Why does the base C7 corvette require the center air dam and the Z51 does not?
And is there advantage to remove the center air dam on the base model?

Again thanks
Dan

 

My base car had no center flap. I removed the left and right when I installed a poverty splitter.

 

See posts 12 and 13 in here:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...r-air-dam.html


And post 6 in here:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...t-spoiler.html

 

The Z51(and the Z06) require additional air to the front brakes for cooling. To achieve that, it was necessary to add air deflectors to the front lower control arms. To get that air to the air deflectors, it is necessary to run without the center air dam, as the center air dam blocked off the needed air getting to the air deflectors.

The base Stingray does not have the air deflectors on the front lower control arms, thus the center air dam is used which restricts some of the airflow under the car, lowering the coefficient of drag and improving fuel economy.

Even the two outer air dams on the Z51 and the Z06 are different from those on the base Stingray, as the outer air dams are only used to direct air to the outside around the front wheels/tires, to lower aero drag and not used in conjunction with the center air dam to block/minimize air from flowing under the car.

 

When I received my early build (September 2013) Z51 C7 wondered the same thing since my C6 Z51 had one. In fact it was supposed to have one and it was removed at the last minute. Lots of comments like it was to provide air to the rear brakes etc.
Only semiofficial comment was by Chevys Chief Aerodynamisist in a 2014 article that said it was to "improve handling." But it made no mention of how.
Than in a recent video re the Z06 that also eliminates the center air dam Tadge Juechter said at high speed the center air dam was creating to much front downforce causing oversteer and it was better to have slight understeer!
Those of us with modified Corvairs and early Porsches new what oversteer was all about! As we often said if your going too fast into a turn, it was better to hit a tree with the rear of the car than plow into it with the front!! In addition for a less skilled driver understeer is more intuitive to correct where oversteer requires turning the wheel in the direction of the skid.
That was only said in the more recent video as they no doubt did not want Ralph Nader picking up on a potential safety issue, as ne did with the Corvair!
IMO this is the more likely reason for the last minute removal versus rear brake cooling, which may be a factor but where there are other solutions, like the added rear air scoops for the brakes that are employed!