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This is part two of a three-part series featuring prominent DaimlerChrysler venues in the Motor City.
…And now, the moment we were all waiting for. Don’t get me wrong; the tour of the Warren facility was better than we expected. But let’s be honest; we were about to observe the production process of the Dodge Viper and the Plymouth Prowler, two of the boldest and most significant production vehicles in automotive history, from a performance and styling standpoint. These are cars that cause you to stop and fantasize much the same way that a young boy might do at the sight of a shiny red fire truck, or a hungry dog at a juicy steak left unattended. Anyway, you get the picture; furthermore, these cars are hand built.
With great anticipation we entered the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, trying to visualize the birthplace of perhaps the two most exotic production vehicles to ever wear the Mopar pentastar. In fact, we were so eager to get started, that we arrived an hour too early! Our DaimlerChrysler hosts were flexible and kind enough to allow us to begin earlier than scheduled.
As we were led into the conference room for our pre-tour orientation, we were immediately greeted by the actual 1996 Dodge Viper GTS Indy Pace Car, driven by former Chrysler President Bob Lutz at the race. Our tour guides, Kenny Bott, and Gary Johnson, both Final Inspection Technicians at the plant, explained that this is the only Viper ever to have been
equipped with a sunroof. The same could be said for the strobe lights in the rear window, for that matter (see photo). The car was flanked by three Viper hoods that have been signed by Viper owners attending the annual “Viva Las Viper” conventions at the Las Vegas Speedway in Nevada.
Here’s a brief history of the Viper and Prowler for the uninitiated: the modern-day Cobra look-alike Dodge Viper has been in production since the 1992 model year. It was offered only as an RT/10 model convertible “roadster” (removable soft-top roof panel) until mid-1996, when the GTS coupe began production. Both versions are now currently available. The retro-hot rod Plymouth Prowler was introduced in 1997, and is only offered as a convertible. The two have been produced side-by-side ever since.

Awaiting us in the plant was a vastly different environment than we witnessed at Warren Truck Assembly. There were no computers controlling welding or grinding robots; in fact, no welding or grinding robots and no conveyor belts whisking parts back and forth. There are 225 highly skilled craftsmen and craftswomen , as they are called, employed at Conner Avenue Assembly. The average seniority of a Conner Avenue Assembly Plant employee is better than 20 years with DaimlerChrysler. Only the cream of the crop requesting a transfer from other plants make it here; transfers are granted based on merit. “It’s like a country club atmosphere here, compared to other plants”, remarked one plant employee. Watching them in action is a real treat, as every single employee we encountered displayed the same passion for cars that we see at car shows Year One attends.

The Viper and the Prowler are each built on separate assembly lines, and each one is a mere 740 feet from start to finish. At each assembly line “station” is a light stand resembling a dragstrip Christmas tree, and having a similar function. As each car is being assembled, the station light glows yellow. When a station completes its work, that station’s light glows green. Only when every light down the line is green do the cars “cycle”, or advance to the next station.
In typical assembly line fashion, each vehicle begins with a frame. Let me assure you, however, the frames used for either car are anything but typical. The Viper employs a steel tubular frame, inspired by modern racecar technology, whereas the Prowler’s frame is all aluminum, and only weighs 216 pounds. Two people can easily lift it!
The Prowler drivetrain is assembled utilizing a prop-shaft, instead of the standard driveshaft used in most cars. Two coupling joints, similar to the rag joint on a steering linkage, connect the shaft to the motor at the front of the car, and the reverse-mounted FWD transaxle out back! True hot rod engineering, indeed. The 253-horse 3.5-liter SOHC V6 is mated to the AutoStick automatic transmission, delivering 255 foot-pounds of torque. Not close to Viper’s power numbers to be sure, but still high on the fun quotient nonetheless.
The body panels and interior come next, and all Prowler body panels, including the passenger compartment “tub”, come pre-painted from the manufacturer. Each painted body component undergoes several stages of rigorous inspection for finish quality before the cars are shipped to the dealer. All of the Prowler body panels are aluminum, except the rear quarters, which are carbon fiber, and the grille, which is body-colored plastic. The doors are assembled prior to installation on the vehicle.
Once the body is secure to the chassis, the Prowler is aligned on a unique state-of- the-art alignment machine, which we were asked not to photograph. Each vehicle is checked for caster, camber, thrust, and toe prior to wheel and tire installation. Each wheel and tire is fully balanced by Michelin before it is delivered to the plant. As shoes go, Prowler has some of the biggest on the market. Each Prowler is shod with P225/45VR17 run-flat Michelins riding on 17X7.5” chrome alloy wheels in front, and P295/40VR20 run-flat Michelins surrounding 20X10” chrome alloy wheels in back. There is no spare tire or jack in the Prowler, so each rim is equipped with a microchip that is activated at the factory, and monitors tire pressure. A warning light illuminates on the dash if pressure gets too low.

Prowler’s last station is where all fluids are added, the final chassis check takes place, and the engine is started and tested over and over.
For model year 2000, two new color schemes are available for Prowler: Bright Silver Metallic Clearcoat is now offered, as is the dramatic red-and-black two-tone combination of the Woodward Edition Prowler. This limited-production model revives a 1950’s vintage-look popular on hot rods, roadsters and customs found cruising Detroit’s famed Woodward Avenue, a street name synonymous with cool cars. A hand-painted red pinstripe around the upper beltline, initialed by famous customizer Dr. Ru enhances the uniqueness of the Woodward Edition Prowler further. Only 150 of the Woodward Edition Prowlers will be made.
As you might expect, the Viper’s assembly is very similar to its sibling, the Prowler, but is actually divided into two halves. It is first assembled as a running chassis—roadworthy but without any body panels. It undergoes a series of structural and performance tests before it gets its “skin”. Another notable difference is that Vipers come with drivetrain components made for all-out racing. The Viper gets a 450-horse V10 mated to a six-speed manual transmission, a combination good for 490 foot-pounds of torque. The Viper is also the first model of its type to offer adjustable brake & clutch pedal positioning. Drivers of different sizes can adjust the position of the pedals to suit their needs.

The Viper running chassis is first tested in the “hot pit”—an enclosed area with rollers, where it is upshifted and downshifted. Vipers are run at speeds up to 95mph during hot pit testing. The cars are then moved to the “hot running chassis bank”, where they are parked in a special section facing either front or rear. Front-pointed cars are ready for a road test, and rear-pointed cars receive adjustments prior to retesting.

“Only a few of our more mature team members are qualified to road-test the vehicles,” says Gary. “ I’ll deliver a (finished) Viper to an engineer up at CTC (DaimlerChrysler’s Technical Center) who wants to drive one for the weekend, but any tickets, damage, or impound fees come right out of my pocket. So you have some degree of ownership.” We hear you, Gary; loud and clear.
The Vipers then proceed to the final line where they receive their body panels. Each Viper body panel is made of carbon fiber, except for the tail panel, which is a very durable and flexible type of plastic called TPO, an abbreviation for a very long, very scientific-sounding composition that not even our guides could pronounce or spell. The Viper is currently the only car in the automotive industry to employ this technology. The first body panel installed is the rear clip. Viper GTS Coupe and RT/10 Roadster use a different rear clip; in the past, the plant would produce roadsters first, then coupes, but now both are built simultaneously, as the orders are received.
Next, all roadsters get a “sports cap”, before the roof assembly takes place. 29 nuts and bolts are used to fasten the roof to the vehicle. These are the first body colored panels to be installed. Quarter panel and door surround comes next, followed by the doors, which are assembled and tested on a rack prior to being installed on the car. We were informed by one of our guides that hand-installation of the Viper door is particularly difficult, due to its shape and contour. He told us rather quietly, however, so that fellow craftsmen at other stations wouldn’t overhear and take issue.
The sill covers are then installed over the exhaust, and then the hood. Viper hoods are composed of a resin transfer mold (RTM), which is shredded fiberglass, rather than a sheet. It is the single largest piece of RTM on any production vehicle at present, and each hood costs DaimlerChrysler over $5000 to make. At this point of the tour, we came across a large display showing a damaged car part, and it’s cost to the employees in terms of reduced profits. Such conscientious reminders were prevalent throughout the facility.
The front fascia station is next, and is arguably the most difficult station in the entire plant. Alignments are made here between the hood, the stripes (on GTS models), and the headlights. The last on-line station is manual headlight adjustment. Each Viper is parked in front of a template and its headlights are adjusted accordingly (they are checked again at a later point before the car leaves the factory). Next comes the fun task of buffing each car. Since the paint is still new at this stage, no waxes can be used on the Viper’s paint. Instead, a three-step buffing process takes place involving a wool pad for heavy scratches, a foam pad for fine scratches, and a hand glaze for a stunning shine. Buffers average two hours per car; black cars often take longer. “When you are paying 70 grand for a car, you don’t want a hack job,” says Kenny. “You want (everything) done just right.”
Between the Viper and Prowler assembly lines are a myriad of inspection stations, including a rather nondescript-looking covered room called the water test booth. Each vehicle endures a three-minute monsoon inside the booth while an inspector pokes and prods all around the inside of the car for leaks using a flashlight. The cars must then pass the final overall inspection before they are shipped. Any corrections or adjustments to the car during the final inspection are performed on the spot by the final inspector.
On the wall leading to the final shipping area rests a plaque, presented to the plant employees by a grateful couple, owners of a Viper coupe. “To All the Craftsmen and Craftswomen at Conner Avenue Assembly Who Helped Produce Our 1998 Viper GTS.” We were told that this was presented along with a huge cake, and that the owners were so pleased with their first Viper, they bought a second one! I guess the missus grew tired of her husband’s pleadings, and bought him one too…
The shipping room is truly a sight to behold, as Vipers and Prowlers await shipment to their anxious, eager future owners. Here each car is carefully parked and lined up, ready for shipment in special, covered car haulers. It is just as evident here that these cars are well cared for as it is on the line, and at each inspection station.

We would like to extend special thanks to Kenny Bott, Gary Johnson, Sylvia Holbert, and all the rest of our friends at Conner Avenue Assembly, for helping to make our visit to their first-class facility such a memorable one. We won’t soon forget this experience; you can count on it!
Tale of the Tape on Conner Avenue Assembly