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Ground clearance???

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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 05:28 PM
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Default Ground clearance???

I just ordered a VR 07 and I have a question for existing Corvette owners. My garage floor is elevated about 2-3 inches above the alleyway I use to access it. Also, the alleyway sort of downgrades as you move away from my garage. My GF drives a late model Escort and sometimes she scrapes the bottom of her frontend on the garage floor when exiting my garage. I've never had issues scraping the front end of my Mustang on the garage floor but I always exit my garage carefully whereas my GF is more gung-ho. However, I do realize that the Mustang doesn't sit as low to the ground as a Vette.

Do I need to be concerned? Thanks...
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 05:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Nay.Sayer
I just ordered a VR 07 and I have a question for existing Corvette owners. My garage floor is elevated about 2-3 inches above the alleyway I use to access it. Also, the alleyway sort of downgrades as you move away from my garage. My GF drives a late model Escort and sometimes she scrapes the bottom of her frontend on the garage floor when exiting my garage. I've never had issues scraping the front end of my Mustang on the garage floor but I always exit my garage carefully whereas my GF is more gung-ho. However, I do realize that the Mustang doesn't sit as low to the ground as a Vette.

Do I need to be concerned? Thanks...

You will likely scrape the front airdam of the Corvette on the way out. It is about 3.5" off the ground on non-lowered Corvettes.
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by talon90
You will likely scrape the front airdam of the Corvette on the way out. It is about 3.5" off the ground on non-lowered Corvettes.
If I back in when I park the car, would that solve the issue? Thanks.
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Old Apr 26, 2007 | 09:02 AM
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Old Apr 26, 2007 | 09:13 AM
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The answer is a definite maybe. The car is low overall, and the front air dam is very low, so it scrapes a lot. On the other hand, its also close to the front wheels, so there are places where you'd sort of expect it to scrape that it doesn't.

As far as backing in, it probably doesn't matter.

But the good news is that the air dam is flexible so it'll take a lot of scraping and inexpensive and easily replaced so that when it finally gets too scraped up its an easy fix.
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Old Apr 26, 2007 | 10:21 AM
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If its a problem, eliminate the step...install a small asphalt or concrete cam strip along the 'edge.' You could DIY with hot asphalt or a contractor wouldn't charge much at all to do it.
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Old Apr 26, 2007 | 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by talon90
You will likely scrape the front airdam of the Corvette on the way out. It is about 3.5" off the ground on non-lowered Corvettes.
- if you think that's low, check out the '07 911 GT3; FedEx Passport driver had a heck of time offloading one to get mine out of the trailer.
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Old Apr 26, 2007 | 11:27 AM
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The sound of the airdam scraping will make your skin crawl for a while, then after you realize it's no big deal, you get used to it. Every time into and out of my driveway I am treated to a long, awful scraping sound. I am sure I will need to replace the airdam before too long.

My neighbor, when standing at the top of his driveway, will usually make a humorous comment about me needing to loose about 10 lbs to keep that from hapening... Love that guy...
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Old Apr 26, 2007 | 12:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Wayne O
If its a problem, eliminate the step...install a small asphalt or concrete cam strip along the 'edge.' You could DIY with hot asphalt or a contractor wouldn't charge much at all to do it.
Ok, I'm a little lost. What is a "cam strip" and where can I get one? Thanks...
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Old Apr 26, 2007 | 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Nay.Sayer
If I back in when I park the car, would that solve the issue? Thanks.
If it scrapes pulling in forward, try backing in. It can make the difference in many cases!!
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Old Apr 26, 2007 | 05:47 PM
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just go slow and even if it scrapes it's no big deal....
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Old Apr 27, 2007 | 01:33 AM
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Old Apr 27, 2007 | 01:41 AM
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Sometimes it helps to back in however the air dam is hinged to swing BACK-not forward.
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Old Apr 27, 2007 | 02:05 AM
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You have been given lots of good options. I don't think that backing in
will solve your problem. I would personally rather have the front dam swing in ( as it would driving straight in). I have 13K on my 05 C6 Z51.
Now that I am comfortable with how this front dam ticks I find that mysteriously so many of the low clearance issues no longer are such a big deal. Now your driveway may be a real issue but I suspect that with some minor modification this will also turnout okay. Let us know how you work it out.

By the way. Congratulations on your new corvette
You are one lucky dawg. May this one issue with the clearance be the only one you have in the next 100K miles.
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Old Apr 27, 2007 | 02:07 AM
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Originally Posted by gilly6993
just go slow and even if it scrapes it's no big deal....
But if you hear and feel a THUD, you just bottomed your lower radiator supports. Hope you don't break them, I have, twice. It's a real pain to replace them, a bigger pain when it takes out the radiator and A/C condenser too.

Fortunately, there is a solution. The bolts that some folks turn counterclockwise to lower the car also turn clockwise. Raise the car about an inch and most of your scraping, dragging, hitting, and breaking problems will be over. Put some tires with some sidewall height on, and most of the wheel damage from hitting potholes problems will be over too.
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Old Apr 27, 2007 | 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Headley Lamar
The sound of the airdam scraping will make your skin crawl for a while, then after you realize it's no big deal, you get used to it. Every time into and out of my driveway I am treated to a long, awful scraping sound. I am sure I will need to replace the airdam before too long.
Its impossible to drive a C6 without scraping the air dam occasionally.

Ecklers sells a new front air dam Stock Replacement for $58.
So, its no big deal.
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Old Apr 27, 2007 | 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by antoniopaolo
By the way. Congratulations on your new corvette
You are one lucky dawg. May this one issue with the clearance be the only one you have in the next 100K miles.
Thank you and thanks to all for the good advice. The car is scheduled to be built the week of 5/7 and it will arrive @ a local dealer ten days after it's built.

To be completely honest, I'm more concerned about sratching/scraping the underside of the front bumper and not so concerned about the front air damn - especially considering it's cheap to replace.

Has anyone here scratched/scraped the underside of their front bumper?
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Old Apr 27, 2007 | 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by aaaaa
Sometimes it helps to back in however the air dam is hinged to swing BACK-not forward.
Which could be a problem when backing out of the garage....
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Old Apr 27, 2007 | 04:25 PM
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Old Apr 28, 2007 | 11:12 AM
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