Gen 2 Front Fascia questions?

[Jance GTS]

Ok I am planning on having my 2000 GTS repainted this winter. My front fascia is cracked on the bottom since I have lowered the car.

Since the air damn is all one piece, can you safety trim this section or completely remove it and reinforce the fascia with a piece of metal? Something like a splitter to cover the trimmed section. Surely someone has modified the lower portion for more ground clearance or would that create aerodynamic issues or something?

This is just an idea, so don't ask "why would someone do that." I'm just seeing if anyone has a solution besides raising the car back up to stock height.

 

[Jance GTS]

Something else that I am considering if they are a direct swap... is to replace my front fascia with a Gen 1 RT because they are completely flat on the bottom. Does anyone know if you can interchange the front fascia from a Gen 2 to a Gen 1? I'm not concerned about the hood release latch, just wondering if all the bolt holes are the same?

Gen 1 Front Fascia

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[dave6666]

I think the Gen 1 and Gen 2 fascias cannot be swapped, but let's get some more votes lol.

On the chin spoiler, the purpose of it is to direct air from under the car to the side of the car. The air going underneath creates lift, when directed to the side just creates drag. I guess drag is better than lift, as drag can be overcome with hp, but lift cannot. You can probably trim that with no ill effects unless you drive *** mph quite a lot. Or rebalance with a splitter if you remove the chin spoiler.

 

[Vital Velocity]

Mine is cracked on both sides, I had been thinking about this as well

 

[LifeIsGood]

...can you safety trim this section or completely remove it and reinforce the fascia with a piece of metal?

I've looked at this quite a lot and have considered trimming it for an aftermarket splitter. My opinion is that you won't need to reinforce anything if you trim it. It may cause lift issues as Dave pointed out, but that would be at high speeds, again just my opinion.

 

[ZYellow01RT]

Looks like quite a challenge...good luck!

 

[v10enomous]

I think the Gen 1 and Gen 2 fascias cannot be swapped, but let's get some more votes lol.

Says who ? I have the Gen2 fascia in the basement... Quite a few guys have done it.

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[dave6666]

Says who ?

Logic would say based on what I said, that I, thought that. Don't let a more correct version, that I offered someone to say when I said I thought that, go to your head.

 

[v10enomous]

It was a friendly says who... I forgot to add the smiley

Logic would say based on what I said, that I, thought that. Don't let a more correct version, that I offered someone to say when I said I thought that, go to your head.

 

[Fatboy 18]

Anyone know the material the fascia is made from, I wanted to cut big holes in one and bond in boxes for the correct size GTSR lights with plexiglass covers, I know the material is very flexible so am wondering about kind of glues or bonding to use?

 

[dave6666]

Polyurethane.

 

[v10enomous]

There are a couple of quirky things with different year fascias and the fog light housings that you have to check for depending on the years of the donor and recipient cars and different foam support inserts for Gen1 and Gen2 cars.

Something else that I am considering if they are a direct swap... is to replace my front fascia with a Gen 1 RT because they are completely flat on the bottom. Does anyone know if you can interchange the front fascia from a Gen 2 to a Gen 1? I'm not concerned about the hood release latch, just wondering if all the bolt holes are the same?

Gen 1 Front Fascia

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[Jance GTS]

Thanks for all the replies! I'll get back to all the replies later tonight.

Regarding the fog lights and foam really isn't an issue since it wouldn't be something that would require a lot of work to make something fit.

Does anyone have a closer picture of a Gen 1 and Gen 2 next to each other? If I was able to make the Gen 1 fascia work, I bet most Vipers owners wouldn't even notice it was a different fascia.

 

[v10enomous]

Thanks for all the replies! I'll get back to all the replies later tonight.

Regarding the fog lights and foam really isn't an issue since it wouldn't be something that would require a lot of work to make something fit.

Does anyone have a closer picture of a Gen 1 and Gen 2 next to each other? If I was able to make the Gen 1 fascia work, I bet most Vipers owners wouldn't even notice it was a different fascia.

Here's a good one...

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[GTLaser]

I think the GEN I front takes away the aggressive look of the front as it's more rounded....

 

[v10enomous]

I think the GEN I front takes away the aggressive look of the front as it's more rounded....

It does change the look. The Gen1 fascia looks lower, wider and bulkier while the Gen2 fascia is sleeker, higher and more refined looking... At some point I do plan to put the Gen2 fascia back on.

I found a picture of th 93 GTS concept where they had it like a Gen1 including sidepipes.

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[Camfab]

Dave, did you cut that lower piece off when you made that front splitter? I can't remember, and I believe most of your DIY images have been deleted for some reason.

 

[Jance GTS]

Here's a good one...

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I don't see any Gen 1 RT's to compare to the Gen 2 fascia?

 

[Jance GTS]

At some point I do plan to put the Gen2 fascia back on.

I'm confused? You have a Gen 2 with a Gen 1 fascia?

I found a bigger picture of the 93 concept. It doesn't look that bad to me!

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[v10enomous]

I'm confused? You have a Gen 2 with a Gen 1 fascia?

[/IMG]

Exactly I've seen at least a half dozen other GenII's that way.

 

[Jance GTS]

I think the Gen 1 and Gen 2 fascias cannot be swapped, but let's get some more votes lol.

On the chin spoiler, the purpose of it is to direct air from under the car to the side of the car. The air going underneath creates lift, when directed to the side just creates drag. I guess drag is better than lift, as drag can be overcome with hp, but lift cannot. You can probably trim that with no ill effects unless you drive *** mph quite a lot. Or rebalance with a splitter if you remove the chin spoiler.

Thanks Dave you explained it very well! I'm not concerned with drag or lift but it's good to know what could happen.

I've looked at this quite a lot and have considered trimming it for an aftermarket splitter. My opinion is that you won't need to reinforce anything if you trim it. It may cause lift issues as Dave pointed out, but that would be at high speeds, again just my opinion.

I agree Ken. I remember seeing Dave's DIY rear diffuser that he made and he pushed the metal up against the rear fascia. This is what I'm thinking for the front except just make it fit the shape after I trim off the "air dam" and rivet it to the fascia. It shouldn't need to be reinforced but it would protect it from cracking all the way through.

I think the GEN I front takes away the aggressive look of the front as it's more rounded....

I agree it make take away a little of the aggressive look but, I'm afraid that if I just trim the center section both sides will still be lower which could drag or catch on something. IMO it would look a lot better completely flat on the bottom, which would be hard to do with the Gen 2 fascia without having to complete rework the whole thing

I'd really like to see a Gen 1 and Gen 2 sitting side by side in person to really tell the difference. I'm thinking that since i have to fix and repaint what I have, it might just be cheaper to just replace and repaint without having to worry about damaging it again

 

[dave6666]

I did not remove the chin spoiler with my splitter install. I did however slightly trim it just to even it up from road grinding.

 

[Vic]

I modify my 2001 GTS splitter every day.

It's been scraped so many times, I don't even wanna look at the damage!




.

 

[jbs45]

Does anyone have any detailed drawings of how to remove front fascia?

 

[dave6666]

Screws in wheel well openings - remove
Screws underneath - remove
Tree fasteners on top - remove
Tree fasteners inside top grill opening - remove
Wires inside hand hole access for park and fog lights - disconnect

Take fascia off.

 

[ViperTony]

Does anyone have any detailed drawings of how to remove front fascia?

http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/642735-GEN-II-Removing-the-Front-Fascia

 

[Mad Max]

I found it so much easier to leave all of the 'tree fasteners' in place and instead remove 4 nuts and remove the fiberglass bumper and fascia as an assembly. Just my opinion.

Brent

 

[Darth Menace]

The gen 2 has a 2 piece bumper. Can just the lower bumper part be changed out to a gen 1 and the upper part of the bumper stay there?

 

[dave6666]

Theoretically, if you remove the rebar too, you have to realign things. I tapped the tree fastener holes to 5/16-18 and use body bolts. No grunting, no realigning.

 

[dave6666]

The gen 2 has a 2 piece bumper. Can just the lower bumper part be changed out to a gen 1 and the upper part of the bumper stay there?

Do........... WHAT????