After more thinking, and looking at the bottom of the car for about an hour, the design has changed. The flat section will encompass from the front crossmember on back to the point where the floor will angle upward for the diffuser. The width of the device will be frame width.
Present ground clearances are 6" at the front crossmember and 10" frame to ground in front of the rear tire.
The flat section will start 2" lower than the front crossmember (4" off the ground), and will be 5" lower than the frame in front of the rear tire (5" off the ground).
With downforce pulling the body down at speed, 1" in the front and 1" in the rear, that will leave 3" of ground clearance at the front and 4" of ground clearance in front of the rear tire.
This flat section will act as a gigantic diaper that will catch engine bay fluid leaks, or pieces of rod and camshaft. Let's hope it only catchs little drips here and there, and not my crankshaft.