Frankly, the deflector with bracing, was first designed and used by Bob Woodhouse back in the mid 90s. We sold them , and of course there were alot of copies made by others. A metal brace works the best for the deflector, as the heat can be pretty tough on some of the plastic holders,etc. They also hold up alot better after an off track excursion.
With all of that said, they have a limited viability , in my estimation, if you are a serious track rat, and you tend to get your brakes really warm. Pad and rotor life is extended tremendously on the Gen 1s and IIs , if you get a good brake duct kit. Somewhat pricey, they will save you a ton on brake components, extending the life virtually 4 fold in my experience. So your overall cost, in the long run, actually is significantly reduced, when your pads wear at a much lower rate, and the rotors are kept at a more consistent temp. The aerodynamics of the early Vipers kept the airflow away from the braking area, due to the unique design of the Snake.
Hope this is helpful, but feel free to call me if you would like more info.
Sincerely,
Bill Pemberton
1-800-889-1893
Example: Went through 3 sets of front pads at Mid Ohio , boiled the fluid until I went to SRF, and almost chewed up a set of rears.
The next year at
the same track, after installing a brake duct system, and though I was almost 4 seconds faster per lap ( Hoosiers and a more modded car ), I never changed pads, fluids, etc. I competed in the next Viper Days event, spending an entire day prior to the event testing, and did not go through a set of front pads until the middle of the first day of the Challenge Series. The duct system is where to spend the funds.
