Our windshied and radar

[secondchance]

I live in a condo and management require credit card sized transponder to activate the gate automatically. Well, this never worked for 2 years. So, finally, I went to the management office and the Director of Security, after a while, mumbled that it works on other Corvettes.
I finally figured out that our "special coating" is disrupting RF communication between the transponder and the reader. Solution? Hand held transponder.

This may have been discussed before but it seems Radar or Laser used for speed enforcement would have a same problem - bouncing of their signal into the sky due to severe incline of windshield. Also, angled radiator would have similar effect due to its incline. I know one of the car magazine did a story back in the 80s and C3 was stealthy relative to other cars tested and this was attributed to angled radiator.

Do we have one of the stealthiest vehicle due to small frontal area, fiberglass construction, reflective windshield and angled radiator???

Certainly nothing is invisible (not even F117) but diminished range due to these factors?

[Kevin]

i read in dave's book that the radar signature on the c4 is a 1/4 mile vs a full mile on normal cars. i think some of the ny contingent had troubles with easy pass not working due to the windshield

[scottfab]

The cut-out in the windshield works for both radar detection and door openers. As far as stealth, don't think so. My C3 seemed to be less radar detectable (based on observation going by traps and not being stopped) but the C4 is definitely not. My last reminder of that was in 2000 going 144 but was trapped at 78 in a 55
I thanked the officer and was relieved and grateful.

[DaveK]

In "Corvette from the Inside" Dave McLellan mentioned that while they were refining the chassis and components etc. that they noticed the difference that angling the radiator had on the radar cross-section.

As Corvette owners were likely to be somewhat 'interested' in having a smaller radar signature they took the decision to angle as many surfaces they could in order to disperse any radar.

As a result they effectively 'stealthed' the C4 in much the same way as the angled surfaces on the F117 Knighthawk were designed to.

Thanks

Dave

[secondchance]

You were going 144 but the gun registered 78? That seems 1/2 stealth, no?

[ScottZ95ZR1]

And half lucky !

[tomtom72]

From my days as a C3 owner.....Yun your memory serves you well. One of the majors, R&T, C&D or MT did the test. They were actually road testing radar detectors and noticed that when using a C3 that the radar had trouble acquiring that car at 1/4 mile away. They surmised that it was the rake of the radiator because fiberglass is a poor radar reflector.

Ya know it's funny the door opener issued by the Co-Op where I garage my Z works thru any part of my Z's windshield......but a standard EZPASS will only work thru the cut out, which is why I have the license plate mounted EZPASS on the Z.


Tom

[secondchance]

Originally Posted by tomtom72

From my days as a C3 owner.....Yun your memory serves you well. One of the majors, R&T, C&D or MT did the test. They were actually road testing radar detectors and noticed that when using a C3 that the radar had trouble acquiring that car at 1/4 mile away. They surmised that it was the rake of the radiator because fiberglass is a poor radar reflector.

Ya know it's funny the door opener issued by the Co-Op where I garage my Z works thru any part of my Z's windshield......but a standard EZPASS will only work thru the cut out, which is why I have the license plate mounted EZPASS on the Z.


Tom

You are absolutely correct regarding C3 and radar article. That was sometime between 79-81.
As to why some work and some don't - could it be frequency difference?

[Ccmano]

My EZ-pass is glued to my glass roof above the passenger visor. Works good there.
H

[Aurora40]

Car and Driver also did a later test that included a 1987 Corvette. It also had a lower radar signature than the other cars they tested.