C7 Carbon Wing Review

Shooter_X · 12-21-2019, 10:37 AM

Good Morning guys.

I wanted to provide a realistic review that isn't padded with crap trying to get you to follow some YouTube channel. I'll try to hit everything that would have influenced my decision.

For background: I spent 2004 - 2009 as an ASE Certified Master Technician with the bulk of my time at Toyota and about a year or so at Infiniti. From 2009 through 2017 I worked on multiple manned and unmanned airframes. So I am not quite a hobbyist with harbor freight tools.

I ordered a C7 Carbon wing June 25th, it arrived Dec 13th.
On the 15th when I had some time away from work I opened the box to inspect contents and found the following: Hazing, low spots in the resin, and scuffs.
See attached files 20191215_*.jpg (5 files in post #2)

I emailed the company on Dec 16th to provide the attached pictures. I have to date (Dec 21st) received no response.

I had to get my car out of my shop and since I had already removed my stock spoiler I went ahead with the install.

Start to finish this should be a maybe 30 minute process. It is straight forward with some caveats.

All but 1 hole behind the trunk latch is easily accessible.

Alignment: The bolts aligned with the holes as good as can be expected. The uprights point outward at maybe a 30-45 degree angle, while the factory ZL1 spoiler mounts followed the centerline of the car almost parallel. Function wise I can't see an issue, however the center alignment hole of the factory spoiler is VERY close to the edge of the upright. This could present a potential issue for water intrusion. I put a small bead of silicone around each of the holes prior to mounting to address this concern. There is a small foam strip on the uprights, but there is a gap so and the strip is narrow so I wouldn't trust it to be watertight.

Mounting: Bolting down was straight forward in instructions. HOWEVER - the uprights are mounted to the wing via a long bolt, then attached to the deck lid with a long bolt, and stud affixed to the bottom of the upright. In theory this is a good design but there lies an issue with the angle of the long bolts which go through the deck lid and into the spoiler (passing through the uprights). The angle of the molded in nut in the spoiler is off from the decklid by a few degrees (sorry I didn't measure). The result is that if you tighten the rear (upright pass through) bolts first, the assembly forms a gap between the front of the uprights and the decklid - however if you tighten the nut on the stud (forward on the uprights) first, it closes the front gap, and draws the rear down when you tighten the rear. This tightening order makes the gap go away but I have concerns about the longevity of this design. When tightening in this manner, the inside of the rear bolts IS NOT perpendicular to the decklid, meaning the washer and lock ring are not fully engaged - one end makes contact and one does not. I'll try to illustrate this as best as I can. Without some form of inspection camera I can't get inside the trunk structure to show the gap. (See Bolting.jpg)

Tightening: I couldn't find a torque spec for the mounting hardware. I HATE - let me say this again - HATE working with composites that have bedded hardware. I didn't want to over-tighten, and with no spec it was kind of a crap shoot. So I cringed listening to the unhappy composite noises as I snugged until the gap at the decklid was gone.

Overall Impression: I bought this because at the tracks I am running I see speeds over 140, and wanted some extra aero bits to improve. A 4k factory option wasn't worth the squeeze for me. I was told by C7 Carbon when I ordered this was near identical to the factory wing. Aesthetically, I can agree with that. In construction, I don't feel the mounting method is on par with my expectations. i.e. Great for "I want to look like a 1LE" Not great, IN MY OPINION, for "I want the construction of a 1LE". I think if I had know this was the opinion I'd end up with I would have left my factory spoiler on.

Of Course take all of this as a grain of salt, it is one persons experience and humble opinion.

The last Images I'll upload are of the wing mounted on the car, which looks fine with the exception of the blemish defects in the first 20191215* image series.

Hope this helps anyone who's considering buying.

Shooter_X · 12-21-2019, 10:39 AM

DAMAGE / DEFECT PHOTOS

Shooter_X · 12-21-2019, 10:39 AM

Side Shot post install:

PROMETHEUS · 12-21-2019, 11:38 AM

Thanks for the unbiased review! It has convinced me to stay away from these vendor aftermarket wings! Between your issues with C7Carbon's wing, non-existent customer service and the recent post on problems with WeaponX's wing, neither of which fulfill my expectations.
I will either keep my ZL1 spoiler on the car, or purchase an OEM wing, when I win the lottery, LOL. Thanks again for the information and review.

UFDUB · 12-21-2019, 11:45 AM

I agree with your concerns. If that was delivered to me, I’d be upset! That’s a lot of fitment issues that should not exist. Sorry my friend.

Shooter_X · 12-21-2019, 02:25 PM

Happy to help. Unbiased info is few and far between. I’m not mad, just disappointed lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by PROMETHEUS

Thanks for the unbiased review! It has convinced me to stay away from these vendor aftermarket wings! Between your issues with C7Carbon's wing, non-existent customer service and the recent post on problems with WeaponX's wing, neither of which fulfill my expectations.
I will either keep my ZL1 spoiler on the car, or purchase an OEM wing, when I win the lottery, LOL. Thanks again for the information and review.

Firecaptain · 12-21-2019, 04:23 PM

I thought the OEM outboard supports did in fact point outward.....
I'm guessing they won't answer or return calls either?.....that sucks!

What type of gasket is supplied, a gummy type like the standard ZL1 rear spoiler has?
Thanks

Shooter_X · 12-21-2019, 07:32 PM

I don’t have phone access at work which kills business hours. The oem ones might to a degree but it’s significantly different than the ones on this 1LE wing.

The gasket supplied is a foam type not the adhesive factory kind. It’s maybe 3/16”wide. You can see it in some of the pics

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firecaptain

I thought the OEM outboard supports did in fact point outward.....
I'm guessing they won't answer or return calls either?.....that sucks!

What type of gasket is supplied, a gummy type like the standard ZL1 rear spoiler has?
Thanks

ryan_moore2124 · 12-22-2019, 10:37 AM

I’m with Prometheus. Really wanted the aftermarket wing, but gonna pass with all the problems I’ve seen and read. The spoiler I’m looking at now is the Anderson Composites CF deck lid with integrated spoiler.

Gritesh · 12-22-2019, 08:12 PM

Great..... I ordered one of these from a local shop 4 months ago they swore up and down c7 made nice stuff...

Now I don’t know what to do either wait till it comes in and if it’s blemished/fitment issues tell them shop I refuse it and send it back, or call now and see about cancelling my order...

Not feeling very good about my purchase right now.

PROMETHEUS · 12-22-2019, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan_moore2124

I’m with Prometheus. Really wanted the aftermarket wing, but gonna pass with all the problems I’ve seen and read. The spoiler I’m looking at now is the Anderson Composites CF deck lid with integrated spoiler.

Anderson Composites are working on a 1LE wing. It is shown under the 1LE listing. I read a post just recently which said, they debut it during the SEMA show this year. There website indicates it is not available at this time. That might be a viable alternative, if they ever produce it.

EDFHOBBIES · 12-23-2019, 12:33 PM

the ends seem thicker and not as long going by pics..

Grumpy1 · 12-23-2019, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PROMETHEUS

Anderson Composites are working on a 1LE wing. It is shown under the 1LE listing. I read a post just recently which said, they debut it during the SEMA show this year. There website indicates it is not available at this time. That might be a viable alternative, if they ever produce it.

Spoke with a rep today stating the first few will hopefully roll out by mid Jan to Feb. He also said there wing is a true carbon piece and not an overlay.
We'll see...........

PROMETHEUS · 12-23-2019, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy1

Spoke with a rep today stating the first few will hopefully roll out by mid Jan to Feb. He also said there wing is a true carbon piece and not an overlay.
We'll see...........

Yep, will see! If only one vendor had them ready to go with correct fitment and finish.....they could corner the market!

12-21-2019, 10:37 AM	#1
Shooter_X Drives: 2018 ZL1 6MT Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 58 View My Garage	C7 Carbon Wing Review Good Morning guys. I wanted to provide a realistic review that isn't padded with crap trying to get you to follow some YouTube channel. I'll try to hit everything that would have influenced my decision. For background: I spent 2004 - 2009 as an ASE Certified Master Technician with the bulk of my time at Toyota and about a year or so at Infiniti. From 2009 through 2017 I worked on multiple manned and unmanned airframes. So I am not quite a hobbyist with harbor freight tools. I ordered a C7 Carbon wing June 25th, it arrived Dec 13th. On the 15th when I had some time away from work I opened the box to inspect contents and found the following: Hazing, low spots in the resin, and scuffs. See attached files 20191215_.jpg (5 files in post #2) I emailed the company on Dec 16th to provide the attached pictures. I have to date (Dec 21st) received no response. I had to get my car out of my shop and since I had already removed my stock spoiler I went ahead with the install. Start to finish this should be a maybe 30 minute process. It is straight forward with some caveats. All but 1 hole behind the trunk latch is easily accessible. Alignment:* The bolts aligned with the holes as good as can be expected. The uprights point outward at maybe a 30-45 degree angle, while the factory ZL1 spoiler mounts followed the centerline of the car almost parallel. Function wise I can't see an issue, however the center alignment hole of the factory spoiler is VERY close to the edge of the upright. This could present a potential issue for water intrusion. I put a small bead of silicone around each of the holes prior to mounting to address this concern. There is a small foam strip on the uprights, but there is a gap so and the strip is narrow so I wouldn't trust it to be watertight. Mounting: Bolting down was straight forward in instructions. HOWEVER - the uprights are mounted to the wing via a long bolt, then attached to the deck lid with a long bolt, and stud affixed to the bottom of the upright. In theory this is a good design but there lies an issue with the angle of the long bolts which go through the deck lid and into the spoiler (passing through the uprights). The angle of the molded in nut in the spoiler is off from the decklid by a few degrees (sorry I didn't measure). The result is that if you tighten the rear (upright pass through) bolts first, the assembly forms a gap between the front of the uprights and the decklid - however if you tighten the nut on the stud (forward on the uprights) first, it closes the front gap, and draws the rear down when you tighten the rear. This tightening order makes the gap go away but I have concerns about the longevity of this design. When tightening in this manner, the inside of the rear bolts IS NOT perpendicular to the decklid, meaning the washer and lock ring are not fully engaged - one end makes contact and one does not. I'll try to illustrate this as best as I can. Without some form of inspection camera I can't get inside the trunk structure to show the gap. (See Bolting.jpg) Tightening: I couldn't find a torque spec for the mounting hardware. I HATE - let me say this again - HATE working with composites that have bedded hardware. I didn't want to over-tighten, and with no spec it was kind of a crap shoot. So I cringed listening to the unhappy composite noises as I snugged until the gap at the decklid was gone. Overall Impression: I bought this because at the tracks I am running I see speeds over 140, and wanted some extra aero bits to improve. A 4k factory option wasn't worth the squeeze for me. I was told by C7 Carbon when I ordered this was near identical to the factory wing. Aesthetically, I can agree with that. In construction, I don't feel the mounting method is on par with my expectations. i.e. Great for "I want to look like a 1LE" Not great, IN MY OPINION, for "I want the construction of a 1LE". I think if I had know this was the opinion I'd end up with I would have left my factory spoiler on. Of Course take all of this as a grain of salt, it is one persons experience and humble opinion. The last Images I'll upload are of the wing mounted on the car, which looks fine with the exception of the blemish defects in the first 20191215* image series. Hope this helps anyone who's considering buying. Attached Images __________________ 2018 ZL1 \| RotoFab Intake \| Apex ARC-8 Wheels 3R tires

12-21-2019, 10:39 AM	#3
Shooter_X Drives: 2018 ZL1 6MT Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 58 View My Garage	Side Shot post install: Attached Images __________________ 2018 ZL1 \| RotoFab Intake \| Apex ARC-8 Wheels 3R tires

12-23-2019, 12:33 PM	#12
EDFHOBBIES Dyno Show Queen LOL Drives: 16 SS & 17 ZL1 Both Yellow Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Houston Posts: 4,345 View My Garage	the ends seem thicker and not as long going by pics.. __________________ Kong Ported 2650, Crawford Racing Port Injection, Weapon X 112mm Adapter, NW112mm TB, Livernois Ported LT4 Heads, Lingenfelter GT32 stealth cam, Haltech Elite, and Carbon by Trufiber

12-21-2019, 10:39 AM	#2
Shooter_X Drives: 2018 ZL1 6MT Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 58 View My Garage	DAMAGE / DEFECT PHOTOS Attached Images __________________ 2018 ZL1 \| RotoFab Intake \| Apex ARC-8 Wheels 3R tires

12-21-2019, 11:38 AM	#4
PROMETHEUS Drives: 2019 ZL-1, Shadow Gray, Sold Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,390	Thanks for the unbiased review! It has convinced me to stay away from these vendor aftermarket wings! Between your issues with C7Carbon's wing, non-existent customer service and the recent post on problems with WeaponX's wing, neither of which fulfill my expectations. I will either keep my ZL1 spoiler on the car, or purchase an OEM wing, when I win the lottery, LOL. Thanks again for the information and review.

12-21-2019, 11:45 AM	#5
UFDUB Drives: Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Florida Posts: 127	I agree with your concerns. If that was delivered to me, I’d be upset! That’s a lot of fitment issues that should not exist. Sorry my friend.

12-21-2019, 04:23 PM	#7
Firecaptain Drives: '22 Summit White ZL1 A10 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Virginia Posts: 459	I thought the OEM outboard supports did in fact point outward..... I'm guessing they won't answer or return calls either?.....that sucks! What type of gasket is supplied, a gummy type like the standard ZL1 rear spoiler has? Thanks

12-22-2019, 10:37 AM	#9
ryan_moore2124 Drives: 2019 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: May 2019 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 11	I’m with Prometheus. Really wanted the aftermarket wing, but gonna pass with all the problems I’ve seen and read. The spoiler I’m looking at now is the Anderson Composites CF deck lid with integrated spoiler.

12-22-2019, 08:12 PM	#10
Gritesh Drives: 2019 ZL1 A10 Black Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: AB Posts: 93	Great..... I ordered one of these from a local shop 4 months ago they swore up and down c7 made nice stuff... Now I don’t know what to do either wait till it comes in and if it’s blemished/fitment issues tell them shop I refuse it and send it back, or call now and see about cancelling my order... Not feeling very good about my purchase right now.

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