If it fits on a Viper Jon B probably has it... my Gen IV hood purchase [PICS INSIDE]

[Resident Alien]

First things first: a big THANK YOU to Jon for being such a fantastic source of viper parts and knowledge, as well as for providing absolutely stellar customer service! And that's saying a lot in a world where simply getting your paid-for order on time and with no issues might be asking for too much.

I had been looking for a decent deal on a Gen IV hood for a while with little to no success. Between the factory OEM hood being on back order (and pricey), aftermarket hoods being difficult to get or of uncertain quality/vendor reputation (and recently more pricey), used hoods being either heavily damaged or simply unavailable (and/or pricey), various comical communication challenges and some absolutely hysterical quotes I've been getting on paint work and damage correction (up to $1.5k just for paint, lol), my enthusiasm for this upgrade was getting dampened. At $3k+ total for the conversion (with all the bells and whistles) the good ole Gen III hood was starting to look perfectly acceptable again.

Contacted PartsRack via their website and was instantly given a couple of options at very reasonable prices, provided that a local pick up was necessary. One of the options was almost my best case scenario - an OEM hood in my color with all the accessories but described as having scuff marks and scratches and needing repaint and local pick up. Put a deposit down before seeing any pictures (as in my book Jon's word is just as good).

A few days later my viper's facia was transformed. The "out-with-the-old, in-with-the new" process took the better part of 1 minute. The condition of the hood beat my expectations - there still are a number of rock chips but I was able to claybar some marks out to the point of having a really decent 6 foot car prior to any polishing or paintwork. Eventually all the imperfections will get cured, but I am already enjoying the hell out of the new look.




Onto a few pics (please pardon the crappy quality):


http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y436/ipetrov/pic1_zpsd66f1b6d.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/ipetrov/media/pic1_zpsd66f1b6d.jpg.html)

http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y436/ipetrov/pic2_zpsbe28bdcf.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/ipetrov/media/pic2_zpsbe28bdcf.jpg.html)

http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y436/ipetrov/pic3_zps11ee4dbf.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/ipetrov/media/pic3_zps11ee4dbf.jpg.html)

http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y436/ipetrov/pic14_zps34388fd0.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/ipetrov/media/pic14_zps34388fd0.jpg.html)

http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y436/ipetrov/pic13_zpsd8fccd25.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/ipetrov/media/pic13_zpsd8fccd25.jpg.html)

http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y436/ipetrov/pic8_zps4839ae8c.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/ipetrov/media/pic8_zps4839ae8c.jpg.html)

http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y436/ipetrov/pic9_zpsbe9ae5c3.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/ipetrov/media/pic9_zpsbe9ae5c3.jpg.html)

http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y436/ipetrov/pic10_zps40303984.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/ipetrov/media/pic10_zps40303984.jpg.html)

http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y436/ipetrov/pic6_zpsaaf079be.jpg (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/ipetrov/media/pic6_zpsaaf079be.jpg.html)


MORAL OF THE STORY IS AS FOLLOWS: if you are looking for anything that would fit your Viper, call Jon as he most likely either has it or has a lead on it, regardless of whether or not it's listed on the PartsRack website. Heck, if I decide to install a jet engine in the viper, along with massaging seats and a coffee maker, my first call will be to Jon.

[AbsolutHank]

Looks awesome...such a great looking upgrade to a Gen III

[Resident Alien]

Thanks! It completely transforms the car (in addition to providing better engine bay cooling, more downforce and less heat directed in your face).

[Vprbite]

Thanks! It completely transforms the car from having a John Kerry type face to a pissed off Mike Tyson type face (in addition to providing better engine bay cooling, more downforce and less heat directed in your face).

Hey hey hey...be nice to those of us who haven't gotten the chance to put the new hood on yet. That John Kerry comment was below the belt. Ouch. Really though that looks great. That was going to be one of, if not the first mod when I got the Gen III but life kinda got in the way as it does from time to time.

I know you said there are imperfections but I gotta tell ya it looks pretty good from where I am standing. I take Jon at his word too as to the condition of parts and have never regretted it (I recently got take off front shocks that he said were in great shape but to me looked brand new. Not a speck of dirt or water spot on em and they didn't even seem to have mounting/dismounting marks.)

It looks great and if and when you do repaint it if the chips are getting to ya, they will of course blend carefully into the surrounding panels and when it is all perfectly new, that would be the time to clear bra it. I know some people are into those. Some aren't. But if you are, that's the time. Congrats on the hood. The car looks great too. I like the stance and the black wheels look great on red Gen IIIs. Enjoy it and drive safely. And if you ever get sick of it or sell the car, you know my phone will be on if you want to sell the hood.

Awesome mod!

[Resident Alien]

Thanks, Vprbite! Edited my comment as it was too harsh indeed, albeit in jest :)

[FrgMstr]

Enjoy not having all that hot air blown in around the sides of the windscreen now!

[Resident Alien]

Thanks Frg! From the position of sitting inside the car I actually prefer the looks of the Gen III hood. I am, however, definitely enjoying the lack of "opening a hot oven" type heat blast at nearly every application of the brake pedal.

[J TNT]

Car Looks great ! Did mine 5 years ago :)

[Loud]

Looks good, Ivan.

[Resident Alien]

Looks good, Ivan.

Thanks Anil, looking forward to a fun driving season!

[slysnake]

Did my '05 a couple of years ago for the heat reduction in the cabin with the top down. But the benifit of a hotter look on the outside is not bad either. ;)

[Vprbite]

Thanks Frg! From the position of sitting inside the car I actually prefer the looks of the Gen III hood. I am, however, definitely enjoying the lack of "opening a hot oven" type heat blast at nearly every application of the brake pedal.

I had no idea that happened with the gen III hood on the verts. Though I suppose my coupe isn't immune from that necessarily. Especially with my John Kerry face and all. And hey, should someone from Illinois even be mentioning politics? Perhaps we should call mayor Daily and Governor Blagoiavich, and his hair, and discuss this. Just kidding man. It looks great and sounds like it was a great deal. Jon has been coming through in the clutch for me big time lately too. Not on anything as pretty, or even visible, but he has been spanking dealership prices like a petulant child.

[FrgMstr]

Car Looks great ! Did mine 5 years ago :)

No it doesn't! It looks like mine! :smileys-car-driving

4814

[FrgMstr]

I had no idea that happened with the gen III hood on the verts. Though I suppose my coupe isn't immune from that necessarily.

I have never heard anyone gripe about it on the Coupe, so I imagine the airflow is totally different. On the Vert, with the Gen III hood, the heat exhausts those vents further back and washes right around the A pillars and into the cabin. And I don't mean a little bit, I mean a LOT. His comparison to an oven blast is dead on. The Gen IV hood exhausts the same heat, probably more, but it goes up and over. I wish someone had a Flir view of the difference. Would be interesting to see for sure.

Resident Alien, have you pulled the exhaust cross tubes from behind the seat? This will go a long ways to making the cockpit a bit more comfortable as well. And it loses a good bit of weight too. If you lose the cats, it cools the cabin off even more.

[Resident Alien]

No it doesn't! It looks like mine! :smileys-car-driving

4814

She is your former car indeed.

;)

Plus the Viper emblem on front, plus lowering caps, minus the stoptech brakes. She'll be losing the six hood vents soon, going on a diet and getting some more power later.

Hood vents will be posted in the classifieds soon.

[Resident Alien]

I have never heard anyone gripe about it on the Coupe, so I imagine the airflow is totally different. On the Vert, with the Gen III hood, the heat exhausts those vents further back and washes right around the A pillars and into the cabin. And I don't mean a little bit, I mean a LOT. His comparison to an oven blast is dead on. The Gen IV hood exhausts the same heat, probably more, but it goes up and over. I wish someone had a Flir view of the difference. Would be interesting to see for sure.

Resident Alien, have you pulled the exhaust cross tubes from behind the seat? This will go a long ways to making the cockpit a bit more comfortable as well. And it loses a good bit of weight too. If you lose the cats, it cools the cabin off even more.

As far as I know the car has intake, corsa cat backs and high flow cats, tune, 3.55 gears.

[Vprbite]

I have never heard anyone gripe about it on the Coupe, so I imagine the airflow is totally different. On the Vert, with the Gen III hood, the heat exhausts those vents further back and washes right around the A pillars and into the cabin. And I don't mean a little bit, I mean a LOT. His comparison to an oven blast is dead on. The Gen IV hood exhausts the same heat, probably more, but it goes up and over. I wish someone had a Flir view of the difference. Would be interesting to see for sure.

Resident Alien, have you pulled the exhaust cross tubes from behind the seat? This will go a long ways to making the cockpit a bit more comfortable as well. And it loses a good bit of weight too. If you lose the cats, it cools the cabin off even more.

I never noticed anything that feels like you are talking about. But then I live in Tucson so maybe I am used to it. The previous owner did a poor mans exhaust kit to just open it up a bit but soon it will have a full setup on there but perhaps even just opening up the flow a bit gets rid of it, the car runs plenty cool so I can't imagine there is tons of heat building up.

It would be interesting to see a flir.

[FrgMstr]

She is your former car indeed.

;)

Plus the Viper emblem on front, plus lowering caps, minus the stoptech brakes. She'll be losing the six hood vents soon, going on a diet and getting some more power later.

Hood vents will be posted in the classifieds soon.

No lowering caps on her, just a really nice right hand sweeper at high speed. :) I never put the grills in my vents, but I know people are always looking to buy those so it should be a quick sell. You can check the oil without opening the hood. And folks always seemed to get a cool vibe about it.

If you have Corsa catbacks, the cross-tube is gone. Those things made it nice and toasty in the back.

I had 3.55 gears in mine, and that is just a hoot. Need to put those in my current Viper.

Great looking ride brother!