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I really don't like the look of the side skirts on my GS. It looks like they're held on by plastic rivets and sticky tape. If I remove them will it leave any holes or marks? Has anyone on here ever removed them from their GS?
I really don't like the look of the side skirts on my GS. It looks like they're held on by plastic rivets and sticky tape. If I remove them will it leave any holes or marks? Has anyone on here ever removed them from their GS?
They are held on by a few screws and a bunch of metal rivets, same with the front lip spoiler. You can remove them but it will require you to drill out the existing rivets. You will have holes but you can't really see them unless you bend down and look under there.
There are other after market side skirts available if you want to change the look a bit.
Thanks Falcon, I don't mind the holes underneath where I can't see them. I just want to make sure there's nothing else holding these things on (epoxy or the like) before I start tearing them off!
I really don't like the look of the side skirts on my GS. It looks like they're held on by plastic rivets and sticky tape. If I remove them will it leave any holes or marks? Has anyone on here ever removed them from their GS?
FYI, The design of the side skirts also protects the car from rocks being thrown from the sticky tires. Removing them and then not replacing it with anything will cause damage.
I really don't like the look of the side skirts on my GS. It looks like they're held on by plastic rivets and sticky tape. If I remove them will it leave any holes or marks? Has anyone on here ever removed them from their GS?
most of your questions answered except what they look without ... weird to me once you’ve had them... good thing you can change your mind later if you don’t strip the screws and rivets.
I went from carbon fiber full length to nothing, now back to “poverty” set
Have a question for you guys. I notice that a lot of these side skirts are only 3/4 length. A GS with 24,000 miles on it at cars and coffee Sunday was present and I asked the owner why not full length. He stated that is because the rocks and stones that fly up are spent by the time they get half way back towards the rear and there is not a necessity for full length. I looked under a Z06 with full length that was there and sure enough. He had a lot of chips under the first half underneath the side skirt, but the rest didn't have a mark. No chips on the paint area in front of the rear wheels, duct area, etc. The Z06 had 32,000 miles on it. I would presume then that 3/4 length is sufficient?
Have a question for you guys. I notice that a lot of these side skirts are only 3/4 length. A GS with 24,000 miles on it at cars and coffee Sunday was present and I asked the owner why not full length. He stated that is because the rocks and stones that fly up are spent by the time they get half way back towards the rear and there is not a necessity for full length. I looked under a Z06 with full length that was there and sure enough. He had a lot of chips under the first half underneath the side skirt, but the rest didn't have a mark. No chips on the paint area in front of the rear wheels, duct area, etc. The Z06 had 32,000 miles on it. I would presume then that 3/4 length is sufficient?
I have a 17 GS with standard OE side skirts and after 21k miles, not one single chip or dent in my ducts or rear wheel area. Side skirts handle the issue quite well.
I have a 17 GS with standard OE side skirts and after 21k miles, not one single chip or dent in my ducts or rear wheel area. Side skirts handle the issue quite well.
Glad to hear that! I'll go with the 3/4 OEM skirts on my next one. Only have a Stingray now, but get this, the only pock marks I have are on the film in front of the rear wheels. The rest of the side of the car looks brand new and I have 79,000 miles on it.
I just noticed I chose the Visible Carbon Fiber Ground Effects Package on the Z06 and they are full length. But good to know about the 3/4 protection in case I change my mind.
Last edited by joemessman; 10-08-2018 at 01:06 PM.
3/4 Length skirts are the standard or stage 1.That application is on the Z and GS.I believe more is better.Sold my Stage 1 and replaced with Stage 2 or 3 .Full length.
Better for protection and design.
I would look at the side of my GS and say it isn't finished with cutoff skirts.My opinion.
GM Skirts are pricey.Went with aftermarket.Got over 13k miles i beleve one small chip near brake duck.No Film or ceramic.
I also added GM Mud Guards for added protection. Choice is yours
Have a question for you guys. I notice that a lot of these side skirts are only 3/4 length. A GS with 24,000 miles on it at cars and coffee Sunday was present and I asked the owner why not full length. He stated that is because the rocks and stones that fly up are spent by the time they get half way back towards the rear and there is not a necessity for full length. I looked under a Z06 with full length that was there and sure enough. He had a lot of chips under the first half underneath the side skirt, but the rest didn't have a mark. No chips on the paint area in front of the rear wheels, duct area, etc. The Z06 had 32,000 miles on it. I would presume then that 3/4 length is sufficient?
I agree, and I like the looks of the 3/4 better as well the way they seem to tuck under the brake duct.
Pretty much my same point when discussing GM OEM splash guards vs the 1/2" wider ACS. Yes, the ACS are wider, however I'm convinced the extra 1/2" is not necessary for protection.
I would like to find a set that is full length but does not have the "indentation" about 3/4 of the way back like the GM factory stage 2/3. I know it is supposed to make entry/egress easier but the cut back is still behind where my feet are when I get in or out so pretty much a moot point. I would like it to look more like the ones on the C7.R that do not have the indent and run the same width dimension from front to back. It appears C7 Carbon may have a set structured that way but I cannot tell from the pictures on their site. Their Turismo look somewhat like that but appear to be narrower overall.
Keep in mind that those little plastic skirts retail for $700 each. I know, because I had to replace one. Thank goodness they protected the body of the car from being damaged. Without them the damage would have been more expensive.
I love the look of the full length stage 2/3 C7 side skirts.Yeah I believe it offers a little more protection but this will not stop all sand/stone impacts on the rear fender flares and rockers if you own a wide-body and I'm not talking about your posterior. If you look from the rear of the car and look along the side of the car forward you can see that the front tires are not full contaned within the front wheel wells. Maybe an inch sticks out further from the side fenders. This one inch is just enough to throw a continuous stream of grit and stone along the side of your wide-body impacting your flares. The tires are so sticky that this is commonplace on the wide-bodies. In 2017 the GS/Z06 had no spats and then GM put them on the wide bodies starting in 18 as a result of this problem. It's very interesting to note that GM designed the front flares of the ZR1 to fully contain the front tires within the wheel wells unlike the GS or Z06. Also note no spats on the ZR1 but I digress. Adding spats cut down significantly on the problem Corvette owners had in 17 with throwing grit and stones rearward. Owners here went beyond this addition and started to experiment with adding even larger front wheel flaps which seems to help a even more. The final piece of the puzzle though to achieving near perfect protection has to be the addition of PPF on the rear fender flares. The lower rocker is already covered with PPF at the factory thanks to GM. I believe the addition of all these steps I cite above will aid any wide-body owner with the near extinction of the sandblasting and chipping widely seen on the C7 wide-bodies.
FYI, The design of the side skirts also protects the car from rocks being thrown from the sticky tires. Removing them and then not replacing it with anything will cause damage.
Originally Posted by joemessman
Have a question for you guys. I notice that a lot of these side skirts are only 3/4 length. A GS with 24,000 miles on it at cars and coffee Sunday was present and I asked the owner why not full length. He stated that is because the rocks and stones that fly up are spent by the time they get half way back towards the rear and there is not a necessity for full length. I looked under a Z06 with full length that was there and sure enough. He had a lot of chips under the first half underneath the side skirt, but the rest didn't have a mark. No chips on the paint area in front of the rear wheels, duct area, etc. The Z06 had 32,000 miles on it. I would presume then that 3/4 length is sufficient?
All depends on your area. I ordered my GS with full length side skirts and a splitter both made from carbon fiber (mine are painted carbon flash.) It's the Stage 2 aero package.
MY REASON:
My C7 Z51 had the GM protective plastic being dinged as soon as I got it- looked bad. Installed full length side skirts and all marking stopped so removed the GM plastic-discolored on the edges by then. When I sold the car 3 years later the rocker panels were perfect.
My Grand Sport sounds like a tambourine from the pebbles on the sides of our rural roads in some areas! Those pebbles hit the bottom of the carbon fiber side skirts but do not hit the rocker panels OR the rear fender lower brake ducts. A number of posts stating the bottom brake duct openings getting dinged. GM has even put plastic protection in that area so they know rocks get thrown back that far! In fact I will be taking the GM plastic off as it's discolored at the edges.
In fact although I had GM splash guards on the front and rear on my 2014 Z51 that I removed and planned to install on the Grand Sport! However after forum member suggestions I put the 1/2 inch wider and deeper splash guards from ACS on the front. Need all the help you can get, IMO! The Grand Sport front tires are as wide as the Z51 rear tires and the spats do not go down far enough to provide any protection! In ~18 months I have no dings on my rocker panels of rear brake duct openings.
When the wife is in the Vette (fortunately seldom as have to drive like an "old man" and with the sound system off) she comments on the noise of pebbles hitting the skirt bottoms. When I drive by myself (98% of the time) I have the sound system playing fairly loud to drown out tire and road noise so I don't notice the sound!
I really don't like the look of the side skirts on my GS. It looks like they're held on by plastic rivets and sticky tape. If I remove them will it leave any holes or marks? Has anyone on here ever removed them from their GS?
FYI, The design of the side skirts also protects the car from rocks being thrown from the sticky tires. Removing them and then not replacing it with anything will cause damage.
This is 100 percent correct. My Dad didn't have 1200 miles on his Collector Edition when the rear brake vent was already all chipped up and he lived on the east coast of FL where the roads are clean and smooth. He added the full length skirts after that and the rock chips stopped.
I prefer the full length side skirts that are on my Carbon 65. I feel they look more complete. The way they go in 2/3 the way back, then back out really helps when getting out of the car.
10-08-2018, 10:01 AM
GS Side Skirts
