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Tadge answer:
[I] "Ok, then why don't we see it on other street cars?". Well, actually you do. There are several, typically very serious performance cars that have similar features such as the Porsche GT3RS."
The spats on the GT3 are only installed on the front lower part of the fender and are integrated with the front splitter. More like the spats on the stage 3 areo. The GT3 doesn't have fender flares over the top of the fender. I don't buy into the idea that these spats have enough function to be worth looking bad.
Believe what he said was that shape could be incorporated into the composite fender but it looked funny. Fatter fenders, like the rear, would increase drag. More of an issue in the front; but now I'm speculating about air flow!
Reminding me of the subjective opinion that keeping a tailgate down in a pickup provides less drag than having it up! Wrong it's 3 to 5% more drag with the tailgate down!
Also recall wind tunnel tests in a fluid flow class (years ago) showed how mounting spotlights with the bullet shape facing forward produced more drag than when it was facing backward. Nope, aero is not intuitive!
Molded in Spats do look a bit funny on the "original' Zora Grand Sport!
If all you want to do is make the spats and other plastic parts (e.g., splitter and splash guards) look less flat, deeper black, and match the CF parts a bit better, consider Rustoleum Wipe New. They claim one application lasts two years and mine still look good after seven months.
Is it me or is it the ones that make fun of the spats the most are the people that don't own C7 GS'S and Z06'S.
Nope!! I have a Z06/Z07 and they ARE CRAPPY!! How much you want to bet, that the new ZR1 will not have cheap *** retarded KIA like plastic mold on a 100K plus car!!
Dont get me wrong, i love my Z but damn i hate those things!!
I don't mind the spats.
Now door guards would have annoyed me. Those ugly strips going down the center of the door hoping to stop another door from dinging you. My GTA had those, removed them the first day!
I don't mind the spats.
Now door guards would have annoyed me. Those ugly strips going down the center of the door hoping to stop another door from dinging you. My GTA had those, removed them the first day!
Yep easy to avoid door dings! I avoid parking next to anyone who will open their door. By parking at the end of lots, far from others, I also get more exercise!
Just installed the spats in Blade Silver today...also replaced OEM brake fluid with Motul 600...Spring Mtn. in two weeks... nearly ready for a track day...wheels need a cleaning
Same here. Had a GS and now Z06. Don't like the spats. The wheels don't stick out past the fender anyway. I am thinking about taking them off.
I will remove and add carbon flash just to make it look better. The tires do stick out about half an inch. My friends just removed his and we measured it
Or Corvette Base owners that want Spats But Hate Them
I wouldn't mind spats but it would be purely cosmetic for my use case. Tadge mentioned the C7.R doesn't need them due to it's ride height. So, logically, lower your C7 and you don't need the spats! Of course to be as low as the c7.R, you wouldn't be able to drive on public roads w/o seriously slowing down to avoid damage... which obviates the purpose of the lowering. Catch 22!
Seriously, Tadge said the Porsche GT3RS has them but if you look at pics, the Porsche spats don't extend to the top of the wheel well. they are 'front facing' only. Bit of an odd comparison...
Reviving an old thread. But it’s same old thing bothering me to this day.
Hasn't anyone devised a more elegant solution to the plastic spats/aero curtains than painting or replacing with similarly-designed carbon fiber?
The 997.2 GT3 RS and the Camaro Z28 share a similar approach to fender extensions. While the 991 GT3 RS accomplishes what I think ours should have from the factory; employing a wider fender that leads into an integrated splitter. I fully understand (yet don't agree with) the OEM cost-cutting measures that lead to the solution on our cars, but surely the aftermarket sees potential in offering a smarter, more integrated solution. I bet a ton of us would be ready to hand over a pretty penny.
A few years ago, Nowicki Autosport introduced a beautiful set of fender extensions for the narrow-bodied cars, but as far as I know has not made a set that fits the Z06/GS arches while also integrating with something similar to the Z07 front aero.
APR Performance introduced what appears to be a more functional Z07-like aero package, but integrates GM's spats rather than seeking a new solution. Not sure they'd want to sink more R&D cost into an integrated fender extension but they seem like the right manufacturer given their functional approach to aero.
Anyone have any thoughts/leads on a better solution?
While I understand the function (now) of the spats, I just couldn't stand the look of them when I bought my Stingray. The dealer had a black GS parked right next to the black Stingray I bought. I don't mean to disparage anybody who likes them, but they haven't grown on me at all. Some of the GS owners seem to feel the same here. Some imply that the poor Stingray owners couldn't afford a GS, boo hoo. To the later I say, my other car, a Sl55 AMG Mercedes, has wider fenders front and rear, and was designed for the Autobahn, and adding flat black plastic extenders would be absurd to a AMG designer.
Replaced mine with painted carbon flash. Much better. Really, IMO, the way they should have come from the factory. It's a perfect match to the rest of the cars accents.
Looks much better with the rest of the cars accents I have stage 1 aero so the factory spats match my front spoiler and ties directly into it. Sure I would have like wider front fenders better but I like this car so much that the spats do not bother me at all honestly!
09-22-2017, 03:53 AM
I have stage 1 aero so the factory spats match my front spoiler and ties directly into it. Sure I would have like wider front fenders better but I like this car so much that the spats do not bother me at all honestly!
