Finally getting my dream car.
- Thread starter stuntman
- Start date
Viper for sure.
Billy .. I don't want to rain on your parade .. but I'm honestly shocked. As much as I've drooled over that very same car, everything I've read about Vipers is that they're fun for about an hour and then they just get onerous .. at least as far as a street machine .. maybe as a track car they're more enjoyable. But I always saw you as a finesse guy who loved cars that handled well and I've never heard anyone say that about a Viper. Now as a piece of outrageous art, the first gen GTS is a 10 and maybe that's why you bought it. Care to share your reasons?
Me too.
I've always drooled over two cars growing up. The NSX and (probably moreso) the Viper. While we all know the history of the NSX and can appreciate it, you can call the Viper is the antithesis of the NSX: Big engine, big tires, big brakes, no refinement = fast (The American way).
The Viper's conception as a tribute to the Ford-Powered Shelby Daytona Coupes was brought fourth by an ex-Ford employee and then President of Chrystler: Bob Lutz. As a modern embodiment of the Cobra (European sports car handling with a ridiculously large and powerful american big block stuffed in it), the Viper never tried to be refined, and that's part of its charm. The car won the GT2/GTS class at LeMans in 1998, 1999, & 2000 (the NSX won the GT2 class in 1995) and the 1998 FIA GT2 championship. The car has always had a rich racing heritage, and i've always been a sucker for any homologation-special or motorsport-inspired cars.
The Viper isn't easy to drive at its limit, but that's part of the challenge to master it. If you've ever criticized a GTR for "driving itself" then a car that challenges its driver should be right up your alley. It's not a great daily-driver like an NSX, its not easy to drive, it would be very much like owning a replica AC Cobra or Lotus Super 7 (albeit, slightly more liveable) but people own them for what they are.
It's a proper racecar with upper & lower control arms on all four corners (like an NSX) and a front-midship engine layout (the entire engine is behind the front wheel centerline -which is as close to 'mid-engine' as you can get in a FR layout) and it has a 48/52 weight distribution. No matter how you look at it, the car is a 190mph, 4-second to 60 car from the mid-90's with only the likes of a 993 Turbo to really challenge it in a pure performance standpoint in its day even if most drivers couldn't take it there.
I have and love the NSX, and i'm happy to have my other dream car that is a challenge to drive and is the complete opposite of the NSX.
The Viper's conception as a tribute to the Ford-Powered Shelby Daytona Coupes was brought fourth by an ex-Ford employee and then President of Chrystler: Bob Lutz. As a modern embodiment of the Cobra (European sports car handling with a ridiculously large and powerful american big block stuffed in it), the Viper never tried to be refined, and that's part of its charm. The car won the GT2/GTS class at LeMans in 1998, 1999, & 2000 (the NSX won the GT2 class in 1995) and the 1998 FIA GT2 championship. The car has always had a rich racing heritage, and i've always been a sucker for any homologation-special or motorsport-inspired cars.
The Viper isn't easy to drive at its limit, but that's part of the challenge to master it. If you've ever criticized a GTR for "driving itself" then a car that challenges its driver should be right up your alley. It's not a great daily-driver like an NSX, its not easy to drive, it would be very much like owning a replica AC Cobra or Lotus Super 7 (albeit, slightly more liveable) but people own them for what they are.
It's a proper racecar with upper & lower control arms on all four corners (like an NSX) and a front-midship engine layout (the entire engine is behind the front wheel centerline -which is as close to 'mid-engine' as you can get in a FR layout) and it has a 48/52 weight distribution. No matter how you look at it, the car is a 190mph, 4-second to 60 car from the mid-90's with only the likes of a 993 Turbo to really challenge it in a pure performance standpoint in its day even if most drivers couldn't take it there.
I have and love the NSX, and i'm happy to have my other dream car that is a challenge to drive and is the complete opposite of the NSX.
The late ex-colleague engine man - John Caldwell developed and built this engine and buddy Devin Rickey assisted John to make that Le Mans victory come true. Raw, unrefined, but FAST!
A little Le Mans Viper history for ya!
Last edited:
I admit this is one of the cars i'd really like to drive... on a race track. At least in proper sims (GTR, etc.) it seems really brutal. They shoe horned a truck engine in an AC-cobra-like chassis, put a steering wheel and seats, and that's it - indeed the antithesis of refinement. I'd be curious to see what aftermarket refinements can or should be done on it, the Vipers i have seen around here had a tame exhaust note...
Congrats!, sweet ride, enjoy it in good health!
when the seat back is released for the rear passenger to exit... If that rear seat passenger puts enough pressure on the seat getting out it will break the windshield as the headrest touches the windshield when the seat I'd fully forward. Or so I've heard.
Congrats on the viper. The best way to not crash a viper? Check dealer cost on the hood assembly! You'll have several courses of chimney coming outta your backside when you see the price of that hood.
Last edited:
Which I gather is why they moved away from the clamshell design and went with a more standard hood design on the 2nd gen.
Super cool car - I think you made a great decision going with the classic color and first model. Congrats!
It's a very "manly" car and looks fantastic... never driven one but I sat in a blue white striped on at autoX just like the one in the photo. I need to stop comparing cars to the NSX, especially the driver's layout and position because it makes me hate everything else. For a car its size it is so cramped... flat dash far away... small footwells... yeah not a good everyday car but I would love to have taken it for a spin. The exterior design of the viper though.... is so unlike any other car. It needs to be in a hall of fame... Congrats billy.
Last edited:
I have been out driving with a pack of snakes, and they can handle curvy roads without much problem. Probably a lot scarier ride through mountain roads than in the NSX, but they certainly can take the roads at speed. Here are a few shots of them on the road with my NSX and a few other fun cars.
The Viper is lower than the Lotus Exige!
I love modern Ferraris but the NSXs driving position, outward visibility, and overall cockpit is still world class even by today's standards, 25 years later its still hard to beat. I actually have a lot more leg and head room in the viper than I do in the NSX. With the adjustable pedals, I'm actually able to get the steering wheel relatively closer to me (with a helmet on) than I can in the NSX. Other than having no dead pedal, the Vipers pedals are not really offset or cramped like everyone says.
Food for thought as far as how big the car is, the Viper has the driver and a huge Longitudionally mounted V10 inbetween the wheel center lines and has a 96.2in wheelbase vs 99.6in for the NSX with a transversely mounted V6. Outward visibility isn't as good as the nsx but the viper really isn't as big as you think. 73" front and 76" rear, the front is as wide as a Mustang GT while a BMW M3 is 71"F 72" rear.
I love modern Ferraris but the NSXs driving position, outward visibility, and overall cockpit is still world class even by today's standards, 25 years later its still hard to beat. I actually have a lot more leg and head room in the viper than I do in the NSX. With the adjustable pedals, I'm actually able to get the steering wheel relatively closer to me (with a helmet on) than I can in the NSX. Other than having no dead pedal, the Vipers pedals are not really offset or cramped like everyone says.
Food for thought as far as how big the car is, the Viper has the driver and a huge Longitudionally mounted V10 inbetween the wheel center lines and has a 96.2in wheelbase vs 99.6in for the NSX with a transversely mounted V6. Outward visibility isn't as good as the nsx but the viper really isn't as big as you think. 73" front and 76" rear, the front is as wide as a Mustang GT while a BMW M3 is 71"F 72" rear.
shawn110975
Suspended
my guess is a 2014 Fully loaded top of the line with navi red Honda civic hatchback
mods close thread I guessed it LOL
mods close thread I guessed it LOL
Ya they do that w.stock cats
Great choice and the right color combo too! I bought mine in 2002 with 1800 miles on her and back then I use to do all the local club events. I love the fact that she is the anti-NSX from a driving perspective. I want to have a different experience when I drive a different car and the Viper delivers. You have to know the history of Viper to understand why the first and 2nd Gens were so crude. If you can live with that, you picked the right car. With that said, I am a huge fan of the new SRT (2013+) but not sure I could let mine go.
I just got her inspected again and every time I take her out I get that feeling. Enjoy yours!
I just got her inspected again and every time I take her out I get that feeling. Enjoy yours!
Attachments
Last edited:
^Nice 97. How many miles is on it now? How much power is it putting down (what supercharger)?
Do you have a pic of your GTS & NSX next to eachother (or all 3 of your blue cars)?
Do you have a pic of your GTS & NSX next to eachother (or all 3 of your blue cars)?
It's a 96, the only year Viper where the stripes go through the license plate. I have 9,XXX miles on it now and I will probably go over 10k this year as I have been driving it as of late. It made 640 wheel back in 2006 through a Roe blower. Lots of power options if you want to do some tinkering. Your stock motor and drivetrain can take 900wheel, no problem.
Brainfart. I'm not sure I want to go that route. Just want to keep it close to stock but I'll do exhaust to cool the sills down and some smooth tubes. I'll probably do the 99+ fan but they tend to melt the relays and require rewiring some stuff to prevent that...
Similar threads
