GEN III IV to GEN V Frame Conversion

[viperguy69]

Here is what I have planned for the rear watershed... cut out the rest of the support structure under this carcass and then just drop it in over the current chassis... weld into place and then I should have a stable chassis with minimal structural integrity issues as a result of this modification...

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[viperguy69]

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This is the bottom support cut out so that the panel will drop in...

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This Weekend I was trying to get the initial cut out complete for a test fit... but only got 3/4 of the way there.

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What I still have left to cut out before I can test fit...

[mattssg]

Thank you for your service. I think your idea will turn out great and I can't wait to see this thread updated. Sounds like a cool and unique conversion.

I'm really enjoying this thread. I'm military also and I would love to do a project like this but I seem to move every 2-3 years. I just cant justify doing something this involved with the constant threat of another move. I have a little longer to retirement than you do (9 years), but once I grow up as well, I'd love to do a project like your doing.

thank you for your service as well!

[viperguy69]

Thank you for your service. I think your idea will turn out great and I can't wait to see this thread updated. Sounds like a cool and unique conversion.

thank you for your service as well!

Thanks to all you who have served as well... On the Viper conversion progress, well its going to be a little slow for a few weeks while I recover from surgery... Thanks for the conversation and posts as it has kept me motivated to get a little more done each and every day.

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no matter how I store the image it keeps coming up on this page upside down! WTFO!

[viperguy69]

Parts back from paint... once I get them installed I will start final wet sanding and buffing.
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The hood will look good once I get the carbon fiber trim rings for the vents
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Starting to assemble the rear bumper assembly and install the electric wiring.
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When you cannot use your arm then you have to do the little stuff that tends to burn time and energy!

[viperguy69]

I wonder what made the engineers change there mind between the original Viper prototype hood and the finalized production model...

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This first one is the Prototype with the holes and connectors designed to set on top of a recessed edge... if the would have drilled 1/8 holes on each side the could have used a wide head screw to affix the vents as apposed to the wire they initially used.

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With this design the put the mount on the side which allows the vent to simply click into place but I am not sure the thought through wind Resistance and the lift effect that coud result in the vents flying out of the slots... again the should have drilled 1/8 screw hole to allow the vents to be affixed to the vehicle to prevent this potential issue... I think this is why they revised the hood again with easier clips to allow them to be removed when racing...

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Now, I am wondering if those carbon fiber open hood vents will work on my prototype hood as I believe they still clip into the sides. Can some provide me a picture of the backside of these vents? If the just 3M tape to the top then I will have a flat surface to mount the parts to, just hope they are the same dimensional and were not modified any larger in the final production!

[ViperPete]

So you just want a pic of the underside of the vent? I have a GTS hood with only 2 vents. I'll be glad to take some close ups for you though if you want.

[viperguy69]

So you just want a pic of the underside of the vent? I have a GTS hood with only 2 vents. I'll be glad to take some close ups for you though if you want.

That would be great... will let me see how they attach to see if they will work with this hood.

Thanks.

[ViperPete]

Here you go. I hope these help.

[viperguy69]

Another long day of looking, analyzing, looking again, hoping, cutting, and swearing.... hope I did it close enough with that rear panel that it will all come together as planned... next weekend will be fitment of the newer rear panel with this older frame.

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[viperguy69]

1 July was the start of the Viper going back together...

All cutting, grinding, and fitting the wrecked Viper have been completed and the rough cutting, grinding, and fitting on the new Viper frame has reached the point where assembly is now the mission!

Last Cuts and Rough Fittings:

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Emplacement:

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Now I just need to weld into place!

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Decided to go with M8 1.25 Rive Nuts for attaching the cowl to the frame like they started to do in 2013 with all Vipers... no more nuts coming loose or dropping them or trying to install them at odd angles with a second wrench! Once I understood how to install the first rivet nut the remaining (15) rivet nuts took about 15 minutes to install!

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More to follow... I have three days off of work on the car... let's see how far I get!

[ViperGeorge]

After you complete this project you will know more about how the Viper is put together than virtually anyone on the planet. Even the engineers that designed the car split duties - electronics, suspension, engine, interior, etc. Even the guys on the line don't know the whole car. I suppose you could have a second career as the world's best Viper tech.

[1.8t]

Incredible thread. Keep the updates coming!

[viperguy69]

Today was a little slow... needed to get the grass cut and a few other things done around the house...

So, with the few hours I had for the car I only got to choose one of the smaller projects to get done, in the end they all need to get done!

The rear stiffener is a little different on the Gen III/IV vs Gen V. As a result I had to make a few modification to the bracket to compensate for the angle and extend the support to reach the cross member. The new Gen 5 was welded directly to the frame as opposed to a bracket attached to the frame and then the cross member to it... kind of a wasted few welds that do not seem as rigid as the current configuration. Also the angle is different as the frame cross beam is 4" further back in the Gen V.

Here is the bracket and the mod.
The bracket cut from the Gen V
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The fabricated bracket extension
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The extension welded to the bracket
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The new part painted and ready for install...
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[viperguy69]

Brackets in and its time to install the tub for a quick fitment test and to see how the holes line up on those welds... I also had to cut the old battery tray out of the frame.

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hmmm... I thought I measured this and those brackets aligned... nope, need to cut something else off... ugh...

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Well, the holes align but those brackets I cut are also shorter so they will have to be modified to fit the tub properly.

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With the brackets remover all things fit... whew...

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[ClayR]

This is amazing. Nice work. It reminds me of this song.

https://youtu.be/rWHniL8MyMM

Both my parents are Marines. Thank you for your service and congratulations on your impending retirement!

[viperguy69]

This is amazing. Nice work. It reminds me of this song.

https://youtu.be/rWHniL8MyMM

Both my parents are Marines. Thank you for your service and congratulations on your impending retirement!

LOL... one of my favorite Cash songs... and my wife tells me all the time that it's the cars theme song from the day I first started over a year ago. Johnny Cash's home town/home is just down a few dirt roads from where she grew up as a kid... thanks for the link. Tell your parents Semper Fi and best wishes from a fellow Marine.

[viperguy69]

Got the rear tub mounts cut and welled onto the frame... cut one a little to short but being off by an 1/8 of an inch from center is not going to affect much at all.

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[viperguy69]

Today's progress... rear frame of the Gen V mounted to the Gen III/IV chassis. Tomorrow is an all day adventure of welding the part into the frame permanently and folding metal to make the part look secure and rigid.

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[Snakebit10]

Very very cool...Look forward to the completion.

[ViperPete]

Amazing work. Love the pics and the description of what you did. That's how i like to do it too.

[theviper]

You're literally building a Viper from the ground up! That's hard work, talent, determination, and probably some blood, sweat, and tears! Who needs Connor Ave anyway now that we have you! Can't wait to see the final product. Please make sure it is 110% safe before driving it. I see how this project instills a priceless sense of accomplishment, but I still don't see how this project saves money since clean title Gen V's can be purchased for mid 60's.

[Firewater]

I just stumbled into this thread. Wow!! Very impressive work! I can't wait to see the finished product!

[viperguy69]

You're literally building a Viper from the ground up! That's hard work, talent, determination, and probably some blood, sweat, and tears! Who needs Connor Ave anyway now that we have you! Can't wait to see the final product. Please make sure it is 110% safe before driving it. I see how this project instills a priceless sense of accomplishment, but I still don't see how this project saves money since clean title Gen V's can be purchased for mid 60's.

I have to have a state police certified inspector certify that the car is safe for the VA roads before they will allow me to then get the car registered in VA and get plates at the DMV.

Saving is a relevant and yet subjective point. What I wanted was a the fully loaded GTS with the orange accent seats and carbon fiber interior trim. I have seen the GTS going for the 75+/- 3K but then I would have to settle for what someone else chose as options and you are not going to get the car with carbon and orange stitched seats. I know I will be in the $50K range when all is said an done but I will have enough parts to build the car 1.5 more times; all I really need are some suspension parts and an engine to build another. Most importantly, I am now not tied to any paint color. If I bought a clean title car as I would not be able to, mentally, change the color from the original factory specification. So, I would have had limited options to basically Copperhead or Very Purple which are priced much differently then a standard GTS... most likely I would have just gone ACR.

In the end, I will be buying a Gen V frame once they become available. I will build another with all these extra parts. However, the learning curve on doing this project is well worth my time I have spent on it and I wanted to see what the real differences were and to also see if it was possible after initially being unable to purchase a Gen V frame.

Lastly, I personally enjoy building things with my own hands to thoroughly understand every aspect of the project at hand. I built my first BMX at age 10. I purchased my first snowmobile when I was 12 and it came in a couple of boxes that someone on my paper route gave up on. I made many trips to the local dealership to look at their parts catalogues to figure out what part went where... way before the internet! I purchased my first car without an engine and put a 351 Cleveland into it for $500 and then sold the engine for $1K two years later. So, as you can see I have a history of doing strange and daunting tasks... It is what will possible kill me in the end... I have even looked at an aircraft project in the past, must have da Vinci blood in me way down in the family tree somewhere.

[Troublemaker]

Nice work. I think it came down to the question of "could I do it?" not "should I do it?" I understand that mindset. I have been in the middle of a couple of off the wall projects when someone asks me, WHY? I usually mumble some along the lines of, if you have to ask the question you will never understand why. Good work, keep doing it just because.

Marines are a different breed that I'm glad exists, thanks.