What Should I do about this???

[sbkim]

Greetings,

I know I asked this before but this is driving me mad. Most of the answers I got that time was - "it's a Dodge", "get a corvette instead."

Every time I see a pict of Viper, only thing I am staring at is gap between the fascia and hood...

I took it to the dealership and I got similar replies as this forum and that it's best not be messing with. For the last time, is this worth pushing to get adjusted under warranty? The gap is about less than 0.5". Or would adjusting cause other things to be misaligned.

Please help! Thanks!!

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[SapphireGTS]

Just be glad that the gap is straight . It just doesnt blend in on a yellow car like it does on a blue/black car.

I have that same gap.

 

[Jeff Torrey]

There are adjustments for your hood. I think they are in the latches. However if you lower the hood to close the gap your talking about, it will effect the alignment of the leading edge at the front fascia. So you will have to adjust the fascia also. Keep in mind that it will effect the clearence on your headlights. If the hood comes in contact with your headlights it will scuff the lenses and paint off of the hood as you drive the car. Plus a tight fit on your headlights puts more pressure on your hood when you close it. The panels flex under accelleration, that is the reason for the gaps. If the gap is uneven from side to side, then I would try to even it out to match. Otherwise I would leave it alone.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I wouldn't want to mess with the hood. Keep realigning the fascia until the gap closes. Should take about a year if you work every weekend on it.

 

[2001 Sapphire Blue]

The passenger side of mine is perfect, but the driver's side has about 1/2 inch gap. My car is sapphire blue so it isn't really noticeable...I'm gonna leave it alone...it gives it character!

 

[YouWish]

I can't believe people are telling you it's "just a Dodge". You must have alot of jealous people where you live. Most of the time when people see my Viper out crusing they are speech-less. The Viper screams "you wish you could look this good" so I can see the negative comments from jealousy. Your yellow Viper is sweet!

 

[ViperJoe]

Heck I wish I HAD some gap! Mine is near flush. Might be able to slide a piece of paper in the gap on my car. And this is AFTER I did some facia, and bump stop adjusting!

Leave it alone!

 

[sbkim]

Thank you all for the replies!!!

I guess Chuck sums up best - "Keep realigning the fascia until the gap closes. Should take about a year if you work every weekend on it. " Last thing I want is my car to be in the shop for a year...

Jeff - That was what I was afraid of - fixing one thing causing another to be out of whack.

YouWish - thanks for the kind words! Yes, may be they are just jealous that our cars are hand made and have some variability... oops, I mean character

Again, thanks for the reassuring words. On a side note, all the gaps around the hood are perfectly even so I know something else will be f'ed up if they narrow this gap...

 

[ZX1100]

SB...maybe you should talk to Tom and get a Benzo What's up? I thought you were far away from your car to worry about it

I would adjust the fascia like what Chuck said. When you heading up this way with that beast?

 

[sbkim]

D man - I am doing all this analysis from Germany. And I am now convinced that I should buy a MiniCooper or Smart car


What??!! You want me to get it adjusted even if it takes a year? I hope to make it up next Spring.

 

[joe117]

Only a Viper guy will notice it.

 

[ROCKET62]

DRIVE MORE! - Can't see the gap while seated behind the wheel.

 

[Supercharged Vipermad]

Heck I wish I HAD some gap! Mine is near flush. Might be able to slide a piece of paper in the gap on my car. And this is AFTER I did some facia, and bump stop adjusting!

Leave it alone!

I'm in the same boat as Joe. Passenger side is CLOSE...too close! Yours looks OK to me, meaning not bad. There is worse...and those people chase after that demon for-EVER. If it were mine...I'd leave it. 2 cents...for free.

 

[GR8_ASP]

I hired 2 of the Viper plant guys to come to my house and adjust the fit. It is about 2 to 3 mm on each side now. They spent around 3 hours doing it. Definietly worth it for me. But that is an advantage in living fairly close to the plant. Kansas is a bit of a drive from here.

 

[ViperRay]

You mean to say that your gaps are the same every time you close the hood? I keep opening and closing my hood until I get the gaps I like!

 

[1TONY1]

Paint = in the gap <font color="yellow"> yellow </font>

 

[sbkim]

Ron - wow, you lucky guy you! I was hoping to bribe some Viper tech for few hours with German beer but I don't think this is going to happen.

I noticed a completely different set of replies in the alley forum - they are seem adamant about getting it fixed.

Thanks again!

 

[bwhitmore]

I had the gap on my hood too close, like no gap at all, and my hood actually rattled at low speeds over bumps.

I adjusted it by pushing the latches forward slightly about 1/8". There are two 1/2" bolts that attach the latches to the frame and can be moved easily. I have since enlarged the gap so that the hood and the front fascia in this area are no longer touching. They are perfectly equal at about 1/8" each now, and I no longer get any rattling from my hood either, moving the latches slightly forward secures the hood better when closed.

You may try moving these latches back slightly, this will actually make the hood sit down more in front, you can adjust the leading edge at the fascia by twisting the bushing in front up more to match.

 

[Y2K5SRT]

First thing: Join the Kansas City Viper Club (the one that gave you your very first ride in a Viper). Second, talk to the many owners in our club that have had the hood adjusted at one point or another. There are two very qualified dealerships in this town that won't screw it up. You do NOT need to live with it!

Chris

 

[NCVCA]

I say go for it. We're talking about a few wrenches and a Saturday afternoon. I've taken the complete body off my Viper twice. The nose is easy to remove and just as easy to adjust. The hood is shimmed and if you have a reasonable amount of time and mechanical ability it's 'nothing but a thing'.

The beauty of a Viper (IMHO) is that it's a race car for street use. There isn't a lot of BS parts or pieces that you need a PHD to understand. It's really a handbuilt factory car. The guys at te factory are great, but sometimes the tolerances that come off the line aren't what we as Viper owners (read 'some of the most demanding suto customers in the world') want. So dig in. The worst that can happen is that you bring it back to where it is now after 4 hours of work.

The Viper is a drivers car, a racers car, a 'real man's/woman's car'. It's not rocket science. Go slow, think about the relationships between panels and enjoy.

I know that I was SCARED TO DEATH to change anything at first, but after you start working with that incredible piece of machinery you realize it's friendly and will work with you.

VIVA VIPER!

 

[Vic]

When I toured the factory, the tour guide said the front fascia is like a Rubik's cube. If you get one part of it right, its off in another place, and you keep chasing it until you give up!

But thats not my attitude, its more of a joke, really. If I needed to, I would give it a try. Glad I don't need to, though.

My hood was barely rubbing the headlights, and I just screwed the stops out a half turn, and radiused underneath the hood a bit, no more rubbing.

 

[sbkim]

Thanks again for the replies

Chris - You are to blame for all this. I won't have a Viper now if it wasn't for you I am still in Munich and will be until next April. I promise I will join before the summer arrives. I took it to Bud Brown and they told me to live with it...

I think I will reserve the adjustments to a more qualified mechanic as soon as I return to the States.

 

[ViperJoe]

I hired 2 of the Viper plant guys to come to my house and adjust the fit.

OK Mr La-Tee-Dah...... I really needed to hear THAT! LOL!!!!!!
Don't think they would make the road trip to VA though :-(