1995 Dodge Viper - Because I'm a masochist, I guess.

Love it! With that open hood shot, easy to see why it's considered a front-mid engine car!

Congratulations! I expect this build thread will be MUCH shorter than the Jalpa. 

Shared because reasons and I look forward to where this goes!

Congrats!

In the late '90's, my buddy rented one for a day while visiting me in Phoenix, in the middle of summer.  We took turns driving this thing (same, black on grey leather), mainly doing short blasts across Interstate 10.  We couldn't go faster than 110 mph because of the severe/violent wind buffeting and noise across the targa top.  It was scary and exhausting.  When we were done, our backs were soaked with sweat, because it had no A/C, and it was 110 degrees outside.  I remember the cheap grey switchgear was right out of the Chrysler parts bin, the same as found in Dodge Caravan.  And the sidepipes try to burn your calves when you clamber and stumble out of the car after an exhausting drive.  The car made a strong impression on us, and to this day when we reminisce about it, we agree it was an awesome piece of crap.

Congrats! I still eyeball these and wonder what it would be like to live with one.

911 in background is nice 

corsepervita said:

Daytime pics for y'all

I've never really noticed any black 1Gs until now.      I can't remember even seeing one.  I was all about red RT/10s and then the later blue/white GTS.

But Whoa...That thing is SINISTER.

Is the panel gap around headlights normal - or is hood popped open ? 

Love it! I drove a 2003 at Skip Barber and loved it. But those were much more tame than the first gen!  Can't wait to see the fun you have with it!

mr2s2000elise said:

Is the panel gap around headlights normal - or is hood popped open ? 

they all do that, its normal.  part of Chrysler trying to make that huge 1 piece molded hood work around all those compound curves with 90's tech.  all part of the charm, ha.

super cool car OP.  i got to sit in one when they first came out since my buddy's dad was a dealer.  i'll never forget my dad burning the hell out of his calf on the side pipes when he tried to get out.

mr2s2000elise said:

Is the panel gap around headlights normal - or is hood popped open ? 

The hood is closed but my understanding is that it's an alignment thing.  I've seen a lot of first gens with that gap and was like "is that normal?"  from what I've read, there's stuff I can do to make it better, but sadly, it's "a first gen thing".  It's all good though.  I know they weren't built for being a showcar, they were made to go have fun and be good at it, so long as you don't drive like a tard.

Also, I always loved this

 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/aLZQ-0dHbiU?rel=0

 

corsepervita said:

Daytime pics for y'all

OMG, that is pure awesomeness.   I don’t think I’d be mature enough to have one of those, the inner 9 year old would win the argument every berkeleying time!  Well done!

Awesome

Alright.

- Fixed the clutch switch, that's now bypassed.  Now more fidgeting with the damn pedal to start.

- Car is running on the rich side.  Has a E36 M3 ton of punch though, so I don't know if these cars are just inherently rich from the factory, or maybe it needs a tuneup.  Once in a blue moon I heard what sounded like a little decel pop which sounded like a rich pop.  

- Has a small hunting idle while cold.  Still runs and drives great.  

- Having a difficult time discerning if the directional tires are just aggressive, or if it's the road I'm on.  It handles great, but the alignment could be off ever so slightly.  

I got on it a bit away from the neighborhood and I can certainly see why people were good at wrapping these things around poles.  It's interesting because I've driven cars with scootin' amounts of power, but they were either AWD, or RWD that wasn't uhhhh front biased mid engine.  It'll certainly take a little getting used to but I sure do love it.  Evne with the stock pipes, it sure sounds incredibly mean.  I forgot how much fun it is to have a vehicle with that kind of torque.  Even in 3rd gear, putting it down I was like "OHHHHH man, YES!" snappy delicious torque.

I always thought dodge went "ok, I see your corvette, and I'll raise you way better looks and way more engine." Then added even more ridiculousness just because they could. 
You're winning. Keep it up. 

barefootskater (Shaun) said:

I always thought dodge went "ok, I see your corvette, and I'll raise you way better looks and way more engine." Then added even more ridiculousness just because they could. 
You're winning. Keep it up. 

They always came off to me as the perfect race car excess.  Dodge didn't care about perfect panel fitment or showroom quality.  They were ridiculous enough just as they were, along with how fast and raw they were, to be that perfect balance of "Well holy E36 M3."

In reply to corsepervita :

I had to look. 400 HP / 462 ft. lbs. of torque.   Yeah, that’s adequate.    That’s over 70 lb. ft. more than in my Mustang that’s 15 years newer than your Viper.  These things were monsters in the day and still are today. 

And they still look amazing, all these years later.

So cool.

Tight panel gaps are over rated and complaints about it are from people that must complain about something they don't really understand/appreciate.

JEALOUS

You have quite the garage/driveway. Jalpa and Viper, perfect 2 car solution?

TurnerX19 said:

Tight panel gaps are over rated and complaints about it are from people that must complain about something they don't really understand/appreciate.

if panel gaps were a problem I wouldn't have bought a gen 1.  I've just always wanted one.  It's an investment in happiness, not interested in hard parking and comparing panel gaps with people.

If anything, I look forward to the spring when autocross opens and I can REALLY go have some fun with it.

So I was told the top was broken.  However, there's just one bar that has a busted guide, but still works.

I was able to bend one of the retaining pins back with a pair of pliers (it was a little tweaked).  1 youtube video and a few minutes later.... the windows and top are back on working beautifully.  Will probably 3d print a new guide for one of the bars but no biggie.

So it starts great now, and has a top, so no more fear of rain.

The video makes it seem really easy, assuming you have a perfectly functional, new, non-weathered, brand new from the factory top.  But let me tell ya what.... ew.

My partner looked at the car and went, "Where's the door handles?"
Me: "Well there are none."
She goes, "So how do you get in the car?"
Me: "Well, you reach through the window and open it up."

She just looked at me like "really?"

So she goes, "Well, how do you roll up the windows or whatever?"
I go, "You don't, you put the windows in when you want them, and then it has a zipper so you can unzip them."
Her "Un....zip the windows?"
So I tell her to hang on a sec, I go grab one and bring it in the house and go, "I present to you, a viper window."

Her only response was, "This car is 100% made by dudes, for dudes.  This is the most dude car I've ever seen.  Y'all don't got door handles, your windows are optional, and the top is a nightmare to put on."
Me: "Well, I mean it basically is a street legal race car."

Safe to say she much prefers the 997 LOL.
 

mr2s2000elise said:

911 in background is nice 

I don't think I ever really announced that car but I bought it as my daily a few years back.  2008 997 C4S.  Sport chrono, manual, and full comfort features.  It is a great little car.

In reply to corsepervita :

I think she's right. I cannot think of a more masculine car. vulgar, excessive, overly proud of the huge package under the hood, isn't built to bear children, likes to fool around in ways that could kill you...