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Old 11-05-2019, 04:44 PM
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Paulie_Walnuts
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Default Need advice CF splitter

Hey everyone, purchased a 16 C7 Stingray in August. I love it!! It came with CF side skirts and frt splitter stg 2.
Of course I clipped the splitter, putting it to sleep. There aren't any markings on it to let me know who it was purchased from, and because the car was purchased through a dealer, I dont have any previous owner info.
I see plenty of vendors selling CF splitters, and I also hear about those where the holes don't line up properly.

Can any of you give me a solid recommendation, based on your experience, as to who has one that is spot on with the alignment of the mounting holes and quality of the CF.

Thanks, John (aka Paulie -Walnuts).
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11-05-2019, 05:15 PM
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I've installed the carbon fiber front splitters and sideskirts from these vendors:

GM - OEM fit and finish as to be expected. Full carbon construction and perfect fitment. Uses tighter nit weave with tinted clearcoat. Stupid expensive and not many people go this route unless it already comes on the car.

APR - The best quality aftermarket carbon fiber parts in my opinion. Uses 2x2 twill weave and is full carbon throughout. Finish is perfect due to the use of prepreg. NO pinholes and the surface is uniform. Fit is very good but not OEM good. Very minor adjustment and dremeling needed. It may take 1-2 months for the order if they don't have stock.

C7 Carbon - Midrange quality and a good value for it's price. Uses 2x2 twill weave only on the top layer, the rest is fiberglass. Finish is fairly good with minor resin bubbles. May use vacuum infusion for the resin however I noticed alot of resin bubbles on the recent batches so they may be cost cutting. The surface has is slightly wavy from the hand layup. Fitment is decent but will need adjusting and dremeling to get it to fit right. Will take ~2 months to produce.

Extreme Online Store - Lowest price option however the quality is decent for what it is. Uses 2x2 twill weave only on the top layer, the rest is fiberglass. The carbon fiber top layer is laid ontop of the fiberglass piece and the resin poured over it. The finish is very inconsistent and you can see the texture of the weave coming through the clearcoat. Up close you can tell it's cheap carbon fiber. Fit is not good. Rivet holes aren't even drilled and you'll need to be handy to get it to fit right. Readily available, in stock.

ACS - they don't offer carbon fiber as an option but they have the pieces available in Carbon Flash. A very solid midrange option. Quality is really good. Sharp molding lines and the seams are trimmed well. Fitment is perfect, on par with OEM. No modification needed. The painted finish is really good but a slight step down from OEM paint quality. All items in stock.

I haven't had a chance to see or install these brands listed below however here are my thoughts on them.

Anderson Composite - High end option that seems to be on par with APR. Parts are full carbon fiber using prepreg throughout so the finish should be near perfect. They use the tighter nit GM style carbon fiber. Fitment should be really good. Not sure about leadtime.

Caravaggio - High end option similar to Anderson composites and APR. These look to a very close match to OEM replicas. Pricewise they are a tad cheaper than going OEM. Fit and finish look to be OEM quality. LONG leadtime, could be 2-6 months.

G3 Carbon - Midrange quality at high end pricing. Very much a small operation with each piece made one at a time. Quality on par or better than C7 carbon but not the comparable to APR or the other high end options. No idea on fitment but I'd assume minor adjustments need to be made.

RPI/Southern Car Parts/etc. - unbranded options from various online dealers. They are sourcing these parts from China or some other overseas asian supplier. Might actually be the same parts EOS is selling. Pricing ranges from low to high but the parts are all the same. Expect the same single top layer carbon fiber over fiberglass. Up close you can tell it's cheap carbon fiber. Fitment is hit or miss.
Old 11-05-2019, 05:15 PM
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Pineapple
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I've installed the carbon fiber front splitters and sideskirts from these vendors:

GM - OEM fit and finish as to be expected. Full carbon construction and perfect fitment. Uses tighter nit weave with tinted clearcoat. Stupid expensive and not many people go this route unless it already comes on the car.

APR - The best quality aftermarket carbon fiber parts in my opinion. Uses 2x2 twill weave and is full carbon throughout. Finish is perfect due to the use of prepreg. NO pinholes and the surface is uniform. Fit is very good but not OEM good. Very minor adjustment and dremeling needed. It may take 1-2 months for the order if they don't have stock.

C7 Carbon - Midrange quality and a good value for it's price. Uses 2x2 twill weave only on the top layer, the rest is fiberglass. Finish is fairly good with minor resin bubbles. May use vacuum infusion for the resin however I noticed alot of resin bubbles on the recent batches so they may be cost cutting. The surface has is slightly wavy from the hand layup. Fitment is decent but will need adjusting and dremeling to get it to fit right. Will take ~2 months to produce.

Extreme Online Store - Lowest price option however the quality is decent for what it is. Uses 2x2 twill weave only on the top layer, the rest is fiberglass. The carbon fiber top layer is laid ontop of the fiberglass piece and the resin poured over it. The finish is very inconsistent and you can see the texture of the weave coming through the clearcoat. Up close you can tell it's cheap carbon fiber. Fit is not good. Rivet holes aren't even drilled and you'll need to be handy to get it to fit right. Readily available, in stock.

ACS - they don't offer carbon fiber as an option but they have the pieces available in Carbon Flash. A very solid midrange option. Quality is really good. Sharp molding lines and the seams are trimmed well. Fitment is perfect, on par with OEM. No modification needed. The painted finish is really good but a slight step down from OEM paint quality. All items in stock.

I haven't had a chance to see or install these brands listed below however here are my thoughts on them.

Anderson Composite - High end option that seems to be on par with APR. Parts are full carbon fiber using prepreg throughout so the finish should be near perfect. They use the tighter nit GM style carbon fiber. Fitment should be really good. Not sure about leadtime.

Caravaggio - High end option similar to Anderson composites and APR. These look to a very close match to OEM replicas. Pricewise they are a tad cheaper than going OEM. Fit and finish look to be OEM quality. LONG leadtime, could be 2-6 months.

G3 Carbon - Midrange quality at high end pricing. Very much a small operation with each piece made one at a time. Quality on par or better than C7 carbon but not the comparable to APR or the other high end options. No idea on fitment but I'd assume minor adjustments need to be made.

RPI/Southern Car Parts/etc. - unbranded options from various online dealers. They are sourcing these parts from China or some other overseas asian supplier. Might actually be the same parts EOS is selling. Pricing ranges from low to high but the parts are all the same. Expect the same single top layer carbon fiber over fiberglass. Up close you can tell it's cheap carbon fiber. Fitment is hit or miss.

Last edited by Pineapple; 11-06-2019 at 09:31 PM.
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Old 11-05-2019, 05:38 PM
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IMO C7 Carbon is a solid option. While the quality and fitment isn't perfect it's good enough to satisfy most people and from 5 feet away you really can't tell the difference between the high end options. The front splitter is ~$600 and $700 for sideskirts.

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Old 11-05-2019, 07:20 PM
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Except for OEM I don't think any splitter will line up 100%. I installed a C7Carbon splitter and the holes all lined up perfectly. Only problem was the ends didn't line up flush with the wheel wells. With a rat tail file and ten minutes it fit perfect.


Old 11-06-2019, 02:17 AM
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phalse
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whats ACS stand for? gonna check out their site. to hell with CF, i want perfect fitment and overall good quality.
Old 11-06-2019, 03:40 AM
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Originally Posted by phalse
whats ACS stand for? gonna check out their site. to hell with CF, i want perfect fitment and overall good quality.
ACS Composites.

https://acscomposite.com
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Old 11-06-2019, 08:11 AM
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Thanks Pineapple for that informative info, I think your spot on
Old 11-06-2019, 08:59 AM
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Thanks for all the input. At this point I think I'm going to go with Carbon Flash finish, and have the side skirts painted to match.
Thanks, again!
Old 11-06-2019, 09:17 AM
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one of the worst vehicle locations for brittle material is on the front end close to the ground; I would avoid carbon fiber like the plague for this location...go with anything that is plastic or rubber...abs/pc or nylon, or whatever that can take a bending load without chipping or cracking. CF is strong as hell, but it is brittle...think of glass.
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Old 11-06-2019, 02:23 PM
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Hopefully we can help ya out. We offer 2 styles of splitters for the z06 in carbon fiber. Our standard unit is 1 layer of carbon reinforced with frp, and we can also offer the splitter in pure carbon and epoxy based resin system done via closed moulding that is more track oriented.

We are one of the few companies that also uses UV protectant gel coat, and we paint our products with a high end Spies Hecker automotive clear coat for a great finish that will last.

Let us know if we can help !
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Old 11-06-2019, 02:33 PM
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As stated above, avoid the EOS Stage 2 - it is just a copy of the poverty spllitter and is a waste of $.
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Old 11-06-2019, 03:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Pineapple
I've installed the carbon fiber front splitters and sideskirts from these vendors:

GM - OEM fit and finish as to be expected. Full carbon construction and perfect fitment. Uses tighter nit weave with tinted clearcoat. Stupid expensive and not many people go this route unless it already comes on the car.
Great info! The thing I don't like about these front lips are that they are "hollow" if you know what I mean. From what I've seem, It's just the top part and not made with a 2 piece top and bottom mold.

Are the aftermarket front lip hollow/1 sided as well or a more solid top/bottom part?
Old 11-06-2019, 05:26 PM
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Originally Posted by GOC
Great info! The thing I don't like about these front lips are that they are "hollow" if you know what I mean. From what I've seem, It's just the top part and not made with a 2 piece top and bottom mold.

Are the aftermarket front lip hollow/1 sided as well or a more solid top/bottom part?
GM, APR, C7 Carbon, Anderson Composite and Caravaggio all have a "rolled lip" on the bottom edge either to work with the OEM undertray or as a design element. They are technically hollow but that feature significantly strengthens the edge from cracks. For the sideskirts APR is the only manufacturer to use a full rolled lip on the bottom edge which is really nice.

What I've noticed is the cheaper options with a carbon fiber top layer over fiberglass are a bit more resilient to cracks compared to the full carbon front splitters. The fiberglass allows for a bit more flexibility than full carbon.

I put a C7 Carbon front splitter on my car since I know it's only a matter of time before it gets torn up. Less painful to replace a $600 splitter than a $1000 splitter. Every else I use APR.

Last edited by Pineapple; 11-06-2019 at 05:29 PM.
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Old 11-06-2019, 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Pineapple
IMO C7 Carbon is a solid option. While the quality and fitment isn't perfect it's good enough to satisfy most people and from 5 feet away you really can't tell the difference between the high end options. The front splitter is ~$600 and $700 for sideskirts.
I tend to agree as that was my experience with the splitters ect.. I purchased for my 2014, my 2016 I purchased a stage 3 (cannot be taken down a stage, upper “fins” are built in). It was almost 1k and new to their line, I had countless emails on making sure it would fit and was told they “pre fit” on a C7 prior to sending...nope no way in hell that would ever have fit.. they took it back and refunded after some jabbing. I got the APR version ... perfection !!
Old 11-06-2019, 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Flame Red
As stated above, avoid the EOS Stage 2 - it is just a copy of the poverty spllitter and is a waste of $.
I humbly disagree with ya. I bought one from a forum member and had ZERO problems with the install and I thought it looked great. It looked great til a shop I had my vette in broke the splitter when they were putting it on a lift.... Now I’ll be putting the same splitter back on.







Last edited by whiteboy444; 11-06-2019 at 07:04 PM.
Old 11-06-2019, 09:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Pineapple
GM, APR, C7 Carbon, Anderson Composite and Caravaggio all have a "rolled lip" on the bottom edge either to work with the OEM undertray or as a design element. They are technically hollow but that feature significantly strengthens the edge from cracks. For the sideskirts APR is the only manufacturer to use a full rolled lip on the bottom edge which is really nice.

What I've noticed is the cheaper options with a carbon fiber top layer over fiberglass are a bit more resilient to cracks compared to the full carbon front splitters. The fiberglass allows for a bit more flexibility than full carbon.

I put a C7 Carbon front splitter on my car since I know it's only a matter of time before it gets torn up. Less painful to replace a $600 splitter than a $1000 splitter. Every else I use APR.
Is the OEM stage 2/3 CF front lip partially plastic (the part that sits under the bumper when installed? I've seen pics of the OEM carbon flash painted version and it looks like plastic instead of CF or fiberglass.

I've read that the aftermarket lips does not allow for the undertray to bolt on like the OEM, is that true, especially for the APR & C7carbon?

Old 11-06-2019, 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by GOC
Is the OEM stage 2/3 CF front lip partially plastic (the part that sits under the bumper when installed? I've seen pics of the OEM carbon flash painted version and it looks like plastic instead of CF or fiberglass.

I've read that the aftermarket lips does not allow for the undertray to bolt on like the OEM, is that true, especially for the APR & C7carbon?
The OEM Front splitter is all carbon fiber. The underside is painted black. The bottom ridge with tabs where the undertray mounts is plastic.

Anderson composites, Caravaggio and C7 Carbon will work with the factory undertray, the others won’t.

Last edited by Pineapple; 11-06-2019 at 09:17 PM.
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Old 11-06-2019, 09:36 PM
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Originally Posted by GOC
Is the OEM stage 2/3 CF front lip partially plastic (the part that sits under the bumper when installed? I've seen pics of the OEM carbon flash painted version and it looks like plastic instead of CF or fiberglass.

I've read that the aftermarket lips does not allow for the undertray to bolt on like the OEM, is that true, especially for the APR & C7carbon?
Our C7R and Z07 front splitters both have provisions for the undertray
Old 11-06-2019, 10:41 PM
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Originally Posted by C7 Carbon
Our C7R and Z07 front splitters both have provisions for the undertray

Does it work with the undertray that's on the car already or I'll need another one if I add a front lip?
Old 11-07-2019, 07:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Pineapple
I've installed the carbon fiber front splitters and sideskirts from these vendors:

GM - OEM fit and finish as to be expected. Full carbon construction and perfect fitment. Uses tighter nit weave with tinted clearcoat. Stupid expensive and not many people go this route unless it already comes on the car.

APR - The best quality aftermarket carbon fiber parts in my opinion. Uses 2x2 twill weave and is full carbon throughout. Finish is perfect due to the use of prepreg. NO pinholes and the surface is uniform. Fit is very good but not OEM good. Very minor adjustment and dremeling needed. It may take 1-2 months for the order if they don't have stock.

C7 Carbon - Midrange quality and a good value for it's price. Uses 2x2 twill weave only on the top layer, the rest is fiberglass. Finish is fairly good with minor resin bubbles. May use vacuum infusion for the resin however I noticed alot of resin bubbles on the recent batches so they may be cost cutting. The surface has is slightly wavy from the hand layup. Fitment is decent but will need adjusting and dremeling to get it to fit right. Will take ~2 months to produce.

Extreme Online Store - Lowest price option however the quality is decent for what it is. Uses 2x2 twill weave only on the top layer, the rest is fiberglass. The carbon fiber top layer is laid ontop of the fiberglass piece and the resin poured over it. The finish is very inconsistent and you can see the texture of the weave coming through the clearcoat. Up close you can tell it's cheap carbon fiber. Fit is not good. Rivet holes aren't even drilled and you'll need to be handy to get it to fit right. Readily available, in stock.

ACS - they don't offer carbon fiber as an option but they have the pieces available in Carbon Flash. A very solid midrange option. Quality is really good. Sharp molding lines and the seams are trimmed well. Fitment is perfect, on par with OEM. No modification needed. The painted finish is really good but a slight step down from OEM paint quality. All items in stock.

I haven't had a chance to see or install these brands listed below however here are my thoughts on them.

Anderson Composite - High end option that seems to be on par with APR. Parts are full carbon fiber using prepreg throughout so the finish should be near perfect. They use the tighter nit GM style carbon fiber. Fitment should be really good. Not sure about leadtime.

Caravaggio - High end option similar to Anderson composites and APR. These look to a very close match to OEM replicas. Pricewise they are a tad cheaper than going OEM. Fit and finish look to be OEM quality. LONG leadtime, could be 2-6 months.

G3 Carbon - Midrange quality at high end pricing. Very much a small operation with each piece made one at a time. Quality on par or better than C7 carbon but not the comparable to APR or the other high end options. No idea on fitment but I'd assume minor adjustments need to be made.

RPI/Southern Car Parts/etc. - unbranded options from various online dealers. They are sourcing these parts from China or some other overseas asian supplier. Might actually be the same parts EOS is selling. Pricing ranges from low to high but the parts are all the same. Expect the same single top layer carbon fiber over fiberglass. Up close you can tell it's cheap carbon fiber. Fitment is hit or miss.

Great write up!
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