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I went into the NCM 25th event excited and totally convinced I was getting the high wing. But no more, for the following reasons.
Sorry if this is a downer thread to some, but if it rings home with one person and get one person beyond me to change their “yesterday/today” plans to get it, still worth putting this out there.
Background:
Many of us have friends with the ZR1 high wing. Some are very strong and capable of lifting a set of golf clubs over it from the rear center for both loading and unloading; others have learned to load their luggage from the side, removing it and similar items later. As to the coupe’s roof, more than a few easily put in the ZR1’s the top from the side, then latter retrieve it and re-place it.
However, there is one massive difference between doing so for the ZR1 and the ME Stingray! The difference is that the distance from the top of the ZR1’s high wing to the inside cargo deck is only about 60% of the distance from the top from the high of the ME’s high wing to the bottom of the rear trunk’s bottom surface.
Listening yesterday to a suggestion from jagamajajaran when I told him that I was getting the high wing, I did exactly as he suggested. Specifically, I stood at the back center of the car, reached over the standard Z51’s standard spoiler, and put my arms down the trunk until I touched the bottom of the trunk. I have a 35” sleeve length. As you see from below, thank you very much Jag for your suggestion, e.g., your saving me $1,100+!
While I could touch the bottom when reaching over the top of the standard Z51 spoiler, it was not with more than 1” to spare, and again I was not reaching over the top of the high wing, and then reaching downward — but doing this over the roughly 3 1/2” to 4” tall standard Z51 spoiler.
I talked to Chief Exterior Designer Kirk Bennion yesterday, asking him how the height of the StingRay’s ME high wing was, measured front the top of the rear fascia to the top of the C7’s rear deck, and specifically for him to compare it to the height of the ZR1’s high wing above its rear deck to how this would be for the C8 with its OEM high wing.. He said “close, though probably the ME Stingray high wing would be a LITTLE shorter distance” (again between the top of the wing and the top of the rear fascia right below it).
While if I had the high wing I certainly could load certain items from the side, what if that item were not at the outside ends of the trunk, but a smaller item located in exact center of the trunk? If so, I doubt I could reach it without having my body touching the sides of the car. What if it was a large heavy item? What if it were even a slightly windy day and I were trying to install/remove the coupe’s top?
Might folks stronger than me and longer arms than me be able to lift such an item, lift the coupe’s top, a good sized suitcase and/or a set of golf clubs up the top over the high wing and place each into the trunk — then later remove them without brushing the high wing either with that object or their clothes? Might such people again be able, either lift up from the side missing the high wing and/or lift when standing directly behind the car, and install/remove the coupe top easily too?
I absolutely believe so, but personally at 5’11” with a 35” sleeve length and lacking gorilla arms and shoulders, the high wing and heavy suitcase, golf bag, or even the regular sized coupe top could/would be a real issue for me.
Having now personally stated my issues, all can now individually determine whether their physical attributes and the high wing are a perfect or an imperfect marriage for themselves.
Second and Relatedly:
I sat in a ZR1 high wing convertible and later a coupe during the caravan and deliberately looked backwards to see how much rearward visibility was impacted by the wing.
From a safety point of view, I felt that for both the couple and the convertible rearward visibility was less than 5% negatively impacted, if at all. However, seeing that roughly 2” thick, width-of-car wide horizontal bar in my rear view mirror was not pleasant (in fact quite the opposite).
Thus, during the Bash I additionally yesterday asked Kirk one related question, and since the HT convertible discussion is still off the table, I asked him specifically about the ME coupe, and that was, “will rear visibility from the top of coupe camera be impacted by the high wing?” His response was that you will always see above and below it, but mostly you will be seeing downward below it, and you will still have full safety — similar to my reaction to the high wing’s ZR1’s coupe and convertible rearward visibility.
Okay, safety is not impacted, but how are you going to feel looking at that full-car-width horizontal bar in your rear view mirror and/or in your Panaray video viewing?
This thread was not meant to make anyone unhappy today. It was written to reflect what I learned and why I am not going to get a high wing for my 2020, and secondly for all considering a high wing, to suggest your at least thinking about these two main high view potential issues/consequences for you.
I doubt that more than a few after reading this, would change their mind as I did. But if even one changes their mind as a result, I am glad I wrote it.
And now for me personally, I excitedly move on, with great anticipation to seeing the options that ACS Composite provides me/us. I do know that there will be some exciting options coming from them, but have not yet been told what they would look like other than there will be at least one “regular height” deck spoiler.
[I am deliberately not changing my avatar for a few more days to remove the high wing.]
Sorry if this is a downer thread to some, but if it rings home with one person and get one person beyond me to change their “yesterday/today” plans to get it, still worth putting this out there.
Background:
Many of us have friends with the ZR1 high wing. Some are very strong and capable of lifting a set of golf clubs over it from the rear center for both loading and unloading; others have learned to load their luggage from the side, removing it and similar items later. As to the coupe’s roof, more than a few easily put in the ZR1’s the top from the side, then latter retrieve it and re-place it.
However, there is one massive difference between doing so for the ZR1 and the ME Stingray! The difference is that the distance from the top of the ZR1’s high wing to the inside cargo deck is only about 60% of the distance from the top from the high of the ME’s high wing to the bottom of the rear trunk’s bottom surface.
Listening yesterday to a suggestion from jagamajajaran when I told him that I was getting the high wing, I did exactly as he suggested. Specifically, I stood at the back center of the car, reached over the standard Z51’s standard spoiler, and put my arms down the trunk until I touched the bottom of the trunk. I have a 35” sleeve length. As you see from below, thank you very much Jag for your suggestion, e.g., your saving me $1,100+!
While I could touch the bottom when reaching over the top of the standard Z51 spoiler, it was not with more than 1” to spare, and again I was not reaching over the top of the high wing, and then reaching downward — but doing this over the roughly 3 1/2” to 4” tall standard Z51 spoiler.
I talked to Chief Exterior Designer Kirk Bennion yesterday, asking him how the height of the StingRay’s ME high wing was, measured front the top of the rear fascia to the top of the C7’s rear deck, and specifically for him to compare it to the height of the ZR1’s high wing above its rear deck to how this would be for the C8 with its OEM high wing.. He said “close, though probably the ME Stingray high wing would be a LITTLE shorter distance” (again between the top of the wing and the top of the rear fascia right below it).
While if I had the high wing I certainly could load certain items from the side, what if that item were not at the outside ends of the trunk, but a smaller item located in exact center of the trunk? If so, I doubt I could reach it without having my body touching the sides of the car. What if it was a large heavy item? What if it were even a slightly windy day and I were trying to install/remove the coupe’s top?
Might folks stronger than me and longer arms than me be able to lift such an item, lift the coupe’s top, a good sized suitcase and/or a set of golf clubs up the top over the high wing and place each into the trunk — then later remove them without brushing the high wing either with that object or their clothes? Might such people again be able, either lift up from the side missing the high wing and/or lift when standing directly behind the car, and install/remove the coupe top easily too?
I absolutely believe so, but personally at 5’11” with a 35” sleeve length and lacking gorilla arms and shoulders, the high wing and heavy suitcase, golf bag, or even the regular sized coupe top could/would be a real issue for me.
Having now personally stated my issues, all can now individually determine whether their physical attributes and the high wing are a perfect or an imperfect marriage for themselves.
Second and Relatedly:
I sat in a ZR1 high wing convertible and later a coupe during the caravan and deliberately looked backwards to see how much rearward visibility was impacted by the wing.
From a safety point of view, I felt that for both the couple and the convertible rearward visibility was less than 5% negatively impacted, if at all. However, seeing that roughly 2” thick, width-of-car wide horizontal bar in my rear view mirror was not pleasant (in fact quite the opposite).
Thus, during the Bash I additionally yesterday asked Kirk one related question, and since the HT convertible discussion is still off the table, I asked him specifically about the ME coupe, and that was, “will rear visibility from the top of coupe camera be impacted by the high wing?” His response was that you will always see above and below it, but mostly you will be seeing downward below it, and you will still have full safety — similar to my reaction to the high wing’s ZR1’s coupe and convertible rearward visibility.
Okay, safety is not impacted, but how are you going to feel looking at that full-car-width horizontal bar in your rear view mirror and/or in your Panaray video viewing?
This thread was not meant to make anyone unhappy today. It was written to reflect what I learned and why I am not going to get a high wing for my 2020, and secondly for all considering a high wing, to suggest your at least thinking about these two main high view potential issues/consequences for you.
I doubt that more than a few after reading this, would change their mind as I did. But if even one changes their mind as a result, I am glad I wrote it.
And now for me personally, I excitedly move on, with great anticipation to seeing the options that ACS Composite provides me/us. I do know that there will be some exciting options coming from them, but have not yet been told what they would look like other than there will be at least one “regular height” deck spoiler.
[I am deliberately not changing my avatar for a few more days to remove the high wing.]
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