Does The Belly Pan Help or Hurt The ZL1....

[CAM....ZL1]

I was just thinking that the pan was designed to help create down force.
Would removing it help in drag racing the car by removing engine bay
Heat faster, and relieving the down force created by he pan help the car
run faster. I don't track my car but would it affect daily and spirited driving
without it?

[Trickskier]

The belly pan is for aerodynamics to make the air flow smoothly under the car - Not down force. Removing it will only slow your car down.

[CAM....ZL1]

Originally Posted by Trickskier

The belly pan is for aerodynamics to make the air flow smoothly under the car - Not down force. Removing it will only slow your car down.

I know this is true, but it also aids in forcing air out the hood extractor by enclosing the bay, it forces some of the air out the hood. According to GM's airflow video, airflow is forced out the extractor to create down force.
Down force slows you down right?

[motorhead]

So now you're going to re engineer this car after all the R&D that went into the design. Don't let the Z/28 fool you. The ZL1 is a bargain for us real people. It's way more real world car for the money.

[gen=5]

Originally Posted by CAM....ZL1

I know this is true, but it also aids in forcing air out the hood extractor by enclosing the bay, it forces some of the air out the hood. According to GM's airflow video, airflow is forced out the extractor to create down force.
Down force slows you down right?

No down force does not slow your car down.....your thinking about it wrong,you need down force to be able to go around corners at speed, plus allowing the air to pass through the front of the car ,and over the hood speeds up the car.....

[CAM....ZL1]

Originally Posted by motorhead

So now you're going to re engineer this car after all the R&D that went into the design. Don't let the Z/28 fool you. The ZL1 is a bargain for us real people. It's way more real world car for the money.

Not at all, just a question. I still have my pan on.
Again the car was engineered for both the track and
The strip. I believe the pan is engineered for the
Track(IMO) to aid in aerodynamics. I think removing for
Strip would net faster times, and allow the engine bay
to remove heat faster. I could very well be wrong.
I'm really not trying to reengineer anything, that's
above my pay grade..lol

[Trickskier]

Originally Posted by CAM....ZL1

I know this is true, but it also aids in forcing air out the hood extractor by enclosing the bay, it forces some of the air out the hood. According to GM's airflow video, airflow is forced out the extractor to create down force.
Down force slows you down right?

Do you have a link to this video? The main purpose of the hood vents is to extract heat. They may also relieve some pressure and create downforce but the main function is to extract heat.

[White_SS/RS]

The belly pan is strictly used to create downforce. Removing the pan will create lift in the front of the car, this would be a benefit for mileage and drag racing, it would be considered a negative for road courses. Cooling would also be improved.

[Midnight Rat]

Removing it will result in weight reduction with equals faster time.

[Todd in Vancouver]

Interesting idea. Why not see if someone will do some runs with and without and see if there is a time difference.

[CAM....ZL1]

Originally Posted by White_SS/RS

The belly pan is strictly used to create downforce. Removing the pan will create lift in the front of the car, this would be a benefit for mileage and drag racing, it would be considered a negative for road courses. Cooling would also be improved.

This is exactly what I said and believe is true.
Removing the pan would create lift which
Would lighten the front end.
The downforce would only benefit tracking the car,

[Trickskier]

Originally Posted by 2013 1LE

Removing it will result in weight reduction with equals faster time.

It's a composite material, can't weigh more than 2 pounds, doubt removing it will result in a faster ET.

[CAM....ZL1]

Originally Posted by Trickskier

It's a composite material, can't weigh more than 2 pounds, doubt removing it will result in a faster ET.

I think what he really means is, well think of it like gravity vs weightlessness.
The more of the forced gravity (downforce) you remove from the car the lighter it becomes. The lighter the car the faster the ET. In theory anyway.

[ZO6 Bryan]

Originally Posted by CAM....ZL1

I think what he really means is, well think of it like gravity vs weightlessness.
The more of the forced gravity (downforce) you remove from the car the lighter it becomes. The lighter the car the faster the ET. In theory anyway.

No, because weight is not the same as mass. The car still has the same mass, and will take the same amount of force to accelerate it. F=MA