The Best Spoiler Options Available for C7 Corvette Stingrays: How to Install the Five1 Bolt-On Wicker

We are often asked "Can I install z06 stage 2 wickers on my z51 spoiler?". The short answer is no, but we wrote this blog to explain the reasoning behind it, as well as provide you the best spoiler options for your C7 Stingray.

Selecting a spoiler option to install on your Z51 or base stingray can get you excited and worked up, and you may get confused about which one to pick out of the numerous spoiler options.

There have been scenarios where customers installed spoiler options that aren’t meant for the vehicles on their stingrays and sent us pictures. We educated them on the best spoiler options available for the Corvette and how to get them installed.

We wrote this article and accompanying video so that you can make the best possible choice about spoilers and wicker options for both C7 Stingray Z51s and non-Z51s.

Let’s get started with why you need a spoiler (for newbies in the world of Chevy) before diving head-on into spoiler options available.

The need for spoilers: for a high-performance vehicle like the corvette, the relevance of spoilers and wickers cannot be overstated.

A C7 Corvette ZR1 undergoing aerodynamic analysis [CFD].

Without getting technical, a spoiler helps with vehicle aerodynamics. It helps generate more downforce, which is needed to keep your vehicle planted on the ground thereby increasing traction. Yes, you will lose some of that top-end speed, but what you make up for in control and drive-ability will outweigh any loss.

The Z51 Spoiler

This is the standard installed spoiler on a Z51 and the most popular option among non-Z51 spoilered car owners who want to replicate the Z51 feel. It offers a lot in the form of aerodynamics and aesthetics.

To install this spoiler, you will have to get our Z51 Spoiler kit that consists of:

• A Z51 spoiler
• Drilling template
• Hardware
• Instructions (which serves as a guide for proper installation)

An Arctic White C7 Stingray with a Z51 mounted spoiler.

The installation process is pretty fast, and in a bodyshop, it takes about 4 – 5 hours. Making use of the guide, anyone can install the spoiler. Considering that a whole clip is about 30 - 50 fasteners, we recommend getting it done at a bodyshop.

The Z51 Spoiler can be installed on the C7 Corvette Stingray 2014 -2019. It’s painted carbon flash metallic black, just as the standard spoiler found on the Z51, matching the colors of your hood inserts, fender inserts, and rear diffusers. Want to know what carbon flash metallic black is make sure you check out our blog on it.

Wicker Options

Wickers might look small and insignificant, but don’t be fooled they pack a serious punch when it comes to improving downforce. Attaching to the spoiler, it accentuates the spoiler’s effect by increasing the total surface area (think more contact points for air to generate downward pressure on the rear end of the car), which helps stabilize your vehicle at high speed and make rapid turning at high speed possible without the risk of your wheels spinning out.

The ACS Five1 Wicker is the most popular wicker option on the C7 stingray. They can be installed on both a Z51 car and non-Z51s with a Z51 spoiler installed. It mirrors the height of a Stage 1 Wicker on a Z06.

Mainly, the Five1 wicker is classified into two types, with the major difference between both types being the presence or absence of bolts.

We have:

• Five1 Bolt-On Wicker [PN 45-4-117]: with two small wickers mounted on the spoiler via bolts. Three bolts are visible on each wicker.
• Five1 Boltless Wicker [PN 45-4-061]: here, two wickers are mounted using the underside mounting points of the Z51 spoiler. It is a smooth surface with no visible bolts.

Five1 Bolt-On Wickers [PN 45-4-117]

Of the two Five1 options, this is the one we at ACS Composite recommend at large to our customers. Customers love that they do not need to remove the rear bumper from their Corvette to install these wickers.

Its characteristic feature is the three torque screws found on the surface of each Wicker piece. This replicates that signature wicker appearance found on the Grand Sports and Z06s. The installation involves drilling six holes on both sides of your rear spoiler, rivnuts collapsing, and bolt screwing, using tools and materials such as six rivnuts, rivnut tool, masking tape, and 3/16” drill bit, and 10mm drill bit (25/64” [standard]).

How to install the Five1 Bolt-On Wicker System?

The installation process can be divided into four steps.

But before you start the installation, you should do a dry fit of your wicker. This is so you can confirm the wicker you got has the perfect size, height and positioning.

This is done by placing the wicker on the rear, adjoining it with the rear fascia, to ensure it fits. The wicker is positioned so that its bottom is parallel to the spoiler’s bottom. Then, pushed towards the car’s centre in a way that tightens the wicker’s extension gap.

Once it is confirmed the wicker fits perfectly, you can proceed with the installation, starting with:

1. Surface Protection: It’s advisable to protect your car’s surface from dents and scratches that can be incurred during drilling by placing a two-inch masking tape across the spoiler’s surface: the part the wicker will be installed on and the part above the rear brake light.

   

   Applying masking tape to the rear spoiler of a grey C7 Corvette.

2. Marking and drilling of holes: this starts with the placement of the wicker on the spoiler. Using a marker, three markings are made around the corresponding three holes of the wicker on the masking tape. You need to ensure that the wicker is rightly placed before marking the tape. This is to ensure the drilled holes are in the right position.

   

   Marking the holes to be drilled on the masking tape on a grey C7 Corvette Stingray.

You will use a 3/16” drill bit to drill a pilot hole where the holes were marked. The drill passes through the panel: which has a thickness ranging between 0.125 – 0.250 inches along its length. You simply want to drill through the first part of the spoiler, and being careful not to pierce through the other side.

 Drilling a pilot hole in the center of our marked hole on our grey C7 Corvette Stingray.

The drilling process is divided into two steps:

• Centring the drillbit to the marked holes, you drill through the spoiler using the 3/16” drill bit
• After the first step, a 10mm drill bit is used to drill the holes better to fit the rivnuts. Check if the drill is perfect by fitting the rivnut to see how it will fit it. Note: Always ensure the drill is perpendicular to the car’s surface when drilling.

Checking the size of the drill bit by placing the rivnut flush with the back of the drill bit. You want them to be as equal in size as possible.

To start the rivnut installation:

• Fasten rivnut onto the rivnut tool. Ensure the threads are passing through the rivnut to get maximum thread engagement.

• Insert the tool, with the rivnut on, inside the hole, and collapse the rivnut by squeezing the two handles together.

• Separate tool from the rivnut compressed in the hole by turning the knob at the back of the tool counterclockwise

  Collapsing a rivnut on the back of gray C7 Corvette Stingray Z51 Spoiler.

The rivnut installation can also be done at a bodyshop using an industrial-grade rivnut tool. This is a great option for individuals who don’t consider buying the rivnut tool. With a small tip to your bodyshop, the rivnut installation will get done.

4. Wicker Installation: It is advisable to prepare the surface by cleaning with an alcohol wipe to remove contaminants such as wax before the wicker gets fixed.

The wicker installation involves the following steps:

• Set wicker on spoiler: Set the wicker to fit the spoiler, as before the drilling. There are three noticeable tapes on your wicker that needs to be removed once the wicker is bolted on halfway. These tapes are folded to the sides in this manner: top tape is folded to the top, the bottom tape to the bottom, and the side tape to the side: while the bolts are installed. This is to make their removal easy.

 A Z51 Wicker showing the placements of the double-sided tape.

• Installation: Three bolts are hand-installed halfway into the bolt for each wicker to hold the wicker in place. Then, the tapes are removed, and the wicker is fixed tightly by screwing the bolts on the rivnuts tightly using a torque screwdriver.

Tightening the Z51 Wicker using a Torx Screwdriver on a C7 Corvette Z51 Spoiler.

Five1 Boltless Wicker [PN 45-4-061]

The Five1 Boltless Wicker Spoiler Conversion kit comes as two carbon flash metallic black wicker pieces with instructions for installation.

If you are not a fan of the visible bolts on the wickers, then the boltless option is something you can consider. It can be installed on both the Z51 and base stingray; having the Z51 spoiler is the only prerequisite for installation.

Using this wicker system, the drilling process is avoided; however, this conversion kit will require the removal of the rear bumper.

The process of installing this wicker starts with removing the car’s rear fascia, as it is installed using the same mounting point used by the spoiler. The spoiler is removed along with the fascia, providing a surface for the five1 wicker to slide on and get attached to when the wicker is placed.

Z51 Boltless Wicker [45-4-061]

An ACS Five1 Smooth Wicker Conversion on a C7 Corvette Stingray in Laguna Blue.

Z51 Bolt-On Wicker [45-4-117]

An ACS Five1 Bolt-On Wicker on a C7 Corvette Stingray in Cyber Gray.

Check out the video below where Joseph walks you through installing the ACS Five1 Bolt-on Wickers on this customer’s gray Z51 Stingray: 

 

ZO6 Spoiler-Wicker Combo Options

The Z06 spoiler, when installed on a Z51 or base stingray, transforms the car, giving it the ever-aggressive stance of a Z06, plus the addition of plenty of downforces needed for maximal control and high performance.

If you want the same height as the Stage 2 and Stage 2 that you find on the z07 packages on your Stingray, then this is the way you should do it.

The Z06 spoiler wicker conversion kit is needed to install this spoiler-wicker combo. It consists of:

• Z06 Spoiler
• Side Wickers Options
• Hardware
• Instructions
• Central wicker can also be ordered along with a kit turning it into a Stage 3

The Z06 spoiler is painted carbon flash metallic black, just like the Z51 spoiler. It does not require drilling (unless you have a Stingray with no spoiler, in which case we can provide a template), but will require the rear fascia of your Stingray to come off.

This spoiler-wicker combination system is classified into three stages based on the wicker height, and wickers use. With each stage giving a more aggressive / sporty look. These stages are:

1. Stage 1: this is regarded by the corvette community as the conservative type. It is made up of a Z06 spoiler and two stage 1 wickers: that are about ½" taller than the spoiler.

2. Stage 2: a power-up from stage 1. This setup lies between conservation and aggression; it subtly gives the feel of aggression.

It consists of the spoiler and two stage 2 wickers: with each wicker about 1 ½" taller than the spoiler.

3. Stage 2.5: this setup depicts aggression and generates a lot of downforce in its rawest form. The tall 2½" wicker is very noticeable and gives off a “bad boy” aura.

A comparison between the different Corvette Wicker Stage options: Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 2.5

4. Stage 3: this is a really nice setup. A central sticker is added between the two wickers. The central wicker is taller than the spoiler, measuring about 1½" above the spoiler’s top.

For this setup, there are two subtypes options available, which are:

• Stage 3 with S2 wickers (basically the stage 2 wickers with central wicker)
• Stage 3 with S2.5 wickers (basically the stage 2.5 wickers with central wicker)

The differentiating factor between these two subtypes is the side wickers height, as stage 3 with S2 side wicker has a height of 1½", compared to stage 3 with S2.5 that has a height of 2½".

Of these two, stage 3 with S2.5 wickers is considered the best of the two options for track racing. It’s the pinnacle of downforce and aggression for stingray spoilers.

A Torch Red C7 Corvette Stingray with a Stage 2 Z06 Spoiler and central clear window making it a Stage 3.

And there you have it all!

A comprehensive guide on the spoilers options available for your C7 stingray, prerequisites for installation, and the tools needed.

If you need one of these spoiler options and tools, you can always check them out and order on our website. To learn more about spoilers or get answers to questions about the spoiler option for your Corvette, you can always send us a mail at order@acscomposite.com; specialists are available to help you out.