS be on high alert for roadway debris/animals, parking lot entrances, speed bumps, and curbs. I always back into spaces to avoid hitting the front splitter on curbs, and turn into driveways or entrances with uneven transitions at an appropriate angle. The most common issue with side splitters is that they will high center over transitions and speed bumps, and with front splitters is direct hits.

The only Con I would say for me really, is jacking the car up. With my side splitters I can only jack my car up with a low profile floor jack or scissor jack on the sides, but not at all from the front. Were I to have a flat, God forbid, it would certainly be a challenge, but I believe I could raise it up enough from the rear, to get a another jack underneath on the side.

 

Side skirts make my low car way lower.





A con I noticed is when getting out, the back of my heels can catch the skirt and as you step out you can clip the skirt to possibly damage it.

I've had to slightly kick my feet out before standing up to avoid catching the skirt...other than that they look badass

 

I've had my front splitter for a while now and the biggest con I have had with it is it's been repaired 3 times now. From various things in the road. They said if I damage it one more time they won't be able to fix it, I'll need a new one. I've also trial fitted side skirts before. Had them held up with a jack so I could see what issues I'd have with them. I found that I wouldn't be able to get my jack under them so I never installed them. That was with my 17 & 18 inch wheels and a slightly lowered car. I now have the 18 & 19 inch wheels and on coilovers so I'm considering a different style that have better clearance too. I do love the look though.

 

looking good as always. One thing I used to do on my 911 Turbo is attach a additional 1/4” Abs that would stick out like a 1 1/2” or 2” would just look like a splitter but if it did hit. It would float the carbon splitter or air damn and keep it from catching and folding under. Made them last a lot longer and looked aggressive.

 

Do you have any pics of that?

 

here is what I did on the Turbo it really saved the lip a lot. Carbon is not a great abrasion material. Just attached with t bolts.

 

That is one badazz looking C5. Very well done on the mods.

 

Thank You it has been a slow but satisfying transformation.