quick question

[supratime]

Do the gen 3 vipers ding or dent? I know the front fenders/ front bumper are made of fiberglass. Is everything else make of fiberglass as well? Thanks

- Cal

 

[SylvanSRT]

not very easily.

 

[Y2K5SRT]

Actually, I don't think many body parts are even made of fiberglass. More like the plastic used on the Saturn. For those of you that are daring, push with the back of your hand (I used the flat spot between my knuckles) on your rear quarter panel. I think I tried this on my front fenders as well. They will push in and have a tremendous amount of flex. Bottom line: I don't think they will dent at all. However I will bet that they will crack or rip.

I also don't know that much about paint dynamics, but I would think that if your paint is brittle that it will crack if those panels are flexed (that's why I thought it was daring to push on them like I did). Mine was fine and my curiosity was killing me after a friend saw a wrecked SRT and couldn't believe how much the fenders could bend without anything happening. Interesting!

 

[WickedV]

I thought most of the body panels were made out of kevlar.

 

[SneakyPete]

you got to love the new flex agents

 

[Frank 03SRT]

I believe the paint is special for flexible panels. If the panels are metal, the paint is formulated differently, at least that's what I have noticed on web sites, where the difference can be specified.

 

[Brian E]

Do the gen 3 vipers ding or dent? I know the front fenders/ front bumper are made of fiberglass. Is everything else make of fiberglass as well? Thanks

Cal, the material is called SMC, short for sheet molded composite. It is the same as the Corvette, if my memory serves me correctly.

 

[Kelly06]

If it's the same as corvette, then dodge has learned something that chevy hasn't. Vettes have ripples to the body and orange peal to their paint. Always a complaint of the vetters. On my srt there are no such things.

 

[Ooomph]

yep, Brians correct, it's called SMC or Sheet Molded Composites. Both lighter and stronger than pure fiberglass panels, without ever having to be re-sealed to keep from drying out and becoming brittle. Made from 20-50% fiberglass, resin and fillers. It's what's on the C4 and C5's. Never had any orange-peel or ripples on my C5 though. It will ding and spiderweb if smacked hard enough, as well as crack and snap-off.