OEM fascia painting

[My98RT10]

I know the lower part of my front fascia has been repainted (up to that groove below the fog lights). I am thinking to get this section repainted again as it was not done in the best way.

Now I am wondering, how these were painted from factory and if that middle section (see arrow) was black when it rolled off the assembly line in November 1998...?

Thanks for your help!

[Camfab]

I can't specifically speak for 1998, however in 15 years of GEN II ownership and digging around I have never seen or heard of a factory black out section under the chin. Great shot!

[ICPREY]

It has been brought up before without any conclusive answer in either direction. I purchased mine with 6700 miles on it and the center section was painted black and my car had no previous paint repair. I seem to see it more on silver cars and can even be seen on some old Motor Trend articles while they were doing reviews. I really don't see people going through the effort to painting just the center section black if it wasn't OEM.

[01sapphirebob]

The “splitter” on the fascia was always painted body color from the factory.

[Fatboy 18]

You could always put some black stone chip tape / Film, on that middle section to see what it looks like.

[GTS Dean]

Some history and a word of caution on the silver cars -

When that color came out on the 98's, it was a very desirable option. However, the painting process for the cars (all panels pre-painted and delivered to CAAP from a supplier) was not uniform between the fiberglass and the RIM (flexible) panels. The metal flake was not laying out the same. This mismatch caused the complete cessation of silver production for several months while this was sorted out. I believe either the paint supplier was changed, or the process for painting the RIM panels was.

Just limit the respray to the lower surfaces and you won't have the issue.

[My98RT10]

Thanks for all the input. I think I have read somewhere (long time ago) that this section was painted black and you could identify repainting by the lack of this (unless someone takes care of this detail). But my memory might serve me wrong... In fact, I cannot remember having one seen painted black.

[ACRSNK]

Don’t think the front fascia was painted black, but there was a section in the rear bumper that was. Easy way to tell if the rear bumper was painted if it was missing.

[ICPREY]

Google images of silver gen 2 Vipers and you'll see quite a few with it painted, doubtful people were painting them for appearance.

[plumcrazy]

the bottom part (last inch or so where arrow is pointed) was black originally. and silver is tough to paint, make sure to find the right guy to match it

[My98RT10]

Google images of silver gen 2 Vipers and you'll see quite a few with it painted, doubtful people were painting them for appearance.

I did but I couldn't find one where that section was black. Some appeared to be black but I think it was more shadowing than black paint...?

[GTS Dean]

None of the front fascias had any black paint on them from the factory. The rears only had the simulated air extractor slots painted black.

[ICPREY]

I did but I couldn't find one where that section was black. Some appeared to be black but I think it was more shadowing than black paint...?

Here are some...
https://grautogallery.com/vehicles/2...ge-viper-rt-10
http://www.comfortcat.com/viper/
http://www.2040-cars.com/Dodge/Viper...alvage-993926/
https://fastlanecars.com/vehicles/11...ge-viper-rt-10

[soundkillr]

None of the front fascias had any black paint on them from the factory. The rears only had the simulated air extractor slots painted black.

This is exactly what ive been told as well. Ive looked at several very low mileage cars, all solid color. Lower lip piece was always same color as upper....
Now what I have seen, is some early 96 b/w gts front bumpers have a black painted section on the inner lip facing the wheel well. Later b/w did not have this and were painted solid blue.
Ive attached a pic of an earlier 96. If you look carefully you can see the leading edge at the wheel is painted black. The later 96s and 97s (b/w) I've seen are all solid blue....

Edit: after looking at some of the links icprey provided, I see some of those cars have the black edge at the wheel wells as well. Ive also seen tons of vipers with original paint on the bumpers, that are painted solid color both on the wheel wells, and lower air dam. So as always.....I have no clue whats going on...

[My98RT10]

After more searching I finally found one: this is from an older ad, also a 1998 RT/10 and also from November just like mine!

It's a pity that no craftsperson from CAAP are on this forum. I'd really like to know how it was painted originally because I would then do it the same way.

143300_4e40b26349_low_res.jpg

[plumcrazy]

that is the correct way with the black lower, center edge

[GTS Dean]

Edit: after looking at some of the links icprey provided, I see some of those cars have the black edge at the wheel wells as well. Ive also seen tons of vipers with original paint on the bumpers, that are painted solid color both on the wheel wells, and lower air dam. So as always.....I have no clue whats going on...

You are indeed correct about the wheelhouse attachment lips. However, in the context of the original post, and in my memory, the air dam was never painted other than primary body color. That includes the striped cars - which stopped at the top of the air dam.

[soundkillr]

You are indeed correct about the wheelhouse attachment lips. However, in the context of the original post, and in my memory, the air dam was never painted other than primary body color. That includes the striped cars - which stopped at the top of the air dam.

Agreed. As a side note (and to add to the curiosity) I brought up the inner lip finding it odd that some were painted and some not. And again I'll state, every original paint Viper I've looked at the lower lip has been body color and not black, but the wheel edge makes me pose the question, could some bumpers have had the lower air dam painted black from the supplier? Could this have been an rt10 thing, and when production bumpers were low for the gts, they grabbed rt10 bumpers? Don't know if that's a possibility but now I'm intrigued. Lol.

[ICPREY]

And once again no conclusive answer..There are a few CAAP employees on Facebook, not sure they would even remember. I'm still sticking to no one is going to paint the black section for an appearance mod. Maybe it was a mid year change? Different vendors doing the paint?Only silver car thing?

[ViperTim]

My 98 GTS has without any doubt been resprayed in the front.
And it has a blacked out center. Honestly I don't think any repair company would ever respray in a different colour for the looks, and through the flaking of the respray I can see black aswell.
I also have blackened wheel wells.
Mine is an export Chrysler Viper, if that by any means would make any difference.

[plumcrazy]

A quick Google search on 1998 viper brings up some original gtsr's and they appear to have the bottom part painted black

Any original prints or magazine ads show it ?

[plumcrazy]

Jonb, bill Pemberton and Chuck tator should be asked.

[Granger73]

Time is passing and more and more questions are being asked, but there is no place to go for the answers. Documentation is wanting for all generations. Who’s going to start up a program to capture the info while it’s still readily available? If not the VOA, then who?

[My98RT10]

To add to the question(s):

What I also noticed is that the black areas in the rear bumper as well as the wheel well lip of the front fascia are flat black, not clear coated. Is that black paint or is the bumber material itself black and they just covered that with masking tape before starting the painting process?

[GTS Dean]

Bumper natural color is pale yellow.