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Really BIG Rear Wings, Why?

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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 03:14 PM
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Default Really BIG Rear Wings, Why?

I just went to a track day sponsored by the "F" body club. Saw 4 "F" bodies and about 20+ Corvettes, almost all were C5 and C6's.

All of the C6's I saw were Z06 models with race tires, stock brakes and stock engines with really big wings on the back. Since the car will do 190, what does that really big wing do besides slow you down on the straightaways? I wanted to ask, but didn't want to **** anyone off.
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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 03:36 PM
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make it look like Crap... or a ricer lol but that's my opinion.
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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted by lockman
make it look like Crap... or a ricer lol but that's my opinion.
Glad to hear that I am not alone in that opinion.
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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by timd38
Glad to hear that I am not alone in that opinion.
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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 05:29 PM
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Default Traction!!!!

Originally Posted by timd38
I just went to a track day sponsored by the "F" body club. Saw 4 "F" bodies and about 20+ Corvettes, almost all were C5 and C6's.

All of the C6's I saw were Z06 models with race tires, stock brakes and stock engines with really big wings on the back. Since the car will do 190, what does that really big wing do besides slow you down on the straightaways? I wanted to ask, but didn't want to **** anyone off.
It is adjustable to make more or less downforce.

You can go through corners quicker with more down force = traction fro rear tires. IT IS FOR RACING all around Sprint Car, Top Fuel etc.
I wouldn't put on your street car.

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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 06:14 PM
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see on a track car yes they are usefull I've seen a corvette on a track loose the rear wing right before the corner and it did a 360 in the corner because of lack of rear downforce. on the street no use at all.
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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 06:19 PM
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Originally Posted by lockman
make it look like Crap... or a ricer lol but that's my opinion.
personally I find this far from looking like crap or being a ricer, but we are all allowed an opinion..





Last edited by Wicked Weasel; Apr 18, 2010 at 06:22 PM.
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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 06:26 PM
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If you spend time at near 200 mph they are a good thing, other than that they make a great place to put your drink, or have a picnic lunch when the car is stopped.
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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 06:33 PM
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I don't think they look like crap but I wouldn't put one on my Corvette unless I was seriously tracking it.

San
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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 07:47 PM
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Default C6 Rear wings

Originally Posted by oldmansan
I don't think they look like crap but I wouldn't put one on my Corvette unless I was seriously tracking it.

San
When I went to Corvettes at Carlisle (Pa.) last August, I saw a ZR1 with a wing. The owner was a really nice guy from New Jersey, and I must say, it looked right at home on the ZR1 with splitters, side skirts, spoilers, etc.

It is indeed very useful for racing or high speed runs in creating enough down force to keep the rear planted at high speed. At 200 mph, you can take-off a 747, so, yeah, it's important, and the attitude of the wing surface must be carefully set so as not to create loft over the wing surface which would indeed make it capable of the tail end of the Vette becoming airborne.
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Old Apr 18, 2010 | 09:33 PM
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They make downforce, and more downforce = more cornering traction. You don't need to be running at super-high speeds to see the difference, either, although I will grant that if you're pushing hard enough on the street to use the extra traction you might want to notch it back a bit.
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Old Apr 19, 2010 | 04:20 PM
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FYI
If you go with a world challenge type rear wing, do not forget to add an appropriate front splitter to provide adequate frontal down force

An unbalanced car at speed would be dangerous
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Old Apr 19, 2010 | 06:43 PM
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you're such a hater. Uncle Ben personally endorses it.


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Old Apr 19, 2010 | 07:22 PM
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Originally Posted by bob guzzy
If you spend time at near 200 mph they are a good thing, other than that they make a great place to put your drink, or have a picnic lunch when the car is stopped.
Most of the road race cars do not see those kinds of speeds. Typically 50-170mph and that is about it, and the time near 170 isn't to long. At least on the GT cars.

They are much more effecient at creating downforce than a rear lip spoiler. Take TransAm for example (the race series), when we were allowed to go from the 5" lip to a true wing the cars actually picked up 3-4 mph on the straights while keeping the same if not adding more down force so there is much less drag with a wing as well.

Also do keep in mind, not all wings are created equal. Just because it looks like a race car part may not mean it is. Most true wings do not require a lot of angle on them either, that leads to more drag, and typically not much more downforce.


Depends on what you are going for. Track cars, they do work much better and with the speeds and HP of some of the street cars today, they are making MORE than the race cars so it isn't a bad idea. But yes....they will get you noticed on the street. Not like a cam'd 427 wouldn't
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Old Apr 19, 2010 | 07:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Operations
FYI
If you go with a world challenge type rear wing, do not forget to add an appropriate front splitter to provide adequate frontal down force

An unbalanced car at speed would be dangerous
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Old Apr 19, 2010 | 07:40 PM
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OK, so the cliff note version is that street cars really don't need that huge wing on the back and in some cases could make the car unsafe.
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Old Apr 19, 2010 | 07:43 PM
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I think the definitive word(s) come from two racers on this thread. Thanks!
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