Is the "Chin" (front spoiler) Intended Inhuman Sacrifice


E

eshrink

GT Owner
May 21, 2006
511
Surely, someone has come up with a padded tape or some other means to take the initial rub of the front chin. My God, there is no clearance even on minor driveways, or parking lot exits.

I am assuming that the front chin is like oil and is intended for regular changes.

Has anyone come up with a partial protection? Padded tape...any concepts?

- doc
 
How about an air suspension suspension such as that provided by Air Ride Technologies where the heighth can be raised or lowered by thr touch of a button.
 
Interesting and reasonable thought.

The problem is, however, that even the most seemingly chin-friendly access point can jump up and bite the chin.

There needs to be some removable/disposable protection that takes the brunt of the friction, and this protection is then pulled off and thrown away.

Wait...I think I have it:

"The Chin Condom" (note to self: Reward your brilliance and buy a roll of duct tape, resell as GT Chin Condom for $119.99 per roll).

Maybe Ford ships all GT owners a new chin each month? Then again, perhaps not.

- doc
 
Doc - I bet that first loud scraping noise hurt!

As I read the big book on the Ford GT, I see that the chin and rear diffuser were added to aid in stability at speeds of 150+. This makes me wonder:

1 - What's "under" the chin and diffuser? If they are removed, are the raw guts exposed, or does the belly pan continue to the front and rear?

2 - Could the chin and diffuser be removed and replaced with less aero, high-clearance versions that would allow for sub-150mph driving with less damage?

3 - Are they attached with fasteners that are reusable, or could even be converted to some sort of quick-change (dzus?) jobbies that would allow for actually swapping the front and rear pans from the "clearance" set to the "aero" set on track day?

4 - Perhaps the underside profile of the GT is so low that even with the chin and diff replaced, you'd still have exactly the same scrapes occuring elsewhere on the underside, so maybe it's better to 'take it on the chin'...

This concerns me because I literally may need to have about 100' of driveway torn up and redone just to get the GT in the garage without destroying it.

I know it sounds lame, and forgive me if I have missed previous posts on this topic, but my purchase of a GT kind of depends on me finding a solution to the problem. If it means my GT comes with a 100' driveway repaving surcharge, then so be it.

But, if I could purchase an alternate set of front and rear pans that I could use if I promise to keep it under 150, then that would make my purchase of the GT much easier....

Am I being an idiot, or does a high-clearance pan set sound like a nice accessory? I'd buy a set if it didn't void the warranty (another shiver...).
 
If you remove the front spoiler ("chin") there is a cooler beneath it. That will be damaged at the first scrape.

I am not certain how others handle it, but my driveway is not a slope at all. My Viper never came close to scraping. The GT has to use an angled approach or would scrape.

Change my driveway to accomodate a car? I would really have to love that car, and I do not think that I am capable of that degree of sexual attachment to a motor vehicle.

More than the driveway is the inevitable pot hole, speed bump, and these darn new speed reduction humps.

I believe that even with extreme care, scraping the front spoiler is inevitable. I remember one owner stating that it was a given sacrifice. Now that's rather grim.

- doc
 
Charliecuda, it seems confusing to me to have 100' of driveway to be r/r'd for clearance issues. Would you have to have the overall grade of the 100ft raised or lowered or what by several ft to make it work?
 
eshrink said:
Surely, someone has come up with a padded tape or some other means to take the initial rub of the front chin. My God, there is no clearance even on minor driveways, or parking lot exits.

I am assuming that the front chin is like oil and is intended for regular changes.

Has anyone come up with a partial protection? Padded tape...any concepts?

- doc
Click to expand...
I dont own a GT personally.........so if I'm way off, excuse me.

But what some cars do is get a lightweight steel plate for the bumper custom cut and molded so taht it just scrapes metal. And since its perfictly cut, the problem of it being seen doesnt happen.
 
Yes, there are always solutions. But often times there are reasons that people come up with for not doing things that aren't accurate. They just develop a rational that gets the answer they want, even though it doesn't make sense.
 
The simple answer is to go to Air Ride Technologies or a similar company, and for probably 3k they can install an air bag shock that at the push of a button wil raise the front end with as much clearance as necessary. Much easier than removing 100's of feet of driveway, developing a new underpiece, or not buying the car.

Think clearly when solving issues.
 
Well, I guess I should have been more clear.... I will be repaving my driveway anyway, not JUST to get the GT in there... (It's a new house, just purchased), but I had wanted to wait until other construction I'm doing was finished so that the drive and new concrete apron would be done last, in about six months.

And, it's not that the drive is so torn up that it's that much of a biggie, or would even need to be graded for entry angles, but the point at which my drive joins the public road has a nasty drop-off of almost three inches. A simple solution I'll probably employ is to just have the pavers patch that junction now, with a gentle enough slope so that the GT chin won't hit, and then deal with the rest of the drive in six months. It's just old asphalt with a very uneven surface and a few potholes. 5mph max. Drag.

I just thought that if chin scrapage was a common problem for many owners, and someone were offering a high-clearance chin and diff set, that I would be interested, as it might solve other clearance issues around town, like gas stations, restaurants, etc.

Not that I'm pretending this is a reason not to get a GT..... God forbid!

BTW: CaliforniaCuda - did you see that Dodge announced today that the concept Challenger will go into production in 2008? :biggrin
 
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Charlie:

The chin is quite low and appears very intolerant of angle, dip, crater or tank trap.

I gather that aside from chosing you entry and egress with care, that many just accept that the front spoiler is a price of ownership.

I have never priced the replacement cost of this piece, but if you were to replace it every time you scraped it, it would be a continual replacement process. All you can do is be careful.

Regarding the Challenger, I would be interested if, like the Camaro, it came in a convertible form. It would make a great commuter car. I am guessing that there will be the typical price gouging as there is for the Shelby Mustang. Surely wish they would build the Cobra concept.

- doc
 
Notice on the web that there are many places that make sheets, or patterns from a template, of neoprene of any thickness.

Wondering if a "gasket" can be made of neoprene affixed to the bottom (chin) of the front spoiler. That covering would then take the brunt of any impact, could be peeled away and replaced with another.

May be a viable means of not sacrificing the spoiler itself when scraped from the bottom.

- doc
 
Excellent recommendation. It should be a direct translation between any vehicle for which scraping is a concern.

Wonder what the replacement price is for the front spoiler. I know that AtomicGT just replaced his. If they are not prohibitvely expensive, there may be no need to try and spare them.

- doc
 
The more I think about it and look at, well, okay, look at PICTURES (not the real thing... grrr.....) of the chin and diff, the more I think about an alternate, more conveniently shaped set. Maybe not a full "roll-pan" that defeats the rear diff, but a rear diff that would clear parking curbies so that the rear tires (not the diff) would actually hit the curbie if you're backing up (gasp!). And, while we're at it, a chin that's "built to scrape and take it" with a smaller shape and a strip of something slippery (plastic cutting-board-like material?) embedded in the underside?

Probably be no more to have fabbed than those trick carbon-fiber jammies... (?)

I mean, if I was going to have to buy another diff and chin every now and again due to thrashing, then a "city profile" set would be a nice choice to have... especially if they can be swapped out quickly for the originals...

Three more days on this job, then it's test drive week! :banana
 
Charlie:

That's what my wife suggested as well. A street diffuser/spoiler and a track unit with the former offering at least an inch (seems to be the critical number) more clearance.

I am going to check tomorrow and see how much it costs to have a spare unit sitting around.

- doc
 
The angle of my driveway scrapes the chin on my Z06. It does not scrape on the GT. I think that's a pretty forgiving front end, especially considering owning a low-slung 200mph supercar is a garauntee of having clearance issues.
 
The Viper never scraped the driveway (or anywhere else), but the GT seems (for us) to have no clearance whatsoever.

We drive with a vigilent eye toward GT Acceptible Angle of all entries and exits.

- doc
 
The chin piece is 5G7Z17626AAA and runs about $145 MSRP if you want to keep one set aside.

- doc
 
Front Spoiler Replacement

Replacing the front spoiler is not all that difficult. When I received my GT I noticed the spoiler was lightly scraped. The dealer offered to replace the part but I had him agree to get me a new replacement spoiler. I insisted that I would replace it myself for obvious reasons. This was not rocket science. There were approximately 15-20 screws and a total of two push plugs in the wheel opening. Note that the shop manuals are not detailed regarding fastener numbers and attachment but removal is straight forward.

I personally intend to purchase a spare spoiler. If anyone has questions and I can assist email me at [email protected].
 
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