TA to ACR conversion

[Voice of Reason]

Odd, I found the rear brake ducts incredibly easy to swap when I upgraded my plastic ones to OEM carbon fiber a couple years ago. I can see how other things are risky where drilling is necessary but IMO if you can’t swap side ducts you have no business trying to do anything mechanical on any car.

[nwa_viper]

Odd, I found the rear brake ducts incredibly easy to swap when I upgraded my plastic ones to OEM carbon fiber a couple years ago. I can see how other things are risky where drilling is necessary but IMO if you can’t swap side ducts you have no business trying to do anything mechanical on any car.

100% agree and thought it very odd. Honestly swapping the gas cap door for a powder coated one was much harder IMO.

[XTREME SUPERCARS]

Odd, I found the rear brake ducts incredibly easy to swap when I upgraded my plastic ones to OEM carbon fiber a couple years ago. I can see how other things are risky where drilling is necessary but IMO if you can’t swap side ducts you have no business trying to do anything mechanical on any car.

For some, it may seem easy, But, the issue isn't as much complexity in just a swap, but the actual replacing to make them functional in some Vipers, especially 2013s.
The other issue is not setting them in deep enough and before gently testing fit, just slamming the door shut on the tab that may stick out a few milimeters and get cracked, or the paint on the door scratched or worse..
Have a look at Luis DIY write up. It shpws the R&R in great detail. Especially when connecting the duct to the wheel well, which in some cars, means removing the inner wheel well, cutting the liner and adding two additional OEM parts from Dodge.
This would be a good time to R&R your fuel door assy if you want to have it painted.

https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...672#post349672

Thanks so much,
Laurelle

[Hawk]

Finally got around to installing the new coil overs. I went with the MCS 2 way, I picked them up thru Mark Jorgensen at Woodhouse. He was a pleasure to deal with and was very helpful with the tech advice. I went with his recommendations and went with 1400 lbs. rear springs and 600 lbs. fronts. I had them powder coated orange .Mark ordered all the springs and brackets with the order with the exception of the rear canister brackets.

P1015433.jpg
P1015432.jpg

[Hawk]

The job is pretty strait forward. Starting with the rear remove the wheel well with a dozen or so bolts, be sure to disconnect the air duct that cools the brakes. Mine was rivet in. There is an access hole above the shock mount that has a rubber gromet to assist in removing and installing the shock assembly. Pull back the air hose and fish the canister thru the opening and cut a U shape hole for the canter line. I mounted the canisters using a 50 mm fuel pump bracket I found on Amazon. I installed the mount with a couple riv nuts thru the plastic trunk deck. Be sure to protect the canister line area that seats in the slot to protect against chafing. I wrapped it with electrical tape. I used some 3/8” stainless steel cable clamps and self-taping screws to attach the canaster line to the frame, I also picked up on Amazon. Before installing the new coil overs measure the length of what you have to give a starting point that should be close. I measured my frame prior to installation and adjusted the height to what my final target setting was.

https://www.amazon.com/Fudoray-Mount...425873351&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1



P1015453.jpg
P1015454.jpg
P1015455.jpg

[Hawk]

P1015456.jpg
P1015458.jpg

- - - Updated - - -

P1015459.jpg
P1015460.jpg

[Hawk]

The front was as strait forward as could be. Easy removal and reinstallation. Fish the canister up thru the front of the engine (not many different areas to go) and install the canters with the mount that Mark sent that mounts to the tube cross bar.

P1015463.jpg
P1015465.jpg

- - - Updated - - -

P1015466.jpg
P1015467.jpg

[Hawk]

Once they were installed I set the ride height by measuring the frame height centered on the wheels. I set the front at 4 ¼” and rear at 5 ¾” (between the track and street height recommendations). Next I put it on the corner scales and got a cross balance with in 12 lbs. with matching front weight with me in the driver’s seat. It took quite a few tries to get it close. I had weighed the car prior to removal of the old coil overs and it was 96 lbs. off cross corner

P1015469.jpg

[Arizona Vipers]

I got the same shocks through Mark as well! He was very helpful. The shocks seem to do very well for me. For what it's worth, they are 1.5 lbs lighter per corner than the factory ACR Bilsteins.

[Hawk]

Arizona how light is your car now?

[serpent]

Hawk, do you plan on doing ACR fender vent too?

[Hawk]

I have been thinking about it. Just not ready to cut into the hood just yet.

[Hawk]

I finally got around to finishing what I started and ordered the fender louvers from Wayne at Xtreme. As always, the CF was top notch as well as his templates. I had a good friend Bennitt help me with the project, the emotional distress of cutting thru the hood was getting to me so he took over! Start by wiping down the area with naphtha to remove any wax or residue and tape up the area with painter’s tape. Locate the top side template and mark out the hole. The top hole was cut using a jig saw, I used Bosch T118B blades (med metal blade) the CF really chews up the blades so I used 4 per hole. (I’m sure there are probably better blades for this but this is what I used.) Hold the saw firmly against the hood as it wants to jump going thru the 2 layers. We stayed a solid 1/8” inside the marks. It does chip the paint slightly in a few spots but that material will be sanded out later

P1015753.jpg
P1015760.jpg
P1015761.jpg

[Hawk]

Next locate and mark the inner template. For this cut we used a Dremel with a diamond cutting wheel. We used a couple pieces of step flashing between the 2 layers to make sure the blade did not come thru the upper layer. To clean up the inner hole use a sanding drum on the Dremel. The hardest part of the cut is along the outer fender lip where the 2 layers are connected. To make the 3 mounting slots we drilled a hole on each end of the slot and cut out the middle with the cutting wheel. Once the vent fit well in the hole and tabs head back to the top side

P1015746.jpg
P1015763.jpg
P1015766.jpg

[Hawk]

On the top take a razor blade and trim back the tape to the outside of the marker lines (just a hair short of the final edge of the hole). Using the Dremel sanding drum take out the extra material up to the edge of the tape line. Check the vent in the hole and remove any additional material required for the vent to sit centered in the hole. Remove the original tape and use a new piece to create a straight line to your desired opening size. The opening will look squirrely we used a paint stick and sandpaper to straighten out the lines.
P1015772.jpg
P1015783.jpg
P1015777.jpg

[Hawk]

Next locate the vent in the hole and place tape where the mounting bolts will go. Mark out the bolt slots, remove the vent and position the bolts and mark. Cut the tape away from the mounting location and sand the mounting location as well as the face of the bolt. Wipe the bolt and hood with an alcohol wipe. Leave the rest of the tape on the hood also tape up the top of the vent to prevent any excess epoxy from bonding the vent to the bolt. Place the vent into the hole, place the epoxy coated bolt into the correct location and use spring clamps to hold the vent and bolts into place.

P1015787.jpg
P1015788.jpg
P1015789.jpg

- - - Updated - - -

P1015792.jpg

P1015794.jpg

[Hawk]

Last step have a cold beer and enjoy!

image7.jpeg
image0.jpeg
image3.jpeg
image6.jpeg

[Arizona Vipers]

Nice work dude!

[MO_Better]

Wow that is fantastic! Whatever you spent I'm sure it was worth it. The car just looks fabulous and from the pic's you did a pro job at it.

If you don't mind my asking, can you summarize your time / hours and the costs involved?

Mark

[Hawk]

It took me about 35 hours for the following:
• Front splitter with supports
• Tow hook
• Canards
• Front fender louvers
• 6 hood vents
• Rear brake duct vents
• Rear wing
• Rear diffusers
Parts $28K

About 14 hours for the following:
• Install MCS coil overs
• Mount shock canisters
• Adjust ride height and corner balance
Parts $7,200 (includes powder coating coils)

[pony23]

Wow, awesome job and great write up. Looks like all that hard work paid off.

[MO_Better]

It took me about 35 hours for the following:
• Front splitter with supports
• Tow hook
• Canards
• Front fender louvers
• 6 hood vents
• Rear brake duct vents
• Rear wing
• Rear diffusers
Parts $28K

About 14 hours for the following:
• Install MCS coil overs
• Mount shock canisters
• Adjust ride height and corner balance
Parts $7,200 (includes powder coating coils)

Totally worth it.

Man that took a big pair to cut that hood - definitely a measure twice cut once moment!

Mark

[Racingswh]

Incredible work! You should have a great sense of satisfaction. Looks exceptional.

[Thawk97]

Amazing!
So no paint work needed after cutting & sanding? The edge is clean enough? I would have expected it to have a bunch of scuffs or chips - Would love to see a close up of the finished edge that was cut. Your pics look amazing

[Arizona Vipers]

I run the same MCS shocks, they work great, especially for the money!