Z51 has no center air deflector??
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,589
Likes: 190
Z51 has no center air deflector??
Today was the day!! My father in law and I both picked up out '15 stingrays. As were looking at them i noticed his car didn't have the center part of the air deflector (underneath the front bumper). I asked the salesperson and he said, his car has the Z51 and it doesn't get the center air deflector. Is this correct????
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 470
Likes: 9
From: Broken Arrow Oklahoma
Today was the day!! My father in law and I both picked up out '15 stingrays. As were looking at them i noticed his car didn't have the center part of the air deflector (underneath the front bumper). I asked the salesperson and he said, his car has the Z51 and it doesn't get the center air deflector. Is this correct????
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,030
Likes: 128
From: Cols. Ohio
This is interesting because if you view any of the early GM videos of the Z51's you will see they have the center piece installed. I questioned someone I know within Corvette engineering as to why the center piece is not on production vehicle and was told it was removed to reduce some of the temperatures they were seeing.
I know a member of this forum who has two Z51's and he added the center air dam and has not seen any increases in any of his engine temperatures.
Just thought I would pass this along. Take it for what it's worth.
I know a member of this forum who has two Z51's and he added the center air dam and has not seen any increases in any of his engine temperatures.
Just thought I would pass this along. Take it for what it's worth.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
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From: Longview Texas
This is interesting because if you view any of the early GM videos of the Z51's you will see they have the center piece installed. I questioned someone I know within Corvette engineering as to why the center piece is not on production vehicle and was told it was removed to reduce some of the temperatures they were seeing.
I know a member of this forum who has two Z51's and he added the center air dam and has not seen any increases in any of his engine temperatures.
Just thought I would pass this along. Take it for what it's worth.
I know a member of this forum who has two Z51's and he added the center air dam and has not seen any increases in any of his engine temperatures.
Just thought I would pass this along. Take it for what it's worth.
Administrator
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From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
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And congrats to you and your dad on taking delivery of your C7s.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: NE South Carolina
Today was the day!! My father in law and I both picked up out '15 stingrays. As were looking at them i noticed his car didn't have the center part of the air deflector (underneath the front bumper). I asked the salesperson and he said, his car has the Z51 and it doesn't get the center air deflector. Is this correct????
Air in to the front fascia and under the car is used to cool both the front and rear brakes. The outer areas of the front grille provide focused airflow to the front brakes and air under the car present air to the duct inlets for the rear brakes.
All of the lines and shapes to the car body are used to change the air flow and present low pressure air pockets. From the front fender flare to the indentation at the door out to the rear quarter flare.
Air down the sides of the car creates a pressure differential at the side coves and extracts heat out from the engine compartment via the vents on the side. That low pressure air aides front down force. The hood vent takes one third of the air presented to the grille and ducts it out over the roof of the car, again creating front down force.
All of the air that is presented to the front of the car must find it's way to the rear of the car as the car travels forward at speed. The way that this air is interrupted changes the pressure (and speed) of those air molecules and affects lift, drag, cooling and down force.
It is all a balancing act and changes to one of those aerodynamic forces will affect some or all of the others. Reducing air flow or air pressure in one area may result in reduced cooling air present in another area. Since the Z51 is the more track oriented model, more airflow must be presented to the brake inlets. You'll notice a difference for example in the front grille openings between the Z51 and non-Z51 as more air must be presented to cool the larger front brakes.
Yes, the removal of the Z51 front air dam was a late decision based on cooling and handling balance determined by testing. That doesn't mean it wasn't a wise decision. Making other hard changes in these areas are expensive and would require significant changes to panels, inlets (sizes and shapes) and significant time modelling and then testing these changes for long term effects.”
There is also a video discussing the Z06 aero that may be of interest:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/11/...wnforce-video/
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2014
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Race Director
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Ft Lauderdale
Tech Contributor
None of this matters unless you're at Daytona… I took off all my spoilers for a better look ,I could care less when I'm going to the grocery store or going to a friends house 100 miles away, the spoilers mean nothing .....do what makes you happy, and don't worry about the cooling or the "down force" unless you are high-speed tracking the car
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,661
Likes: 67
From: Ocean Springs MS
Just kidding, we have a non-Z51 convertible, also, but without the big spoiler. Just get tired of being told I bought a lesser car, since I didn't go with the Z51.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 48
Likes: 5
From: Owen Sound ON
The aerodynamics are different for the Z51 convertible since there aren't air scoops on the top of the rear fenders, so that volume of air (8 CFM) continues over the top to the rear spoiler.
Also there is an air deflector on the underside of the rear axle to divert cooling air from beneath the car up to the transmission/rear end cooling coils located above the rear axle.
Don't know if that is specific to the convertible only?
Leaving an opening in the front air deflector will allow more air to pass through to the rear axle deflector. ????
Also there is an air deflector on the underside of the rear axle to divert cooling air from beneath the car up to the transmission/rear end cooling coils located above the rear axle.
Don't know if that is specific to the convertible only?
Leaving an opening in the front air deflector will allow more air to pass through to the rear axle deflector. ????
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
The Z51 has air deflectors mounted on the front lower control arms to supply cooling air to the brake rotors. The base C7 does not have the air deflectors and if the center air dam was in place on the Z51, then it would block the air from getting to the air deflectors.
lack of the center air dam nothing to do with increased cooling the engine, or increased down force or improved aerodynamics.
lack of the center air dam nothing to do with increased cooling the engine, or increased down force or improved aerodynamics.
Last edited by JoesC5; Dec 28, 2014 at 04:53 PM.