Got To Tour CAAP and Prefix

[Capt Van]

It almost took an act of god to get into the plant but it finally happened, thanks to an old friend, "Big Al", I'm not asking how he did it but he did and it was cool!

There is a thread asking what can be done to help sales and I think one big thing SRT could do is have the plant open, maybe on a limited schedule, for tours. I can understand why it may be somewhat challenging but maybe they could get some volunteer Viper enthusiasts to be tour guides (something like that other plant in Bowling Green) and on a limited basis to start with. The reason I say this is it is an amazing facility and the people that work there are fantastic. As we toured the place most of the techs took the time to say hello and thanks for considering a Viper and explain what part of the build they do. They are all very proud of what they build and all die-hard car folks. The Viper is as close to hand built as I have ever seen. They are so committed to quality control that it's hard to believe anything gets by them, but I'm sure they do have some growing pains and working them out.

I was totally impressed by how open our guide was about what was going on. I was able to take all the pictures I wanted and was only asked not to post 2 or 3 of something that is not out yet (more later). We got to see some of the new things that are just now coming out.

One of the big deals for me was getting to see my car, it is only a completed chassis at this point, but yesterday I was told that it will be moved to final stage on Monday. It was waiting for the body to be finished in paint. It was a little delayed because I ordered a GTS with stripes but with the SRT hood and they had to work out the stripe layout. I did get to see a SRT hood with GTS stripes at Prefix and looks great, but unfortunately is was white with black stripes not yellow.

Couple of cool things we got to see was,

Number 1 and 2 TAs being built, very very cool, you all will be impressed with what is going on with that bad boy!

White GTS with red interior, I don't know if that is new but never saw one before.

All the carbon fiber goodies

Here are some pictures.

Me and Al walking in the front door.

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As soon as you walk into the plant it is evident how clean, light and quite it is, hard to believe it is a factory.

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Here is the quality control room with the jig used to measure tolerances of the body parts.

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The machinery is awesome

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Various stages of assambly

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Here is the new wheel, polished face and grey barrels

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White and red

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Sweet smell of carbon fiber

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This is my actual chassis with my new best buddy at CAAP

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Here is the first pictures of a SRT hood with GTS stripes, sorry for the crappy shots as it was in a rack that was tough to get to but you get the idea.

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A couple days later I got to go to Prefix. I was a bodyman and owned a body shop in a previous life but man this place takes auto body finishing to another planet. The specialty spray booths, prep, polishing and finishing areas are very impressive to say the least.

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This will be what mine looks like in the next week or so

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Heart of the beast

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I did shoot these pictures at Prefix, not sure if I should have or not but oh well

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In closing I want to thank all the great folks at both CAAP and Prefix if for nothing else, building the most bad ass car there is. I have to admit that I was starting to have second thoughts about buying a Gen 5, with all the negative crap you read, most of it bull in my opinion, with exception of KB and one other I know of. After the trip to the plants I just can't wait for mine to show up sunny Florida and spank it the way it should be.

I promise I won't show up in my ZR1 again so get my snake finished already

 

[Brian GTS]

Wow, nice pics! Thanks for posting! I really like the GTS stripes on the SRT hood. Even though I have a GTS, I think I still favor the SRT hood with the additional vents.

Did they have a fully built TA, or just a partial on the assembly line?

As for that white interior, wow, that is a little too pimped out for me, but I can appreciate the accents with the body color.

 

[Chelseasnake]

thanks for the pics. any more? and any of the cars in the shipping room?

 

[Capt Van]

Lots more, but not allowed into the shipping room.

Some custom work at Prefix

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One of One

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[Nine Ball]

Glad you got into the Chocolate Factory, Charlie. Haha

Agreed that every buyer should get a chance to visit the plant. That should be part of the ownership experience. It made my purchase more special, to me.

 

[ViperSmith]

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I maybe in the minority, but I love it.

 

[JAY]

Awesome looking interior !

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I maybe in the minority, but I love it.

 

[Capt Van]

I think it should be open to potential buyers as well.
When they see the level of commitment and dedication the people that work there have they would have a whole new appreciation of the car and it's heritage.

 

[Bobpantax]

" I was able to take all the pictures I wanted and was only asked not to post 2 or 3 of something that is not out yet (more later)."

Thanks for the pics. It is later. Can you mention what the something was? Was it a Viper?

 

[Capt Van]

Can you mention what the something was? Was it a Viper?

Yes it was the first 2 TAs and asked not to post pictures of them yet...very cool suspension I might say

 

[Coloviper]

On your 18th picture with the grey primered hood, there is a muted red primered front fascia in front of it Very, very interesting as it is clearly a G5 fascia overall, but unlike any on the production cars. I think you are looking at the next ACR front fascia right there as the GTSR and GT3 don't have that front fascia either. Great catch and I love the look of that fascia. It is going to look mean!

 

[Nine Ball]

On your 18th picture with the grey primered hood, there is a muted red primered front fascia in front of it Very, very interesting as it is clearly a G5 fascia overall, but unlike any on the production cars. I think you are looking at the next ACR front fascia right there as the GTSR and GT3 don't have that front fascia either. Great catch and I love the look of that fascia. It is going to look mean!

Good eye. I scrolled past it and didn't even notice that. In the Gen V book by Maurice, those holes were intended for vertical LED foglights. Later on, due to cost, they made them into wheel vents. That hole looks much wider now, so it could be the LED fogs + wheel vents?

 

[SaturnVUEguy]

I got to go on a tour of the Neon plant in Belvidere during a Neons meet back in '02. We weren't allowed to take any pictures, but man was that cool

 

[ACRucrazy]

I got to go on a tour of the Neon plant in Belvidere during a Neons meet back in '02. We weren't allowed to take any pictures, but man was that cool

I too went to the plant N2K2 and went on the plant tour. Definitely cool. We went drag racing st GLD that year IIRC.

 

[vipernut]

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I maybe in the minority, but I love it.

I like it too..however would kinda be impractical...I wear mostly black leather jackets and the interior would soon look black!

BTW....is this white interior (with the red accents) a custom order? I didn't see it on the option page?
Also is that STRYKER RED?! more confusion...on a 2014?

Somebody ..enlighten me about this car!
(It is a beauty though!)

 

[mnc2886]

On your 18th picture with the grey primered hood, there is a muted red primered front fascia in front of it Very, very interesting as it is clearly a G5 fascia overall, but unlike any on the production cars. I think you are looking at the next ACR front fascia right there as the GTSR and GT3 don't have that front fascia either. Great catch and I love the look of that fascia. It is going to look mean!

I hope you're right. If this picture gets deleted, we'll know for sure...

 

[Capt Van]

I like it too..however would kinda be impractical...I wear mostly black leather jackets and the interior would soon look black!

BTW....is this white interior (with the red accents) a custom order? I didn't see it on the option page?
Also is that STRYKER RED?! more confusion...on a 2014?

Somebody ..enlighten me about this car!
(It is a beauty though!)

No it's a 13 and the interior is a custom one off by Prefix for one of their customers. Man the workmanship is fantastic.

 

[Capt Van]

I hope you're right. If this picture gets deleted, we'll know for sure...

Looking into it. It is not one of the pictures I was asked not to post.

 

[Capt Van]

Thanks for all the comments.

As for the pictures I was asked not to post I think they also meant not to PM them ether so a deal is a deal and I won't send them but when given the ok I will post them. Not that big of a deal just some shots of the TA that they don't want out yet.

 

[The_Greg]

I toured the plant as well, but own a Gen III. Even though it was tooled up for Gen V builds, it made my Gen III ownership experience very special. If I was buying a Gen V new, I would LOVE to see my car on the line & would pay extra to do so.

 

[Capt Van]

On your 18th picture with the grey primered hood, there is a muted red primered front fascia in front of it Very, very interesting as it is clearly a G5 fascia overall, but unlike any on the production cars. I think you are looking at the next ACR front fascia right there as the GTSR and GT3 don't have that front fascia either. Great catch and I love the look of that fascia. It is going to look mean!

OK here is the lowdown on the mystery fascia. I sent an email to the guy that showed me around and here is his answer, and it makes sense to me as it was attached to the stand it was on.

Van,

The part that he is referring to is merely a paint holding fixture for the current fascia.

 

[ACRucrazy]

A paint holding fixture with a big fog light opening?

 

[ViperSmith]

A paint holding fixture with a big fog light opening?

I guess it makes sense, what he is saying.

Think of it as the "mold" for the bumper, if you looked at the rear of the bumper, I bet it would look virtually identical to that mold.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

A paint holding fixture with a big fog light opening?

Yes I can confirm that it is a fixture only.

 

[ACRucrazy]

A fixture for?

 

[The_Greg]

A fixture for?

To hold the font bumper during painting.

For the record, I also love that stryker red car an interior. Stunning!

 

[Capt Van]

A fixture for?

It's what hold the fascia in the proper attitude for painting. It is not an ACR part.

 

[Capt Van]

To hold the font bumper during painting.

For the record, I also love that stryker red car an interior. Stunning!

Here is a couple more shots of the white interior, and it's not an ACR either

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[ACRucrazy]

That interior is so bright!

 

[Synergy]

Is that interior an option or custom?