Forum member 'blue thunder' jeff has one as well.

Fastest car i have ever been in.

 

Yeah I lost Jeff's number when he switched over to Dodge...Just kidding...I just switched phones and it was not a Sim phone...lost a lotta contacts.

Anyway...I wouldn't own a any of the older gen Viper (Clownshoes) I rented a 97 Viper for two weeks in Hawaii...after the initial "cool" they really aren't 1/2 the car the C5 is...they just got a better motor...even if they had titanium internals and could withstand 50lbs of boost, I wouldn't be interested in an older one.

However the new Generation Viper is a better looking C6 with more motor to boot. Too bad they didn't use forged internals on the new Gen Vipers. The minute they lost the clownshoe appearance, they caught my attention. The first Gen Viper IMO is classic MOPAR...which is an Ugly looking Chevy. I remember the Challenger looking like an ugly Camaro....but in MOPAR's defense...they had some great motors from 340 to 426......they were rockn so most people didn't care that they were ugly as sin.

I look forward to getting a next Gen Viper within the next few years...unless of course the C7 looks better than what GM did to the C6....then I might just skip a generation.

 

Interesting...most of the Viper guys hate the new gen iii Vipers, espcecially the new coupe. In fact the depreciation on the new Vipers is more on the new body style than the old (relatively speaking). The new ones haven't caught on yet, even after a few years. You can actually buy a used '03 for low 60's. They stickered for $80-85K. Used Gen II's command anywhere from $45-60K, even after 8 years!

You are right about one thing though, the Viper isn't as good of a car as the C5. Although some use it as a daily driver,it probably never was intended to be. I has 0 refinement. It reminds me of the old muscle cars. But it is a blast to drive.

 

I actually meant some compliment to Dodge, and that is why I said when the cool wore off. Driving the Vipe was a blast. But it got old fast, and I thought it was interesting that they bowed out of the LeMans only 1 year after GM re-entered it with the C5R program, takes a lot of money to compete at that level. I was looking forward to watching a lot of competition in the GTS class...it would have been kind of like the old rival days that I watched as a kid.

That is great news that the appreciation and resale is going down on the new Vipers...that means I can get one for less. I don't buy these cars for resale...just appeal. It sounds like the old Viper guys feel about the same way as some of the C5 guys feel about the C6.

As far as body styles...I think the new Gen Viper takes looks over the old...much like I think the C5 looks better than the C6. But its just personal taste. I do wish the C5 had the tranny mounted to the motor though...the Viper has a good balanced weight ratio as well.

 

Anyone thinking about a new Viper needs to see and drive a new c6 z06 first. There is no comparison IMHO. The z06 does everything better for 30k less.

I'm also not a big 2nd gen viper fan. They can be really fast (no doubt about that), but so can a vette. They are also very awkward and unpredictable when pushed to the limits.

Fun cars, but not worth the $$s IMHO.

 

Gen II is my fav!! The new one to me looks like a Honda S2000 but a bit longer!

Shahram

 

Don't like the way the C6 looks..and the new Z06 isn't that much better looking IMO. I like the smooth rounded lines of the C5 body. In 10 years it will be back in style. All this Euro design trash has got to go. It happened with the Bimmer's too. I have a 740il, and the new 7 series...looks horrible. Everything has that squared off look again.

I'm sure you noticed but Body Design goes back and forth every decade or 1/2 decade.

For example take the Camaro 67-69 kind of square boxy...then 1970.. more rounded...then 1980s to IROC very Square..straight line looks..

The Vettes have had a little more stying..but the earlier C4s looked very FBird looking in the front end..then they got rounded fascias..then the C5 which rounded off everything and took all the sharp boxy lines away came along...now the C6 is all squared off with a 2 piece rear fascia..and a big ole slash on the side like an 02 mustang has.

Yes the C6 Z06 has an aluminum frame and 427....BFD...C5s have had 400+ cids for sometime now....and who here on this board in the FI section really cares about a 427 making 435 rwhp...my 97 H&C coupe only made 5 less rwhp then that.

I certainly can wait until a REAL new body style comes out in the Vette, not just some face lift. The C5 has instant classic status...and for the FRCs...they might very well be like a "Split Window" one day for collectors...especially since there is no longer a C6 FRC.

I have to kind of laugh because when I owned a Coupe, I always commented that it was more Aerodynamic then an FRC and that all the C5Rs had swept rear windows. But the truth of the matter is that it really only makes a difference Aerodynamically over 170+ mph....and I just haven't found to many opportunities to do that...and when I have..its been nice to know that the FRC does have more down force on the trunk lid as a result of the configuration.

Now one might argue that isn't much different then an previous Gen Viper that is aerodynamically challenged above 150mph because of the big fat nose. I remember reading somewhere, that above 150 mph..a C5 Coupe could accerate faster to 170 then a Viper because of Aerodynamics....could be BS..I don't know. But I have driven 150mph quite a few times before..things really start to get interesting above that on the street..both for bikes and cars. You gotta have good brakes in any case!

 

I'm with you on the brakes. I remember the first time I hit the brakes at 150+. I was thinking they had gone out for a second.

As for the c6, the thing makes ~500RWHP with just headers. That will most likely allow it to run a 10 sec pass with slicks. Then you can take it out on a road course and beat the crap out of it all day with no worries. Oh yea, then you can take out the wife to dinner and you won’t find yourself having to explain the race car smell, sound….

If I could have 2 play cars right now, it would be (c5 – heavily modded, c6 – stock with bolt-ons and a set of track tires)

I was not that impressed with the c6 z06 until I saw it in person. Now I want it! I agree that the styling of the c6 is not that great overall. The c5 is a classic design.

 

I have a place that I can do 150mph burst and then let it roll out to slow down without using the brakes. Its funny because when I get down to 120mph it feels like the speed limit..and at 65mph, I feel like I could roll out of the door onto the ground and not get hurt...walking speed.

lol....my wife hates my f'n car...and if I bought a C6 she would hate it too..I can't win when it comes to making her like my car...it could smell like roses vs. Mobil 1 and she would still hate it...its really unfortunate that she feels that way...because I ain't gettin rid of it...so the good news for her is...I'm not buying a new C6 Z06.....this is why my mentality has changed over to getting a used new Gen Viper...she hasn't told me she hates those yet.

 

I'm 100% with Shinobi regarding the C6 Z06. Hopefully the C7 will see a return to a curvy Vette that I can fall in love with all over again. Love my C5.

But I love those early clown shoes too

 

I know its all about personal preference...to me buying a car is like buying a gun...I just like the same caliber.

These posts are fun...because it alway's brings out the closet Viper lovers...whether it be old or new. Kind of the same principal as my gun analogy....both are of the same caliber....IMO....do I drive the Vette today or do I drive the Viper....do I use my H&K, Colt, or Glock??? Depends on my mood I guess.

 

Slightly off topic, but I'm a Glock ****

 

Check out undergroundracing.com They are here in Charlotte, NC and often beat Heffner and Hennesey at big viper shootouts. They have large numbers and times for blowers and turbos! They make it hard on us vettes locally turning out INSANE vipers and cobras. They also have a yellow saleen that is a mean ****!!!

The owners are young, but their numbers speak for themselves

 

Yeah I know...but as amazing as the numbers are...and even though I like screwing around trying to get big dyno numbers for fun....it all comes down to what is usable.

I bet an AWD 450-500 AWHP WRX is going to smoke any 800rwhp Viper, Vette, or Mustang..on street rubber.

 

you're right. The 1/8 times for the WRX and EVO 8 s are insane for the power they dyno at too

 

i love'm all!

 

This guy I work with has a WRX...he did a few mods to it..down pipe, intake, tune, etc...stock motor still...he probably is making 250-270 awhp (my guess..don't really know). Anyway he is always checking out my car, and one day he was telling me how fast his car was and that he could probably get the jump on me from the light.

I told him, "jump in" and you can tell me and I will take your word for it. That's a hard one for anybody to pass up because it puts them in a win win situation. So he jumped in, we went down the street to a less used street with a signal. Nobody around, I got on it short shifting and feathering the throttle...and he was like just "holy sh@#... he didn't say much about whether he could get the jump on me again...but he did say, "I can't believe it...I couldn't pull my head off the head rest". I said, "I know..thats what everybody says"

But I have seen those WRXs and EVOs and they wicked fast little cars when pumped up...and most people don't care that they are ricers...thats what most of the youth likes these days...damn "Fast N Furious" movie..they should have made that Charger jump in the air and land on the ricer.

 

While true in general. I find that my GTS has better street manners under WOT. Its hard to explain...no sudden rush of power like the Z. It just pulls and pulls and pulls. The big block makes things a lot easier to modulate. Kinda like comparing an 800rwhp Supra to an 800rwhp Viper. The area under the curve (both hp and torque) makes a big difference and you can feel every bit of it. And your comparison about the WRX is good to a point. Off the line the WRX will smoke the other three, but after a point hp takes over the other cars will reel the other cars in.

Btw, one of Heffner's TT cars (stock heads/shortblock GTS) ran 10.5's at 6lbs of boost on street tires.

Disclaimer...I love both the cars equally. Its like having two kids, from what I hear, you love each equally but they are diffrent.

 

OH yeah I remember what driving a Mopar V10 feels like...they don't have to wind up. In fact when you hear them at the dyno and the track..even when they only have one pipe coming out the back vs being split...they sound quiet...and you are like thats it..then you look at the dyno graph and it made a whole crap load of power...totally different.

It has more do do with the displacement than the size of the cylinders too. I have heard some Lambo's (I think with V12's) and what are they like maybe 250 cubic inches..but they rev way up. The Viper I drove didn't rev up like that it just pulled....very smooth power transition.

10.5s on street tires?? Real street tires or DOT legal DRs. If it was on real street tires...that is totally worth braggin about..that is an incredible setup to do that. Mid 10 grocery getter...unholy hell.


Yes me too...I look at my Colt and tell myself there is a classic .45..I look at my H&K USP..and think there this is a Special Forces weapon...but I always reach for my Glock...I don't know why...maybe because I always qualified so easily with it..and it doesn't really have a pucker factor...just grab an pull. I also saw a Marine who had a glock that was blown up by a grenade during Desert Storm....the handle was blown up...but the thing would still chamber and fire a round..trigger group was still functional.

 

K,

Late model Lambos are 4.9-6.2 liters depending on the model. They will redline between 7,100 and 8,200 rpm's stock also depending on the model.

I like the big motors as well. My last drag/street/road race car had a 600 cid. hemi in it. Thottle control was great.

My other previous vette. 94 ZR1 LPE & DRM, big cube conversion, brakes, suspension.

Brent