[17CamaroZL1]

Originally Posted by pcguy2u

Interesting video graphic - if I read that correctly, a rear spoiler with no compensating front downforce is not going to be useful.



That video shows a spoiler that is what I thought was on the SS. Are they the same design?

Earlier this morning, one pic that I saw showed a spoiler that was fairly large by comparison.

Color me confused, as usual...

Are you possibly confusing the ZL1 spoiler with the ZL1 1LE? The 1LE has a huge carbon fiber wing. The standard ZL1 has a small wing almost identical to the SS, except it hangs out off the side of the car a bit more like already mentioned. The small ZL1 wing looks much better in person than in pics, if you've never seen one in person.

[17CamaroZL1]

Originally Posted by pcguy2u

Yeah but... Like Glen said, little effect until you're really moving. I'm only talking cosmetics here

And here's another thing I never could understand about the downforce thing - creating downforce in the back should have the effect of creating uplift in the front. I know I'm missing something on this, but every time I bring that up in these kinds of discussions, everything goes silent???

Probably has something to do with vacuum created by the front splitter and the air dam offsetting the downforce, but I've never read that.

Adding downforce in the rear isn't going to create lift in the front. Car setup and aero design should be balanced so that the handling doesn't change as speed increases. If the aero isn't balanced correctly, at higher speeds, the car may not want to turn, or it may want to spin out. Depending on which end has downforce and which one doesn't. The ZL1 is perfectly balanced in both standard and 1LE form.

You are correct about the front splitter and the air dams creating downforce in the front. The splitter slopes up on top and even if it didn't, it would still push the nose down from all the air pressure on top of it at speed. The air dams under the ZL1 direct air onto the front tires and also out from under the car, creating a vacuum effect under the nose. The hood also plays a role in downforce as it allows air to be sucked out of the engine bay to the top side of the car, so all the air going through the grilles doesn't build up pressure under the hood, then end up going under the car where it can create lift. The more things you can do to create a vacuum under the car, the better it will stick to the ground as speed increases.

Many have watched that aero video and say the rear wing creates lift on the standard ZL1, because it appears to, except the ends, going by the color graphics on top of it, but you also have to take into account the vacuum created underneath it from being slightly tilted. A wing is the most efficient way to create downforce with very little drag. They still flow through the air very easily where a blade style spoiler doesn't. If you don't care about drag or any possible change in the aero balance, and prefer the look of a spoiler, then swap them out. I think the cars look good with either on them and will perform just fine on the street.