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Rear End Downforce?

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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 03:07 PM
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Default Rear End Downforce?

I noticed in other sports and sporty-type cars that they have wings, lip spoilers, pop-up spoliers, etc... to create rear downforce. I know in some it is just for show. But I was wondering if anyone knew why the C6 does not have that feature. Given the capabilities of the vehicle I would think GM would have addressed this but how? Does the design of the C6 make this feature unnecessary? Are there underbody panels or diffusers that create the necessary downforce? Thanks.
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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 03:22 PM
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Originally Posted by JeepZJ
I noticed in other sports and sporty-type cars that they have wings, lip spoilers, pop-up spoliers, etc... to create rear downforce. I know in some it is just for show. But I was wondering if anyone knew why the C6 does not have that feature. Given the capabilities of the vehicle I would think GM would have addressed this but how? Does the design of the C6 make this feature unnecessary? Are there underbody panels or diffusers that create the necessary downforce? Thanks.

Because they designed the car in such a way as to allow the bodywork to do the job.

A wing would still help. Properly designed, a wing always helps with downforce. But the C6 does not need one. Underbody work, the rear deck, the front, etc. all contribute to keep the car on the ground at high speeds.
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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 03:49 PM
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If you need downforce to maintain control, you'd better be on a race track with a race car. Hence the C6R. Everything you see on the street is for show.
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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Michrider
Everything you see on the street is for show.


The Evo's wing is functional, for sure.
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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by JeepZJ
I noticed in other sports and sporty-type cars that they have wings, lip spoilers, pop-up spoliers, etc... to create rear downforce. I know in some it is just for show. But I was wondering if anyone knew why the C6 does not have that feature. Given the capabilities of the vehicle I would think GM would have addressed this but how? Does the design of the C6 make this feature unnecessary? Are there underbody panels or diffusers that create the necessary downforce? Thanks.
The C6 has a rather smooth underbody to capture some underbody effects. This is nowhere as good as a Ferrari F355/F360 which have real underbody air control pannels. But worlds better than (say) the C4 underbody.

On the upper body, a lot of time in the wind tunnel makes the necessity of a bunch of underbody aero unnecessary (apart for the advantages it garners at the race tracks :: C6R)

At any sane street velocity, a set of golf clubs adds more downforce than a wing on the back. You see, aerodynamics of downforce is basically a quadradic function of velocity. I suggest, if you want a good read on the subject, "Race Car Aerodynamics: designing for speed" Joseph Katz
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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 07:06 PM
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Thanks for the responses guys. Not that I think downforce will have a hugh effect during stop and go driving in SoCal, I was thinking that the vette is unique, given its capabilities, that it does not have have/need a wing like some other sports cars. Glad to know that some thought went into designing the C6.

Mitch - I think I might have to read that.
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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 07:17 PM
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Some refer to the extra brake light as being a "spoiler". It appears to be an air spoiler to me, albeit a small one.
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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 08:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Scissors


The Evo's wing is functional, for sure.
.Funny. But its design (not the ugly spoiler) of the all wheel drive new Evo will take our car off the line and maybe more.. While we are spinning our wheels, the evo is launched like a rocket via all wheel drive. I know it is a UGLY car but the fact remains.. Thanks

Last edited by V Vette; Apr 4, 2005 at 08:21 PM.
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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 11:28 PM
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Originally Posted by SilverCoupe
Some refer to the extra brake light as being a "spoiler". It appears to be an air spoiler to me, albeit a small one.

Also notice the CHMSL appears to be slightly larger on the C6 Z06.
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 08:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Brett Hunter
Also notice the CHMSL appears to be slightly larger on the C6 Z06.
i read somewhere that was the point of increasing the height of the
chmsl.
i guess the big question is does any of this make a difference at our posted limits?
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 09:09 AM
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Originally Posted by MitchAlsup
The C6 has a rather smooth underbody to capture some underbody effects. This is nowhere as good as a Ferrari F355/F360 which have real underbody air control pannels. But worlds better than (say) the C4 underbody.

On the upper body, a lot of time in the wind tunnel makes the necessity of a bunch of underbody aero unnecessary (apart for the advantages it garners at the race tracks :: C6R)

At any sane street velocity, a set of golf clubs adds more downforce than a wing on the back. You see, aerodynamics of downforce is basically a quadradic function of velocity. I suggest, if you want a good read on the subject, "Race Car Aerodynamics: designing for speed" Joseph Katz


the small spoiler the C6 has is more then engough for down force. however, it is the whole car, FRONT airdam, rear spoiler, body shape ( why the new Z is a fast back coupe and not an FRC, ) and the under body design.

The bigger the rear wing the bigger the front splitter needs to be. That big wing on the C6Rs work and counter balanced by the 4 in splitter up front, the front carnards ( winglets on the front sides), the side skirts that extend down from the rocker pannels, the front and center underbody trays and the rear underbody defusser. The other part that helps with the down force is the extractor hood that allows the air that passed thought the radiator to be 'extracted' out over the hood. and the lovered fenders to allow high pressure air from the wheelwells to exscape.

For us normal ppl lowering your car and keeping the 5 mm difference between the front and rear jacking puck points (5 mm higher in the rear) the proper rack is achived. which also helps in downforce of your car.

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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 11:53 PM
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Precious few street cars have truly functional wings so I'm dubious of the evo comment. Aero effects don't become significant until 75+ MPH. Plus a properly configured wing for the race track will also create drag which hurts the CAFE story.

The vette aero management package for the stock street car as is carries the car to 186MPH safely. If you want more downforce then you will need more splitter and air dam in the front plus a rear wing...don't bother with just the wing unless you want just the bling...you need both or you end up in a high speed push...
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Old Apr 6, 2005 | 02:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Brett Hunter
Also notice the CHMSL appears to be slightly larger on the C6 Z06.
if it was not larger the C-6R could not run the rear wing because the rules say the car must have a spoiler of some type to be allowed a wing. a lot of the ZO-6 and the C-6 body design was dictated by the new rules that the C-6R races under. the racing association wants to make sure the corvettes do not "stink up the show" by winning all the races this year.
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Old Apr 6, 2005 | 07:09 AM
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A Wing for Bling is called a Convenent Carring Handle
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