The world of aftermarket modification is an exciting one with tons of options, but it can be overwhelming to any first time car modifier. In particular, the C7 Corvette is available in 3 models from the Stingray, Grand Sport, & Z06. Additionally, different styling options can be selected from the Z51 variants to the Aero levels! This guide will break down the available options ACS Composite offers for each model of the C7 Corvette whether it is a 2014 or a 2017. 

Click here if you own a C7 Stingray 2014 and up

Click here if you own a C7 Z06 2015 and up (coming soon)

 

C7 Grand Sport (2016 & up)

Vehicle Highlights

The Grand Sport is the ultimate touring machine; a Corvette focused on handling. The Grand Sport is noticeably more aggressive than the Stingray due to its enhanced track. The Grand Sport shares its power train with the Stingray, while wearing most of the Z06 exterior skin, and of course being significantly lighter than its bigger brother. There is no compromise with a Grand Sport, it is a balanced sports car. 

• Wider front fenders with Grand Sport specific fender inserts.

• Z06 front grill painted in satin black instead of carbon flash black found on the Z06.

• Grand Sport shares its hood, and red rear taillight with the Stingray.

• Z06 rear quarters, fascia, and spoiler.

• Grand Sport specific cup wheels with Z06 tire dimensions.

• Stage 1 & 2 Aero trim levels available from GM, described in detail below.

Protection Is Key

But, before we look at aesthetics, let's look at protecting your C7 Corvette. This should be your primary goal before taking your C7 out. If you have driven any amount of distance in your Vette, then you will have likely heard the rattling noise of road debris hitting the side paneling, as well as the underneath of the car. This is a concerning noise to any C7 owner! Due to its massive, sticky performance tires debris such as rocks, pebbles and stones are shot back towards the rear of the vehicle. This is damaging to the paint of the car, the rear brake scoop, as well as the underneath components. Take a look at the chipping sustained on a Stingray (Now, imagine the impact on your rear brake scoop) without rockers and mudflaps:

To fix this issue, we designed splash guards that are 30% larger than those offered by GM. Coupled with a set of our Side Rockers you will not have to worry about rocks damaging the underside and lower paneling of your Corvette. We offer our splash guards in a textured black finish ideal for matching the fender extensions on the Grand Sport.

We wrote an extensive blog about our Enhanced Splash Guards, if you would like to learn more about the product: Click here to be taken to the ACS Splash Guard Blog Post.

Notice how the ACS Splash Guard covers the front leading edge of the rocker which was previously exposed and chipped due to rocks and road debris. The extended coverage now prevents further damage. Had the splash guards been installed sooner, the damage would likely never have existed.

The GM Options

GM offers two setups / stages / levels of exterior accessories for the Grand Sport / Z06. ACS Composite offers a variety of ways for you to optimize your Grand Sport regardless of the GM setup on your C7. ACS products are designed to improve the styling, add aerodynamic functionality, and protection to your Grand Sport. Let's start by breaking down what is your current set up, and what ACS can do for you. If you know the package on your car, then scroll down and find the appropriate section for you. If you are unsure what is exactly on your Grand Sport, then be sure to check all the sections as they include images of what might be on your C7!

 

Stage 1 Owners

What You Have:

If you have the stage one package from GM, then your Grand Sport has the base plastic front splitter, rear spoiler, and no side skirts:

What You Need:

Here is a list of products, in order of importance, that ACS Composite offers that will benefit your Grand Sport:

Side Skirts: The base/stage 1 package lacks full length side rockers. Without a set of full length side rockers, your Grand Sport's paint and bodywork is at risk. Side skirts extend the side protection from road debris hitting and damaging the paneling. This may make the difference in resale value compared to Grand Sports driving around with side rocker protection.

Additionally, side rockers also provide you with added aerodynamic performance and thus improved high speed handling. Not only are your protecting your C7, but you are enhancing your driving experience with a set of side rockers.

If the Stage 1 rockers have already been installed on your Grand Sport, you can easily upgrade to our Stage 2 side rockers 45-4-029, we have insured the ACS Z06 rockers utilize the same mounting holes as the Stage 1 rocker in the common mounting area.

ACS Composite offers two (2) styles of Side Skirts to choose from. The Z06 Side Rockers (45-4-029) mimic the side rockers that GM offers with Stage 2 / 3 package, but at a fraction of the cost! However, we added extended undercarriage protection to protect the underneath of the Grand Sport, which is not offered on the GM Aero3 rockers.

The Zero1 Side Rockers (45-4-055) offer equal protection, but with a slender, sleek, stealth-like appearance for those not looking to take away from the contoured lines of the Grand Sport. Both side skirts are made using high grade RTM Composite, which offers greater rigidity and durability. The choice is yours:

 

Splitter:  The base splitter with this package is made from plastic injection, which means at higher speeds the splitter will flex and shake. When aerodynamic components begin to rattle or move, then the effectiveness of the piece is compromised. A durable and rigid front splitter is optimal for down-force performance as it will withstand higher speeds.

ACS Composite offers three (3) splitters that will augment the performance of your Grand Sport's front end. The first splitter replicates the splitter offered by GM in the Stage 2 & 3 package. Our splitters are made from RTM composite, a process that utilizes high compression molding for maximum rigidity and durability. To learn more about this process click here.

1) ACS Z06 Splitter (replicates the stage 2 / 3 splitter)[45-4-037]

Note: You can add the Stage 2 Deflectors (Mimics the Stage 2 Aero level) or the Stage 3 Deflectors (Mimics the Stage 3 Aero level).

Z06 Splitter (No endcaps)
Stage 2
Stage 3

 

2)  ACS-C7 Front Splitter (45-4-003)

An ACS Composite design that focuses on aerodynamic performance by creating an all-in-one undertray system that improves the underside airflow for maximum down-force capabilities. A great way for those seeking to add a level of uniqueness and performance to their Grand Sport.

 

3) ACS Five1 Front Lip Spoiler (45-4-031)

Our final splitter option is the Five1 Front Splitter, which offers a subtle looking splitter (great for matching our Zero1 Side Rockers) and does not reduce the ride height of your C7. Those with steep driveways or inclining roads will appreciate the elegant design behind our philosophy that performance should also meet drive-ability.

 

Spoiler: Finally, ACS offers two spoiler upgrades for the base Grand Sport spoiler. The first option mimics the Stage 2 package spoiler with the two large wickers on the end of the spoiler. The other option is the stage 3 option which includes the two large wickers, as well as the polycarbonate wicker bill that connects the two.

Stage 2
Stage 3

 

This concludes the first portion of modding your C7 Grand Sport, if you have the Stage 1 kit. While these mods will convert your base Grand Sport to the stage 2 or stage 3 levels, ACS Composite offers plenty of other options to augment the aesthetics of your C7. Scroll to the, 'ACS Aesthetics' section to learn more about our other products! 

Stage 2 Owners

What You Have:

If you have the stage 2 package offered by GM on your Grand Sport, then you have the higher wickers on the base rear spoiler, full length rockers, and stage 2 splitter:

What You Need:

Here is a list of products, in order of importance, that ACS Composite offers to benefit your Stage 2 Grand Sport package:

Splitter: The stage 2 splitter offers aerodynamic performance over the base splitter with the addition of the wind deflectors. However, it is a far cry from the performance upgrade of the Stage 3 Aero for the Z06. ACS Composite offers two additional splitter options.

1) ACS Z06 Stage 3 Splitter with Undertray (45-4-059 45-4-079)

Go a step further with an aerodynamic upgrade by replacing your current splitter with the ACS Stage 3 splitter with undertray. The undertray offers greater rigidity and enables the air that passes underneath the splitter remains laminar for maximum aerodynamic performance.

 

2) ACS Stage 3 Deflectors (45-4-079)

Simple solution offered by ACS Composite to upgrade your existing Stage 2 Splitter into the Stage 3 version. Installs on the existing OEM non-base splitter.

 

3)  ACS-C7 Front Splitter (45-4-003)

An ACS Composite design that focuses on aerodynamic performance by creating an all-in-one undertray system that improves the underside airflow for maximum downforce capabilities. A great way for those seeking to add a level of uniqueness and performance to their Grand Sport.

 

4) ACS Five1 Front Lip Spoiler (45-4-031) 

Our final splitter option is the Five1 Front Splitter, which offers a subtle looking splitter (great for matching our Zero1 Side Rockers) and does not reduce the ride height of your C7. Those with steep driveways or inclining roads will appreciate the elegant design behind our philosophy that performance should also meet drive-ability.

 

Spoiler: While you are generating greater down-force with the Stage 2 spoiler, the Stage 3 versions offers the greatest performance upgrade due to its added full length. Add the polycarbonate window to your rear spoiler to upgrade to the Stage 3 look. 

 

This concludes the first portion of modding your C7 Stage 2 Grand Sport. While these mods will convert your Stage 2 Grand Sport to the stage 3 levels, ACS Composite offers plenty of other options to augment the aesthetics of your C7. Scroll to the, 'ACS Aesthetics' section to learn more about these other possibilities! 

ACS Aesthetics

Along with our ACS Enhanced Splash Guards (45-4-063), ACS Composite offers an alternative to the Z06 Front Grill--The ACS Five1 Front Bumper Grill (45-4-017). The primary advantage of the Five1 grill are the smaller hexagonal holes, which reduce the amount of debris that can access and damage the radiator.

Additionally, because the slits are smaller than the stock grill, the aluminium radiator is concealed, and not visible from a distance. Seeing the radiator detracts from the beauty of the Grand Sport. Note: Modifications need to be made to retrofit the front camera(s).

 

ACS Composite also offers the Z06 taillights, which is an excellent swap out for the current setup that is on the Grand Sport. This creates the z06 rear brake light look, which is missing on the Grand Sport's rear end.

The C7 has a menacing rear-end, but the diffuser is a little lackluster. ACS Composite developed an ABS-injected Fin system to elevate the looks of its back-end. With the addition of the ACS Rear Diffuser Fins (45-4-097) you can convert your C7 into what can only be described as a fighter-jet! 

This is a simple mod that is easily installed, and does not require replacing the whole diffuser--A lengthy and expensive process. The ACS fins install with 3 bolts, and you are done!

 

What is Carbon Flash Black Metallic Paint? 

Better known as CFZ, carbon flash black is the C7 trim color. Every C7 comes from the factory with the front fascia grill, rear tail lamp bezels and rear diffuser panel painted in CFZ. Most also have the hood insert, fender insert and rear quarter scoops on coupes in carbon flash black. Same trim color is also found on optionally equipped cars with mirror covers and rear spoiler also painted to match. Naturally, this is the preferred Aero finish. 

Best In Show

Zero7 Extractor Carbon Hood (45-8-009)

ACS Composite began its roots in aftermarket hood manufacturing. With over 20 years of experience, we manufactured hoods for the Ford GT, numerous private label work for SLP, VUHL, and Lingenfelter to name a few. We continue our practice for perfection in manufacturing aftermarket hoods, and consider ourselves one of the leading authorities in its manufacturing practices.

The ACS Zero7 Extractor Carbon hood is made from 100% aerospace grade carbon fiber. This allows for extreme lightweight properties while not sacrificing on quality and durability. The aerograde carbon fiber creates an incredibly rigid component that can withstand high speed performance. 

 

The ACS Zero7 Extractor Carbon Hood comes with an extraordinary option to have the center cowl exposing its elegant carbon weave. 

Zero7 Extractor Carbon Hood with Exposed Carbon Weave (45-8-021)

 

Show It Off

 Zero7 Extrator Carbon Window Hood (48-4-019)

Perhaps, a new hood isn't enough for you. Maybe, you want to show off the innards of the beautiful C7 engine compartment. Luckily, we took this into consideration and also offer our Zero7 Extractor Carbon Hood with a polycarbonate window to showcase the monster underneath.

 

The exposed carbon option is also available for the window version, and culminates our ultimate carbon hood for the C7 line-up. Take a look:

Zero7 Extractor Carbon Window Hood Exposed Carbon Weave Cowl (45-8-023)

 

Conclusion

And with that, we conclude our series on modifying your C7 Grand Sport with ACS Composite. We hope you learned a bit more about our products, and the options available to you. If you have still have questions about certain items, then feel free to get in touch with us either via email, info@acscomposite.com or use our livechat service and speak with one of our product specialists. See below for a full list of the product pages

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ACS Configurator (Build your Z06/Grand Sport!)

https://acscomposite.com/pages/z06-configurator

Product Pages

Enhance Splash Guards 45-4-063
Zero1 Side Rockers 45-4-055
Z06 Side Rockers 45-4-029
Z06 Splitter (options available on product page: S2, S3; Undertray)
Z06 S3 Deflectors 45-4-079
ACS-C7 Front Splitter 45-4-003
Five1 Front Splitter 45-4-031
Stage 2 Rear Spoiler Wickers 45-4-111
Stage 3 Wicker Bridge Only 45-4-112
Stage 3 Rear Spoiler Wickers + Window 45-4-113
Five1 Front Bumper Gril 45-4-017
Rear Diffuser Fins 45-4-097
Zero7 Extractor Carbon Hood (45-8-009 + 45-8-021)
Zero7 Extractor Carbon Hood with Window (45-8-019 + 45-8-023)

Shopping List Summary

Stage 1 owners wishing to upgrade to Stage 2

Stage 1 owners wishing to upgrade to Stage 3

Z06 Splitter with S3 Deflectors
Z06 Splitter (options available on product page: S2, S3; Undertray)
Z06 Side Rockers 45-4-029
Stage 3 Rear Spoiler Wickers + Window 45-4-113

Stage 2 owners wishing to upgrade to Stage 3

Interesting Related Blogs

ACS Engineering Process Blog
ACS Enhanced Splash Guards Blog

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