What's the difference between '97 and '98?

[Batboy]

This question recently came up and I actually couldn't answer it. I pride myself in knowing a lot about these cars. So, how about it? I'm pretty sure there aren't any major differences but there may be some smaller ones that only those who have owned one know. Interested mainly in the performance difference (cam?, head gasket?, cooling?), but also aesthetic items (door handles, shifter knob, etc.). Thanks in advance.

 

[Rizzo]

I believe the textured look on the dash plastic changed. Its more of a rough look instead of the smooth plastic.

 

[patgilm]

The 1998's also had headers vs. cast manifolds and the 1998's had the alarm shut off in the glove box.

 

[DrDJ]

I believe 98 was the first year for the passenger airgbag cut off switch.

DrDJ

 

[GTSnake]

There used to be a section on this site that listed the changes year after year. Don't know if it's still here or what happened to it.

 

[Kmrumedy]

It had a new tubular exhaust

 

[mad0953]

Doesn't the 98 have a better cooling fan? The previous owner of my car said he upgraded to the 98 fan and headers???

 

[PDCjonny]

They went to a different fan mid way through the year in '98. I have an earlier production 98 and it has the smaller fan.

 

[C O D Y]

'99 is the fan change.
air bag cut off
newer alarm (with key reset)
strong 17" 5 spoke wheels
Dash change in texture
headers instead of manifolds

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Higher polish wheels.

 

[PDCjonny]

'99 is the fan change.

Wrong.
Fan change was mid year '98 along with PCV upgrade.

 

[SuperSaiks]

Cody you probably ment to say 18" wheels not 17"

 

[PDCjonny]

Cody you probably ment to say 18" wheels not 17"

'98 had the 17" wheels, went to 18" in 99.

 

[C O D Y]

Trust me on this one.... I've bought serveral BRAND NEW 98 GTS's and one was a VERY late built car. The fan change was in 1999.

I was the one who first stated it could have been a late 98 change. Because one of the late USED 98's I bought had the newer fan, I later found out the previous owner had made the change.

Wrong.
Fan change was mid year '98 along with PCV upgrade.

 

[C O D Y]

The '98 had 17" higher polished (was send to Mexico to be polished) and they went to a one piece instead of two piece welded as they were the previous years. That is why the 96 and 97 wheels are not recommended for track use. We've all seen pictures posted on here of what could happen with the 96 and 97 wheels.

Cody you probably ment to say 18" wheels not 17"

 

[patgilm]

So Cody, are you also saying the 98's had manifolds? I'm pretty sure that 1998 was the year of change to headers.

 

[C O D Y]

All the 98's I've owned and the ones I've looked at have had the headers. The last year manifolds were used was 97.

The headers shoudl be about 23 lbs lighter.

So Cody, are you also saying the 98's had manifolds? I'm pretty sure that 1998 was the year of change to headers.

 

[PDCjonny]

Read the year by year differences here: http://ivr.viperclub.org/features.php
No mention of fan upgrade on 99 specs. Strange.

 

[patgilm]

Ok, I reread your post and I see what you were saying. I originally read it to say that all that happened in 99 but you just said the fan was 99. That's why I was questioning.

 

[C O D Y]

I bet he upgraded to the '99 fan. You can tell what fan you have by looking at the wind doors. The '96 to '98 fans have the big plastic doors (all 4 on the passinger side) and the newer 99+ fan has rubber door flaps at all four corners of the fan. The fan blades themself are also different, but unless the fan is out of the car, the door inspection is the easiest way to tell the fans apart.

BTW, great upgrade for the earlier cars.

If anyone has their old fans, let me know and I'll buy them.

Doesn't the 98 have a better cooling fan? The previous owner of my car said he upgraded to the 98 fan and headers???

 

[C O D Y]

Jay most likely got that info from me (I thought I knew everything back when I first starting buying vipers). That should be changed. The last brand new 98 (7 miles) I bought was a VERY late VIN 4016XX and it still had the older style fan.

I spoke up to soon back WHEN I BOUGHT MY FIRST USED 98 and was telling everyone it was a mid year change because mine had the newer fan. I later found out the fan had been changed by the previous owenr. It has always been one of those things I check when documenting these cars. I can assure you that it was a 1999 year change.

If I remeber I'll ask Jay to correct that info.

Thanks!

Read the year by year differences here: http://ivr.viperclub.org/features.php
No mention of fan upgrade on 99 specs. Strange.

 

[C O D Y]

Here's another little bit of neat info on the 98's. The red cars could be ordered with silver stripes, but they were having some trouble with the silver paint on the red at the factory so it took them most of the year to get it figured out. That is why they made so few red with silver stripes GTS's and they are all real late built cars.

 

[radta7]

The '98 had 17" higher polished (was send to Mexico to be polished) and they went to a one piece instead of two piece welded as they were the previous years. That is why the 96 and 97 wheels are not recommended for track use. We've all seen pictures posted on here of what could happen with the 96 and 97 wheels.

Actually 96 was the only yr for the non forged wheels. They were upgraded and have a higher polish in 97. That's a significant reason many folks bought 97's over 96's. They went to 18" in 99.

 

[Johann]

Trust me on this one.... I've bought serveral BRAND NEW 98 GTS's and one was a VERY late built car. The fan change was in 1999.

I was the one who first stated it could have been a late 98 change. Because one of the late USED 98's I bought had the newer fan, I later found out the previous owner had made the change.

The parts book agrees, the '97-'98 fan module is 4848630 while the '99 is 4854720AA.

My '97 has the newer module because the early ones were no longer available when it failed.

 

[Ron]

Just to add to the confusion, early 1997 GTS's still had the 1996 style cast 17" wheels. Somewhere along the line, later 1997's went to forged with a better polish and the 1998's were even better (shinier). I upgraded to 1998 wheels just in case.

 

[Photog1]

Re: What's the difference between '97 and '98?


OK someone has to be the smart a$$ so it is going to be me.


The answer is 1.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

My 98 is a december build and has the rubber flaps on the fan shroud.

 

[C O D Y]

I don't think the years ran Jan to Dec. What is your last 6 numbers in your VIN?

Did you buy it new? Have you or anyone else replaced the older fan style with the newer one?

My 98 is a december build and has the rubber flaps on the fan shroud.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I don't think the years ran Jan to Dec. What is your last 6 numbers in your VIN?

Did you buy it new? Have you or anyone else replaced the older fan style with the newer one?

I bought it from an engineer that actually worked at Dodge. Nice guy. I flew to Detroit and he gave me my own private tour of the Conner plant. He told me it was built in December. No matter.

401406

 

[C O D Y]

The MDH on the door mylar will tell you the Month / Day / Hour your car was built. It's in the bottom left of the decal on the drivers door.

The highest VIN for 98 is WV401666. I bet if the guy you bought the car from was an engineer at Dodge that he knew how much better the newer fan was and just made the change.

I had VIN 401419 and it was built on 10/16/98 and it had the 98 style fan (not the newer 99 style).

I also bought 401347 brand new and it also had the older 98 style fan.

I've always loved the 98 vipers.

I bought it from an engineer that actually worked at Dodge. Nice guy. I flew to Detroit and he gave me my own private tour of the Conner plant. He told me it was built in December. No matter.

401406