I know that they sell kits to replace your fog light panels that are basically a frame and a wide open slot to get more air to your intake which is a good thing. Good except for the cost!!! I think that I have found a much cheaper option.

Using a good sharp 2" or 11/2" hole saw simply drill APPOX. 4 two inch or 5 inch and a half holes in the blank housing for the fog light. It'll take you about five minutes a side and for the cost of $0 dollars! Even if you don't have or can't borrow a hole saw you can rent them for a few dollars. You'll definitely get more air to your intake with a claimed 5-6 hp at speed. So you really don't have to break the bank for this simple upgrade. And it'll look stock!!!

 

Post pics?

 

just drilling holes in the front may not do all that much, air will take the path of least resistance so if it's easier for the air to escape through the engine bay then that's where it will go... if you really want to ensure that the air gets to your intake then you need to build some kind of channel to direct the air where you want it to go, similar to how the vararam intake works

 

Exactly.. even if the ducts point at the air intake.

 

Drilling holes in your fog light covers will NOT look stock. And will NOT give you any added HP.

 

Then, why did GM do it on the ZO6 model? It sure wasn't for looks.

 

Think it was for cooling (maybe and intake, but highly doubt 5HP), and it looks cool (outer lower are for brake cooling ducts).

 

I'm 90% sure it was just for looks. The Callaway Honker will achieve a better "ram air" effect than drilling holes in the fog light area. There is so much crap there that most of the air will escape into the engine bay, increasing front end lift and drag. Not all decisions are made for practical purposes, some are purely aesthetic. The fog light "grills" are one such aesthetic reason in the first place, the C5 will be more aerodynamic with that area smoothed out, but wouldn't look as good.

 

To all the people who responded to my question about opening up the fog light panels for better breathing let me clarify.

First off I have (don't know what brand) a dual snorkel air cleaner set up. The filters rest down on the inner panel opposit the radiator which is a V shape area. Now the fog light panels that I want to open up are almost exactly where my air filters sit. Now I'm not a rocket scientist but I have been a mechanic since before most of you were born! And I'm not dissing youth. I try to learn a little more each day and pass on what knowledge I've learned in my 64 years of life. I don't know everything especially the newer computer controeled cars, but all engines are Air Pumps. So the more air and fuel you can ad equals more power. I don't care if it's a Corvette or your lawn mower it's going to run better. Again it's going to run better from most any speed. No big claims of 5,10,15 hp but you will see some kind of gains if only at highway speeds. I also installed a hood weather strip insulator along the front edge by the nose to keep things cleaner and create a vacuum to the intake inlets which now need more air that's cooler by the way. If I get a couple of more hp great but I Know that my engine is breathing easy and running better. Before I cleaned the engine compartment the area by the air cleaners was filthy not to mention the air cleaners, K&N were totally wasted. And the car was a one owner who was about 70 and took unbelievable care of the car so it wasn't from neglect just a poor design at GM. Hey guys they can't think or do everything we would like to have done. More than half the fun of owning a car is making it better and having it be all our own!!! I don't know about you but I don't want every 2003 50th anniversary Convertible in millennium yellow to look exactly like mine. Do you want to see a thousand Corvette's an exact duplicate of yours the next rally you attend? Didn't think so. Remember this getting more air to your engine no matter how you do it it's a good thing!!! Thanks again everyone I really do appreciate your help weather it's for or against I listen to you all.....
PS: Before you start ragging on me read my whole post, I can't believe I'm wrong about everything or is that nothing? LOL

 

The amount of air that comes in through the radiator at highway speeds is more than sufficient to feed the engine. The drag and lift penalties from increased air pressure under the hood will outweigh any gain in HP.

 

Here:
You remove the covers, don't cut holes in them.

 

Have you opened your hood and looked at the air cleaner system? Unless you are missing the radiator shroud cover assembly . It will only pull hot air from over the top of the radiator from the hot engine compartment. Check you iat and see how hot the air is. Then set it up like Gm did on the ZO6, and check the iat. Every 10 degree drop is worth roughly 1% power increase. The OP is on the right path. Several companies sell covers similar to what he is talking about. I really don't believe a GM engineer said lets put a piece of window screen in there, instead of blacked out covers, I think it will look better.

 

I have and replaced it with a Vararam B2 in fact. Point is, I do not believe the potential power gain will outweigh increased drag and lift, unless you run ducts Vararam style and/or have hood vents.

 

Well if you believe that, it must be true.

 

The MAF interprets the heat of the incoming air and the PCM software (both programmable and firmware) controls the engine management system. The only way to make the engine more efficient (other than some tuneing) is to make the incoming air passing the MAF cooler-hence more dense. With the Z06 we were told the opening of the fog light area was to help control engine bay temps when the car was tuning over 6000 rpms, also the air cleaner was enlarged to help move the air need at the high rpm range.

 

 

An old trick we used to do was cut about a 3" piece out of the rear hood rubber seal just on the other side of the brake booster. Warning be prepared to clean your engine bay often
because it will let a lot more air and road dirt in.