Calling All SVTP Viper Owners

[SC Heaven]

The plan has been put in to motion for me to pick up a V10 snake some time in the mid to late spring next year. Right now I am in the money hoarding and learning phase. Figured now would be a good time to start doing my research. So I am looking for recommendations on forums to join and start reading through. I know I could just Google this and hope to get lucky, but like with any car, some forums are better than others as far as info, activity, etc.

Thanks in advance :coolman:


EDIT: Wasn't sure where this needed to go, mods, please move if necessary.

 

[Double0fox]

VOA Forums: http://driveviper.com/
Viper Alley: http://www.viperalley.com/ (tread carefully here, use the search first above all else)
Viper Club of America: http://www.viperclub.org/ (Although ALOT of people have jumped ship from here, but still good for questions)

What years are you looking at? Good luck on the search.

 

[Deceptive]

I've seen one of these on I40; chick driven. It was a blue with white stripe S197 that I thought was a V6. Then, as it came by my wife's Focus, I knew something was different when I spotted it. The mighty RT-10 badging. Talk about a sleeper, single exhaust and I couldn't hear that V10 rumble at all. I want one!

 

[SC Heaven]

VOA Forums: http://driveviper.com/
Viper Alley: http://www.viperalley.com/ (tread carefully here, use the search first above all else)
Viper Club of America: http://www.viperclub.org/ (Although ALOT of people have jumped ship from here, but still good for questions)

What years are you looking at? Good luck on the search.

I appreciate the links. Thank you. :beer:

Looking at a Gen2 (98-02) GTS or ACR like yours actually. So I may be picking your brain occasionally :coolman:

 

[blackvette101]

Be prepared to buy a seat lowering kit if your over 6'

 

[BIG_WINNER]

Be prepared to buy a seat lowering kit if your over 6'

Yep definitely. The cars are hard to fit into...

 

[SC Heaven]

Be prepared to buy a seat lowering kit if your over 6'

Luckily I sneak right under at 5' 11". Plus I am not what most would consider a 'big' guy at 160. I figure if I can fit into an NB Miata, I can fit in to one of these.

 

[vettez062002]

Be prepared to buy a seat lowering kit if your over 6'

be prepared to hate driving it after 50 miles..

 

[SC Heaven]

be prepared to hate driving it after 50 miles..

Haha. I have driven one, I know it's not the most pleasant experience in the world. But then again, the Cobra isn't exactly the pinnacle of road manners and comfort either.

 

[Double0fox]

I appreciate the links. Thank you. :beer:

Looking at a Gen2 (98-02) GTS or ACR like yours actually. So I may be picking your brain occasionally :coolman:

Mine is just a 97 GTS (not a ACR. ACR's were 1999-2002)

Be prepared to buy a seat lowering kit if your over 6'

I think I am an anomaly. I am 6'1", and I fit just fine. I have the pedals adjusted all the way back, but I am comfortable.

 

[blackvette101]

O yeah and avoid the rain if you'd like to keep the car intact. And if your going gen 2 try finding one with forged pistons.

I think I am an anomaly. I am 6'1", and I fit just fine. I have the pedals adjusted all the way back, but I am comfortable.

6' 1'' might not be so bad. I'm 6' 3'' and it is really bad. But that's a gen 4 not 2 I've never sat in a gen 2.

 

[SC Heaven]

O yeah and avoid the rain if you'd like to keep the car intact. And if your going gen 2 try finding one with forged pistons.

Were the forged pistons factory installed on certain years or is this something owners do after the fact? Haven't gotten that far in my reading yet.

 

[zerocool]

Were the forged pistons factory installed on certain years or is this something owners do after the fact? Haven't gotten that far in my reading yet.

I believe it was 99-01 that came factory forged.

 

[02Toner]

I believe it was 99-01 that came factory forged.

Actually thats wrong I believe... Here is a breakdown of the Gen II differences:


HP 450
Forged Crank and Connecting Rods 96-02
Camshaft with extra 6 degrees overlap and .001 inch lift 96-99
Forged Pistons - Best for supercharged/turbocharged/nitrous 96-99
Hypereutectic - Best for non-supercharged/turbocharged/nitrous 00-02
Tube Exhaust Maniforlds 98-02
18" Wheels 99-02
Upgraded Interior (minor) 99-02
Larger volume Oil Pan 00-02
Solved Rear Frame cracking (weld-in recall required) 00-02
Solved Front Frame Cracking (weld-in recall required) 01-02
Upgraded differential (strengthened ring gear, larger bolts) 01-02
Anti-lock brakes 01-02

Im not expert, just love the cars and have done research in the past, this is from one of the viper forums. :read:

Good luck!

 

[SC Heaven]

Actually thats wrong I believe... Here is a breakdown of the Gen II differences:


HP 450
Forged Crank and Connecting Rods 96-02
Camshaft with extra 6 degrees overlap and .001 inch lift 96-99
Forged Pistons - Best for supercharged/turbocharged/nitrous 96-99
Hypereutectic - Best for non-supercharged/turbocharged/nitrous 00-02
Tube Exhaust Maniforlds 98-02
18" Wheels 99-02
Upgraded Interior (minor) 99-02
Larger volume Oil Pan 00-02
Solved Rear Frame cracking (weld-in recall required) 00-02
Solved Front Frame Cracking (weld-in recall required) 01-02
Upgraded differential (strengthened ring gear, larger bolts) 01-02
Anti-lock brakes 01-02

Im not expert, just love the cars and have done research in the past, this is from one of the viper forums. :read:

Good luck!

Awesome. I appreciate that. Thank you. :beer:

I don't PLAN to ever go FI on it, but it definitely gives me something to think about. As we know how plans can change after driving something for a little bit. :burnout:

 

[zerocool]

Actually thats wrong I believe... Here is a breakdown of the Gen II differences:


HP450
Forged Crank and Connecting Rods 96-02
Camshaft with extra 6 degrees overlap and .001 inch lift96-99
Forged Pistons - Best for supercharged/turbocharged/nitrous96-99
Hypereutectic - Best for non-supercharged/turbocharged/nitrous00-02
Tube Exhaust Maniforlds98-02
18" Wheels99-02
Upgraded Interior (minor)99-02
Larger volume Oil Pan00-02
Solved Rear Frame cracking (weld-in recall required)00-02
Solved Front Frame Cracking (weld-in recall required)01-02
Upgraded differential (strengthened ring gear, larger bolts)01-02
Anti-lock brakes01-02

Im not expert, just love the cars and have done research in the past, this is from one of the viper forums. :read:

Good luck!

Gracias. I knew 99 was either the start of forged or the end of it, but I didn't think it was the early models for some reason.

 

[blackvette101]

Awesome. I appreciate that. Thank you. :beer:

I don't PLAN to ever go FI on it, but it definitely gives me something to think about. As we know how plans can change after driving something for a little bit. :burnout:

FI is not easy to do on these cars. Roe stopped production of their twin screw and the only other option is a ridiculously priced Paxton blower. Or custom turbos which are even more ridiculously priced. The best option for these cars is heads and cam you can easily make mid to high 6xx hp and torque numbers at the wheels.

Either way you want the engine with forged pistons. The cam is bigger so it makes more power with bolt ons if you never get into the long block. And most viper tuners can tune a forged piston car more aggressive since gen 2 had no knock sensors.

 

[SC Heaven]

FI is not easy to do on these cars. Roe stopped production of their twin screw and the only other option is a ridiculously priced Paxton blower. Or custom turbos which are even more ridiculously priced. The best option for these cars is heads and cam you can easily make mid to high 6xx hp and torque numbers at the wheels.

Either way you want the engine with forged pistons. The cam is bigger so it makes more power with bolt ons if you never get into the long block. And most viper tuners can tune a forged piston car more aggressive since gen 2 had no knock sensors.

All good to know. Looking at that list and reading this, it looks like 99 is the sweet spot if I can do without the upgraded diff and ABS. I will have to do some more research then on the insurance front because I know that not having ABS equipped can push insurance prices up.

Thanks for keeping this alive and the additional info. :coolman:

 

[truefiveo]

Subbin!

Can some of you Viper owners chime in on maintenance specifically also?

Just how bad is the "Viper Premium" when it comes to parts and maintenance?

A Viper is still an option for me its between a built Lotus Elise and a 1998-2005 Viper Vert.

 

[blackvette101]

Subbin!

Can some of you Viper owners chime in on maintenance specifically also?

Just how bad is the "Viper Premium" when it comes to parts and maintenance?

A Viper is still an option for me its between a built Lotus Elise and a 1998-2005 Viper Vert.

The struggle is real with the viper premium. Stuff is usually an additional 50-200% more expensive then comparable chevy and ford performance vehicle parts. That being said its not a vehicle that should driven a lot so maintenance shouldn't be often.