Viper GTC ACR-E

Body panels are turned into works of art at Prefix. Click on the thumbnail to see some pictures of the body panels for your custom Viper’s painting process at Prefix! Your GTC includes 24 individual painted parts/panels, and each one of them was hand-sanded to a smooth finish and then placed on the racks to be painted. The racks were wheeled into a climate-controlled chamber where it took roughly 6 man hours to spray all the panels with layers of both paint and clear coat. Once the painting was finished, the panels were baked in an oven at temperatures reaching 180 degrees to help speed up the drying process and harden the finish. Next a team of professionals hand-sanded and polished each panel to remove any imperfections and produce a smooth, glossy finish. I hope you’re excited about seeing the first step in the process of building your 1-of-1 Viper. Stay tuned for more updates coming soon!

The process for building your Viper started with the ‘Net Form and Pierce’ machine where four robotic arms measured and pierced holes in the chassis that will be used later on to attach various components and body panels. After the instrument panel (IP) was attached to the frame, it was placed on the ‘chassis line’ where we installed a number of components, including the wiring harness, seat belts, speakers, suspension pieces and the wheel/hub assemblies. Your Viper’s iconic V10 engine was assembled on a dedicated line adjacent to the main Viper line at Connor Avenue Assembly Plant (CAAP). The 8.4-liter all-aluminum block is the largest used by any production vehicle sold in the US and combines with the crankshaft, pistons, cylinder heads and other components to power your Viper. First, we bolted the massive Tremec six-speed transmission to your V10 engine and together they were dropped into your Viper. Did you know that the Viper is the only FCA-produced vehicle where the engine is installed “top down?”

As we showed you last time, it was a tight squeeze getting that massive V10 and Tremec transmission into the engine bay. But once it was in, we installed the x-brace, finished building the exhaust system and aligned your GTC’s suspension. Next, we bolted on your beautiful Matte Black ACR wheels, added fluids (brake, steering, and windshield) engine coolant, programmed the ECU and charged the AC system. Lastly, we ‘roll tested’ the chassis to confirm all the driveline components were working properly. This is an important milestone, but there’s still a lot more work until we’re finished with your 1-of-1 Viper. Next we’ll show you the beginning of final assembly.

The first station was where the trunk pan and sport bar were installed. The sport bar is an important part of your Viper because it helps stiffen the chassis and provides additional protection for you and your passenger. Up next was the interior where we added the bulkhead, center console, shift knob trim, parking brake trim, carpeting, and your Black and Red High-Grip Alcantara seats. From there we installed the A-pillars, set the windshield and started hanging the body panels, specifically the roof, rear quarter panels, rear decklid and rear fascia. This is where things start to get exciting, because we can finally start to see the shape of the car!

Your Viper’s clamshell hood is one of the world’s largest automotive parts made from a single piece of carbon fiber, and after that was installed – we added the doors and other assorted trim pieces. The front fascia was installed next, followed by the side sills and then the headlight assemblies. At this point your custom Viper was fully assembled; however, before moving it off the final line it was inspected from nose to tail to confirm the functionality of things like the doors and windows. As you can see...your 1 of 1 Viper looks absolutely FANTASTIC! What’s next? Quality verification and prep for shipment!

Before it can be deemed “ready to ship” we'll be putting your 1 of 1 through a series of comprehensive Quality Assessment tests designed to confirm that all the systems work correctly. First in Quality Validation, your Viper went through a three-step process where your GTC’s electrical and emission systems were certified, where we correctly aimed the headlights as well. More photos to come soon! Have a great day!

After Electrical & Emission testing, your Viper went through water testing, where we sprayed your Viper with over 700 gallons of water for a full five minutes to make sure there were no interior leaks. Then it went for a “ride” on our four-post shaker rig where it was checked for any squeaks or rattles in the suspension, chassis or bodywork. From there, it was off to the ‘Gap and Flush’ cell where four robotic arms verified the body panel gaps - specifically with the front and rear fascias, liftgate, hood and doors. The final Quality station for your Viper was the ‘prep and polish’ area where it was cleaned inside and out and put into “showroom” condition.

We flew to Detroit to pickup the beast and drove it 750 miles home. Car handled beautifully even in the cooler temps and lingering possibility of sleet.