Why the molding strip down the side on some C5S
03-09-2007, 10:57 PM
#21
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C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
03-09-2007, 11:10 PM
#23
Melting Slicks
Here is a quote from a Corvette C5 Performance Project book I have, "Chuck Mallett (Mr. GM Inside Powerttrain) did a few wind tunnel tests with Cheverolet at GM's wind tunnel facilities in Troy, Michigan, when GM was developing the World Gallenge body package and the C% Aero kit. They noticed a difference in rear end lift (or downforce on your perspective) between cars with and without the body side moldings. They found that cars with the side moldings or spears, had better rear downforce numbers and cars without side spears had less rear end lift. The spears aid and improve laminar flow along the sides of the C5, and that improved laminar flow prevents the air from spilling off the side of the hood at the cowl. This in turn adds downforce to the windshield.
The improved side body laminar flow also reduces the amount of air wrapping under the car (in front of he rear wheels) and thus reduces rear end lift. Without the side molding, the reduced laminar flow and increased hood cowl spill almost doubles the amount of air getting under the rear.
Laminar flow only starts to become effective around 100MPH and increases after that.
The improved side body laminar flow also reduces the amount of air wrapping under the car (in front of he rear wheels) and thus reduces rear end lift. Without the side molding, the reduced laminar flow and increased hood cowl spill almost doubles the amount of air getting under the rear.
Laminar flow only starts to become effective around 100MPH and increases after that.
03-09-2007, 11:10 PM
#24
Le Mans Master
I'm keeping mine!
03-09-2007, 11:20 PM
#26
Safety Car
At First Liked 'Em, Now Don't
When I was first searching for a Vette, I was only looking at cars with the BSM, because I thought they looked better. But after awhile, seeing all the "COOL" cars without them on this forum, I wasn't bothered buying a car without them. Tastes change. Sometimes for the better. I agree, they may offer some protection against side dings and dents, but I hardly believe they offer any air flow benefit under 100MPH. Seems the majority of people on this forum DON'T like 'em.
03-09-2007, 11:25 PM
#27
Melting Slicks
It's over 100MPH, not under 100, and it seems to really only come down to prefference. I opted for the BSM's and both of my brothers chose C5's without them. C5's look sweet with or without them.
03-10-2007, 01:26 AM
#29
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
When I was first searching for a Vette, I was only looking at cars with the BSM, because I thought they looked better. But after awhile, seeing all the "COOL" cars without them on this forum, I wasn't bothered buying a car without them. Tastes change. Sometimes for the better. I agree, they may offer some protection against side dings and dents, but I hardly believe they offer any air flow benefit under 100MPH. Seems the majority of people on this forum DON'T like 'em.
03-10-2007, 01:37 AM
#30
So, if you don't ever expect to go over 100MPH, take 'em off.
If you wanna run the the car like it was built to run ,leave 'em on.
I concede the fact that in day to day you won't need 'em, but there are 'track days'. Not that we'd ever exceed the legal speed limit on the highways, ever, officer!
I love mine with them on , and I drive it like I stole it.
If you wanna run the the car like it was built to run ,leave 'em on.
I concede the fact that in day to day you won't need 'em, but there are 'track days'. Not that we'd ever exceed the legal speed limit on the highways, ever, officer!
I love mine with them on , and I drive it like I stole it.
Last edited by Dave Sweatt; 03-10-2007 at 01:40 AM.
03-10-2007, 03:54 AM
#31
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I have a white coupe and I hate them . But for as tired as I am , I'm thinking that TWO sets of them double stacked in a mildly contrasting color (such as silver in my case) MIGHT look good
03-10-2007, 04:15 AM
#32
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2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Time to run the poll again
Last time surprisingly it was 50/50. I always thought the fans were in the minority
Last time surprisingly it was 50/50. I always thought the fans were in the minority
03-10-2007, 05:08 AM
#33
Team Owner
When I was first searching for a Vette, I was only looking at cars with the BSM, because I thought they looked better. But after awhile, seeing all the "COOL" cars without them on this forum, I wasn't bothered buying a car without them. Tastes change. Sometimes for the better. I agree, they may offer some protection against side dings and dents, but I hardly believe they offer any air flow benefit under 100MPH. Seems the majority of people on this forum DON'T like 'em.
03-10-2007, 06:19 AM
#35
Burning Brakes
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St. Jude Donor '07
They are on my car, they look fine on black, they stay. I've never considered prevailing opinions anyway.
"The seasoned hooker looked over her jon as he undressed and said:
"who do you expect to please with THAT"? He looked at her, smiled, and said, "ME"!
John
"The seasoned hooker looked over her jon as he undressed and said:
"who do you expect to please with THAT"? He looked at her, smiled, and said, "ME"!
John
03-10-2007, 06:52 AM
#37
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03-10-2007, 07:58 AM
#39
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My '01 had the BSM option. After a while I decided I didn't like them. It broke up the lines of the door and takes a huge chunk of space away from the fender gill. So I took mine off.
I think it looks much better without them. The upper line of the fender now blends right into the door just as the designers made it. The lower line creates the indentation along the door and then blends into the door. With them on, right smack in the middle of these flowing lines is this clunky looking object. It protrudes out. When you look at the sides along the car from a short distance without them the Vette actually has a waist there, with them on you have an un-natural object sticking out.
When I removed them I did the fenders first. I could not believe how much it opened up those gills without them. Then the door portion really looked out of place on there. So I continued and remove those as well. Before I removed the remaining adhesive you could already tell these BSMs were just an after thought.
Now the lines of the Vette are much smoother and flowing. It is much easier to wash and polish. And the shine continously reflects rather than broken up by new angles. And I don't park my Vette where it's going to get wacked, whether I had them on or not. So I'm not too concerned with that. If no open parking is close in, I'd rather walk a ways then park next to someone who would smack my Vette with their doors.
Ever notice every picture GM shows of the Vette be it C5 or C6 there are no BSMs.
I like mine without thank you.
I think it looks much better without them. The upper line of the fender now blends right into the door just as the designers made it. The lower line creates the indentation along the door and then blends into the door. With them on, right smack in the middle of these flowing lines is this clunky looking object. It protrudes out. When you look at the sides along the car from a short distance without them the Vette actually has a waist there, with them on you have an un-natural object sticking out.
When I removed them I did the fenders first. I could not believe how much it opened up those gills without them. Then the door portion really looked out of place on there. So I continued and remove those as well. Before I removed the remaining adhesive you could already tell these BSMs were just an after thought.
Now the lines of the Vette are much smoother and flowing. It is much easier to wash and polish. And the shine continously reflects rather than broken up by new angles. And I don't park my Vette where it's going to get wacked, whether I had them on or not. So I'm not too concerned with that. If no open parking is close in, I'd rather walk a ways then park next to someone who would smack my Vette with their doors.
Ever notice every picture GM shows of the Vette be it C5 or C6 there are no BSMs.
I like mine without thank you.
