Corvette Brake Ducts - Getting Your Ducts In A Row

Let's face it. What's the first thing you notice when your eyes fall upon a Z06? If it isn't the often-used, yet-still-striking Electron Blue paint or distinctive badging on this hard-top-only C5, it's the brake ducts positioned toward the rear of this high-performance Vette. For the uninitiated-and even the educated-those black "swoops" are the easiest detail to spot on a Z06 at 50 paces. And without them, it's just another C5-not that there's anything wrong with that, of course.

Recently, stick-ons have become the rage with the C5 disguise crew. And why not? Those little black boxes really set off a Corvette. And since no would-be racer wants his friends to see him slapped like a redheaded stepchild, you might scare off most challengers on looks alone. But why simply glue on a pair like a set of demented Lee Press-On Nails when you can have the real thing and reap the performance benefits to boot?

Team VETTE's Mike Meyers got the opportunity to try out Mid America's kit with a C5 at the Corvette by Dreamworks shop. It's a simple, clean install that appears as a factory-finished job and installs the same way. We won't lie-this kit isn't for the faint of heart. It involves cutting a couple of body pieces, so your best bet is to leave this to a professional. As the fiberglass fell and parts were installed, the Corvette took on the much-quicker persona of its faster family member.

But looks aren't the only reason for this modification. With the functional scoops installed, cool air is channeled where it's needed most-on the brakes themselves-continuously, under speed. This translates to less brake fade, quicker stopping, and prolonged life of the pads and rotors. Look no further than the photos below to see how we got our ducts in a row.