Benefits from OEM chin / duck tail spoilers?

Brad Hawk · 06-17-2021, 06:56 PM

Some of the late '60s & early '70s cars being raced now as Stockers were available with factory options such as chin spoilers and duck tail spoilers (e.g. '69 Camaro Z-28, '70 Dodge T/A Challenger). I'm interested to hear if anyone has tested these styles of front and/or rear spoilers and seen any benefits either on the ET slip or improved top-end stability. Thanks - Brad

GTX JOHN · 06-17-2021, 08:30 PM

Absolutely Zero on our 1980 Aspen (318) R/T =
Just a nuisance and a pain to R and R and
purely cosmetic.

We used to have to run them to claim a
particular engine combo years ago that we
used to run.

You and your brother know the car (We ran it at
some of your events) = It runs High 10s and you
would not be able to tell if they were on or off
from behind the wheel.

Larry Hill · 06-18-2021, 08:07 AM

I always wondered if the air deflector at the back of a wagon to help keep the back glass clean would help or hurt performance.

Jeff Stout · 06-18-2021, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Hill

I always wondered if the air deflector at the back of a wagon to help keep the back glass clean would help or hurt performance.

The Olds wagon is just fast enough that the deflector helps get dust off of rear window. So it does show diverting air in a forward direction.

Brad Hawk · 06-18-2021, 09:59 AM

First, I'm not one of the Hawks that the 1st poster believes me to be. Actually, my name is actually spelled H-a-a-k, but it's pronounced "Hawk' so sometimes that's how I list myself online. Ironically, I have a brother who lives very close to the track outside Boise, ID (he lives in Eagle), but he's a complete non-gearhead. I'm on the other side of the country, in the Washington, D.C. suburbs.

Some older articles I found on vehicle aerodynamics let me to believe that anything you could do to reduce the amount of air getting under the front of the car would be a good thing (ground clearance permitting), and could help with keeping the front end from lifting on the big end, too. What I wasn't sure of is whether the OEM-type chin spoilers were physically large enough to be functional in that respect, or were primarily cosmetic add-ons.

I know the ducktail spoilers do "something", but what exactly -- and under what conditions -- I'm not sure. I did find it interesting that all of the Drag Pak Challengers have come with a front air splitter, but only the latest generation of the supercharged 354 version now has the ducktail spoiler, as well.

SSDiv6 · 06-18-2021, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Hill

I always wondered if the air deflector at the back of a wagon to help keep the back glass clean would help or hurt performance.

Hurts performance by creating a vortex, which creates drag.

Myron Piatek · 06-18-2021, 03:28 PM

Wasn't there a discussion a while back which included first and/or second gen. Camaros trying to run the front spoiler but without the rear duck tail? Front helped while the rear hurt. Nascar shows how fractional changes on the rear makes noticeable differences in speed.

Duane Eiskant II · 06-19-2021, 07:18 PM

Just Curious if your the same BRAD Hawk that use to come by Calhoun Speed in alexandria before we closed back in 2003?

Brad Hawk · 06-19-2021, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duane Eiskant II

Just Curious if your the same BRAD Hawk that use to come by Calhoun Speed in alexandria before we closed back in 2003?

Yep. Hi Duane!

Adger Smith · 06-19-2021, 11:07 PM

Back in the early 70's when our Z-28 stocker was running high 11's we tried it with out the front spoiler and the back spoiler in place lost ET and MPH, can't remember the numbers, but with the rear spoiler off and the front spoiler on there was a + 2 MPH and about a nickel quicker ET. NHRA made us put the rear spoiler back on. What really helped was putting 6 cylinder Camaro front suspension and drum brakes on it. Hid the weight we saved in the back and the 7" tires liked it.

06-17-2021, 06:56 PM	#1
Brad Hawk Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 20 Likes: 1 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Aerodynamic benefits from OEM chin / duck tail spoilers? Some of the late '60s & early '70s cars being raced now as Stockers were available with factory options such as chin spoilers and duck tail spoilers (e.g. '69 Camaro Z-28, '70 Dodge T/A Challenger). I'm interested to hear if anyone has tested these styles of front and/or rear spoilers and seen any benefits either on the ET slip or improved top-end stability. Thanks - Brad Last edited by Brad Hawk; 06-17-2021 at 07:24 PM.

06-17-2021, 08:30 PM	#2
GTX JOHN VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Posts: 2,530 Likes: 2,222 Liked 1,808 Times in 572 Posts	Re: Benefits from OEM chin / duck tail spoilers? Absolutely Zero on our 1980 Aspen (318) R/T = Just a nuisance and a pain to R and R and purely cosmetic. We used to have to run them to claim a particular engine combo years ago that we used to run. You and your brother know the car (We ran it at some of your events) = It runs High 10s and you would not be able to tell if they were on or off from behind the wheel. __________________ John Irving 741 Stock 741 Super Stock Last edited by GTX JOHN; 06-17-2021 at 08:37 PM.

06-18-2021, 08:07 AM	#3
Larry Hill Live Reporter Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Hickory, Ky Posts: 10,277 Likes: 1,635 Liked 9,453 Times in 1,956 Posts	Re: Benefits from OEM chin / duck tail spoilers? I always wondered if the air deflector at the back of a wagon to help keep the back glass clean would help or hurt performance. __________________ IHM Used Parts https://ihmusedparts.com 888-821-1817

06-18-2021, 09:59 AM	#5
Brad Hawk Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 20 Likes: 1 Liked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Benefits from OEM chin / duck tail spoilers? First, I'm not one of the Hawks that the 1st poster believes me to be. Actually, my name is actually spelled H-a-a-k, but it's pronounced "Hawk' so sometimes that's how I list myself online. Ironically, I have a brother who lives very close to the track outside Boise, ID (he lives in Eagle), but he's a complete non-gearhead. I'm on the other side of the country, in the Washington, D.C. suburbs. Some older articles I found on vehicle aerodynamics let me to believe that anything you could do to reduce the amount of air getting under the front of the car would be a good thing (ground clearance permitting), and could help with keeping the front end from lifting on the big end, too. What I wasn't sure of is whether the OEM-type chin spoilers were physically large enough to be functional in that respect, or were primarily cosmetic add-ons. I know the ducktail spoilers do "something", but what exactly -- and under what conditions -- I'm not sure. I did find it interesting that all of the Drag Pak Challengers have come with a front air splitter, but only the latest generation of the supercharged 354 version now has the ducktail spoiler, as well.

06-18-2021, 03:28 PM	#7
Myron Piatek VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 1,538 Likes: 34 Liked 132 Times in 48 Posts	Re: Benefits from OEM chin / duck tail spoilers? Wasn't there a discussion a while back which included first and/or second gen. Camaros trying to run the front spoiler but without the rear duck tail? Front helped while the rear hurt. Nascar shows how fractional changes on the rear makes noticeable differences in speed. __________________ LOCOMOTION Racing

06-19-2021, 07:18 PM	#8
Duane Eiskant II Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Alexandria, Va Posts: 495 Likes: 256 Liked 53 Times in 31 Posts	Re: Benefits from OEM chin / duck tail spoilers? Just Curious if your the same BRAD Hawk that use to come by Calhoun Speed in alexandria before we closed back in 2003? __________________ Duane Eiskant 1354 Stock/Super Stock

06-19-2021, 11:07 PM	#10
Adger Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texarkana Ark/TX Posts: 2,348 Likes: 434 Liked 677 Times in 261 Posts	Re: Benefits from OEM chin / duck tail spoilers? Back in the early 70's when our Z-28 stocker was running high 11's we tried it with out the front spoiler and the back spoiler in place lost ET and MPH, can't remember the numbers, but with the rear spoiler off and the front spoiler on there was a + 2 MPH and about a nickel quicker ET. NHRA made us put the rear spoiler back on. What really helped was putting 6 cylinder Camaro front suspension and drum brakes on it. Hid the weight we saved in the back and the 7" tires liked it. __________________ Adger Smith (Former SS)