Plastic Fantastic 76 Corvette

[SuperBuickGuy]

time to get back to this

getting there


this may be dumb but I'm going to make the Optima spoiler adjustable.


from the other side


explanation... Optima has some requirements that make the 'standard' wing pointless... so I am building brackets that allow bolting a clear duckbill style spoiler onto the car in place of the other spoiler. With that said, the rules allow them to be adjustable, just not on the fly (no active aero)

I need to do a touch more tuning on the car, and take it to the detailer for a full buff, correct and ceramic coat.. thus the stickers came off.... what to do with them?
because racetruck?

can't imagine they'd complain about this stack location

probably get in trouble, though, because that would be aero that is adjustable while driving.... maybe I'll have to ask those in power....

[SuperBuickGuy]

Optima spoiler
so we saw it in CAD... now in alumineeeuum

round 1, full, square sheet

race mode

autoX mode

now bottom has first trim to more match the spoiler's curve

using lasers to be sure of the height

final cut

now in the correct height. It's an interesting rule to apply - no taller then 8" above the highest point on the deck or no more then 6" higher then the lowest point of the window... in this case, the window is the high point... so 6" it is...

final bit will be some kind of brace to keep it from flopping (and attaching, but need fasteners)

[SuperBuickGuy]

the most fun part of autox is making YOUR car handle. There is a huge body of knowledge out there to make cars handle - but all cars have an aero signature... the reason I used a radar arch instead of this style of aero is because that step to the back window creates huge turbulence, but putting the wing in clear air, I could get good flow. Problem to be address is that wing is illegal for Optima. Not dissing the rules at all but what you can go wild (duckbills, splitters, etc) really are hard to integrate into my car's body shape.

So we have where we're at today.... and I'm really questioning why bother... but we'll carry on - however, don't be terribly surprised if I simply bag it and and run without. You'd think that'd be a terrible disadvantage - I'm not convinced... if I wanted solid aero, I'd have built a 3rd gen Firebird.

so here we are.


in this position, I need to brace the foil otherwise it'll flop more then a politician

even though adjustable - I might run it in a position like this or even one notch more flat - then pull the rear window out

​​​​​​​4 weeks and I leave for California to race... March 2.

[SuperBuickGuy]

alrighty.... spoiler is on, looking good, and speaking of looking good, Trio is 1 year old today.

other side looks okay too

and the Optima spoiler

truth is I like the wing better..
looks like there's a lurker

The FJ40 I built with proceeds from the prior C3.... the red C3 is getting a 496 and belongs to a really good friend of mine. And no, I can't decide on what kind of wheeled adventure I like, there are also airplanes....

[camcojb]

Turned out great!

[Goosesdad]

Looks great. Curious how you mounted the supports? Any cool pics from underneath? TIA.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Originally Posted by Goosesdad

Looks great. Curious how you mounted the supports? Any cool pics from underneath? TIA.

I ran brackets from the deck to the frame. The spoiler just bolts through the deck to those mounts (which look like a T)

Oh this week!. Got little done except a list of what I need to get done in 12 days.

and I've added to it since this picture... pray for me, it's going to be close
​​​​​​​

[SuperBuickGuy]

so the list got longer.... the filter media is completely gone from the top... ordered a new top so the list is back but it's fun surprises like this... also had a couple leaks (now just one) to fix...

this progressed quickly... brief explanation - the console cover moved because it wasn't fastened down in the front... not a huge deal except that I use the phone holder - and it moving was a problem

a new brace, a couple more screws in the side, a few threaded inserts and it's solid

back together


list is shorter



it's fun, when this is all said and done, outside of the different spoiler, it will look the same but this is, after the last race in July:
all new rear arms
lower rear gears (3.91)
new wheels
new tires (upgrade to 200 tw and a 295 front tire instead of the 275)
elimination of the cam bolts in the C5 front end
revise the camber and castor
new spoiler
refasten the interior
replace the rack
different tune on the motor

before July I'm changing the Sniper to Terminator X and port injection along with a sheet metal intake (and new lifters)... intake to finally get a decent air filter on it.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Just a couple things left to wrap up. but first...
brake bolts needed tightening and fresh thread lock (blue)

air ducts too

stupid horn relays... it's new, it's junk


tomorrow, hopefully, the air cleaner will come and I can do that along with verify the tune (make sure the TPS is right, that the IAC is working - remarkably, it has been, and fine tune the various a/f ratios along with timing).... then i goes into the trailer for a week.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Corvette is back out of the trailer from its duties of anchor...
who says you can't get good headlights?

​​​​​​​now with brights

air filter... there just isn't much room under the hood... as it is, this isn't perfect but it's good enough for now


well, after a whole bunch of trial, this is what it will be

x marks the spot

remember geometry?

did I just void another warranty? yep, and there will be more


this will work

chopped down an offset base, flipped it over

there it is... offset, chopped, and barely touches



a little more cleaning tomorrow and then it's back into the trailer to get packed for next weekend.