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Love the look...I have almost the same exact car, except gray wheels. I may go this route also look into the carbon fiber grandsport front fender emblem. Both calipers are red now!
This photo was kind of my "muse" for wanting to do the project. This was with the smoke-colored gumby's- I would assume yours would look quite similar if you did this project.
I'm getting into some of this (front splitter) and already wrangled through issues with side splitters. My C6 came with ZR1 style rear spoiler and side splitters, but the company used a stupidly designed wheel flare - wrong material, bad design - so I knew I would change it myself at some point. After a very fortunate trip to National Corvette Museum (I live in the west), I was able to see exactly what GM intended for the wheel flares, and, once home, discovered I could still get them. Perfect fit and finish, though the upper most screw in the flare didn't have as much material to tie into since the base coupe doesn't have the same quarter panel as a ZR1. That said, the rest of the fit and finish was excellent and they have worked well.
Am doing a bunch of customizing to the front splitter to provide reinforcement for track speeds, but it's interesting to read/see how this went for you, as it helps me have a sense for some of what I am getting into. I can really see how using Clecos can be helpful. I had to reattach one of our side skirts after a forced collision with a high curb in a parking lot (someone was driving in our lane, not paying attention, so I pulled close to the curb, taking off the side skirt in the process - better that than the front fender they were headed toward!).
Thanks again for investing the time to document this for those who share an interest in these kind of additions.
Note: Here are two images from my work on my own side skirts. The first is a comparison of the GM wheel flare compared to the aftermarket one (passenger's side). I know these are still sold - SIGH!! The second shot is of the GM flare installed on the driver's side.
We had some unseasonably awesome weather today in Dallas, so I got to take the top off and "stretch her legs" a bit. This is a nice profile shot I was able to take showing the side skirts, mud guards, and splitter sans top.
I can't tell for sure. Do you have some kind of wheel flare/protector on either side of the front wheel wells? That is, one that ties into the front splitter, OR one that sits in front of the side skirt (protecting it's leading edge from road debris?
Ask because I found that GM makes protective wheel flares for the back side of each wheel well - they are black rubber/plastic. You may not want them since they aren't CF and that seems to be what you're using for these lower elements. My car is gloss black, with my side skirts a match to the body color. I have GM flares on six of the eight sides of the wheel wells. The splitter I'm installing will be body gloss black, and it has wheel well flares that match the look of the GM flares, but also look a bit like the elements that tie into the front splitter on the C7, or Camaro - which also adds a bit of downforce. This shot shows the splitter and flares on a car:
I mentioned I'm reinforcing the front splitter I'm adding. This is a view of the splitter from the top. The red area reflects the extra layer of polypropylene I'm adding to the bottom.
This will reduce flex and reinforce the front edge and will tie in to many points of contact with the body. I'll be using better hardware and reinforcement on the body, but also a few fewer contact points. They provided split rivets and shoulder washers. I'll be using small bolts with shoulder nylon nuts and a thin sheet of aluminum instead of most of the shoulder washers. This will add a bit of weight, but a ton of rigidity. This one also has many more contact points to the body, which should also make it more robust, too. Got too much going on to focus my energy on this right now, but hope to get it done toward the end of the summer.
Last edited by Midnight08; 05-20-2017 at 10:23 PM.
Reason: More bits on the splitter
The splitter is only attached to the front bumper. There is a factory plastic piece in front of the front wheels. Being as it is inside the wheel well- it will pretty much always be dirty from dirt etc. kicked up from the wheels- so it being Carbon Fiber (or gloss black) really wouldn't make a difference- bc it will be dirty at all times.
My splitter is not reinforced. The factory one on the Carbon cars and ZR-1 is. GM sells a reinforcement piece that can be installed, but you have to remove the entire front bumper to install it. I did a good bit of research on this- and came to the conclusion that I don't need the reinforcement with my driving style. I doubt my car will ever see a track, and I never do 140MPH+ (or really anything close to it). Depending on the individual's driving style, they may want a front reinforcement. As is, my front splitter isn't going anywhere any time soon. It's fastened down pretty darn good.
Better safe than sorry though. For my use and purposes, I have no need for the reinforcement. If I ever curbed my Splitter (God forbid), I'd just replace it with another one.
Last edited by Evander Holyfield; 05-21-2017 at 12:42 AM.
As far as the front flare in front of the front tires, I'm leaning toward body color in front, and matte black in the back side, but still working out those details.
I did the research on this stuff, too. And, I totally agree that few need to consider reinforcement for an added front splitter, if not going beyond legal public road speeds. Those that track them though, can run into trouble. Anything from the splitter ripping off, or the more common "grin" from the splitter deforming the front fascia. In truth, only one after market front splitter I found was cleared for track use. That said, in the research I did I found one guy here that had had their (purpose built) car to 230mph and was hoping to get beyond that. He did some basic added support. Ultimately, I found this splitter and prefer it's design and think it's more suited for me. I don't expect to get beyond 150mph or so, but want zero issues when I'm on track.
Sorry for the sidebar - you did a great job on that splitter and side skirts - and especially providing so much great detail on the install.
Good luck with that splitter,I have damaged three,they are way to low.
Yeah, unfortunately your experience is not totally uncommon. Some have plainly stated that you never buy just one.
Some of us are dreamers enough to think we'll beat the odds. Time will tell. I want the look and the function, so will have to be super careful around curbs and curbstones.
Quick update- finally picked up my first nice rock chip in my front splitter. It looked pretty gnarly, as the Carbon Fiber shows scratches pretty easily.
With that said, I just took a sharpie and filled it in- and you can't even tell without really looking for it. This methodology probably won't work if you have a massive gouge or curb it- but it worked pretty well for my purposes.
Also threw a coat of hand wax on the splitter, side skirts, and mudguards for an extra layer of protection. Should have done that right after install, but live and learn.
I have a dumb question. I got some side skirts off ebay the question I have is are you guys or gals that are installing these sides skirts are y'all using pop rivets or screws? An also would you recommend using one over the other or backing out? How hard is it to pull the pop rivets out also? I'm just looking at different things or what would be best just in case something bad happens I can put one or a new set on. Thanks in advance. I've searched and it's so all over the board one or the other.
I have a dumb question. I got some side skirts off ebay the question I have is are you guys or gals that are installing these sides skirts are y'all using pop rivets or screws? An also would you recommend using one over the other or backing out? How hard is it to pull the pop rivets out also? I'm just looking at different things or what would be best just in case something bad happens I can put one or a new set on. Thanks in advance. I've searched and it's so all over the board one or the other.
Mine wasn't the Ebay one- from forum vendor CFKits. With that said, mine came with rivets. I used both the rivets that it came with AND the existing screws that were holding the original splitter and mud guard.
Do any of you guys happen to have a pic of the splitter from underneath and in between the splitter and the front wheel? I bought a kit for my base, so it doesn't have existing holes. I'm having a hard time figuring out whether the back corner screws go in to the bottom of the front bumper or kind of in from the side. PS the splitter is already pre-drilled
Mine wasn't the Ebay one- from forum vendor CFKits. With that said, mine came with rivets. I used both the rivets that it came with AND the existing screws that were holding the original splitter and mud guard.
here's mine with his unpainted fiberglass side skirts, which I sprayed with SEM Trim Paint to match the air dam and rest of the trim on my 427.............
05-19-2017, 07:26 PM
, it's posts & info like Evander Holyfield's that make this forum the best resource for a Corvette owner. 
