The Scion Tc and the Rappy (Finally)

[Flynbyu]

The current Viper body style is 6 model years old. Needs a few tweaks here and there.

~Brian

[who else but rk]

Viper=wanna-be AC cobra


I'll take the orginal 427 please, you can have the poser 

thats like saying a murcielago is a wanna be diablo 
carrol shelby MADE the viper. it was supposed to be the new cobra

[who else but rk]

Sorry RK, but I also think the viper look boring.  But nice burn on krandall. 


Oh krandall, answer your PM's.   

looks boring? 
some say ugly
but boring 

yep, boring.  Nothing really stands out on that car.....IMO.

just look at it!

[socalrappy700]

Viper=wanna-be AC cobra


I'll take the orginal 427 please, you can have the poser 

thats like saying a murcielago is a wanna be diablo 
carrol shelby MADE the viper. it was supposed to be the new cobra

Where did you read this?

And no, the murcielago is not a wanna be diablo.........its just the newest model.

[Flynbyu]

The Viper was conceived as a historical take on the classic American sports car. The iconic AC Cobra was a source of inspiration, and the final version of the Viper bears this out with its powerful engine, minimalist straightforward design, muscular and aggressive styling, and high performance. Some saw claims to kinship with the Cobra as a marketing exercise, ignoring that Carroll Shelby was heavily involved in the initial design of the Viper, and subsequent design of the Viper GTS coupe. Notably, the later (1996 through 2002)Viper GTS coupe took a few design cues from the Pete Brock designed Shelby Cobra Daytona. Though the proportions seem similar at first glance, the designs are quite unique. Carrol Shelby was key in the development of the R/T 10 as well as having a hand in the development of the GTS model.

The Viper was initially conceived in late 1988 at Chrysler's Advanced Design Studios. The following February, Chrysler president Bob Lutz suggested to Tom Gale at Chrysler Design that the company should consider producing a modern Cobra, and a clay model was presented to Lutz a few months later. The car appeared as a concept at the North American International Auto Show in 1989. This concept vehicle was originally named Copperhead because of its low, wide appearance characteristic of reptiles. All engines for the Viper have since been know as "cooperhead". The name would later be changed to Viper. Public reaction was so enthusiastic, that chief engineer Roy Sjeoberg was directed to develop it as a standard production vehicle.

Sjoberg selected 85 engineers to be "Team Viper", with development beginning in March 1989. The team asked the then-Chrysler subsidiary Lamborghini to cast some prototype aluminum blocks based on Dodge's V10 truck engine for sports car use in May. The production body was completed in the fall, with a chassis prototype running in December. Though a V8 was first used in the test mule, the V10, which the production car was meant to use, was ready in February 1990.

Official approval from Chrysler chairman, Lee Iacocca, came in May 1990. One year later, Carroll Shelby piloted a pre-production car as the pace vehicle in the Indianapolis 500 race. In November 1991, the car was released to reviewers with first retail shipments beginning in January 1992.

Via Wikipedia.

I remember Shelby driving it around a track back then. Dubbed the new US muscle car.

~Brian

[socalrappy700]

Yeah, but I didn't think he had anything to do with todays viper.

[Bert]

Peter Solberg - Subaru 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-_PyovawYQ

that was a bad one, I remember Tommi Makkinen's crash. Flipped his subaru 7 times at 90 mph, right over the top of a spectator. Then gets out and walks away. 

I didn't see Makinen's crash.  Those rally drivers are crazier than RK  
JK RK

Tommi Mäkinen Crash 2002
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2r28Agvtlc

[Colorado700R]

Viper=wanna-be AC cobra


I'll take the orginal 427 please, you can have the poser 

thats like saying a murcielago is a wanna be diablo 
carrol shelby MADE the viper. it was supposed to be the new cobra

Carrol shelby also helped design the Dodge Shelby Daytona........he's got wins and losses, just like all designers

[Colorado700R]

Viper=wanna-be AC cobra


I'll take the orginal 427 please, you can have the poser 

thats like saying a murcielago is a wanna be diablo 
carrol shelby MADE the viper. it was supposed to be the new cobra

Carrol shelby also helped design the Dodge Shelby Daytona........he's got wins and losses, just like all designers

His best work always has been with ford, to include massive influence on the GT40 and ford GT plus his vast mustang legacy

[Flynbyu]

Yeah, but I didn't think he had anything to do with todays viper.

Just the concept and first generation.

~Brian

[who else but rk]

thank you for posting that brian

[Bert]

thank you for posting that brian

Sweet Sig Pic RK, I didn't know KTM made a sports car....

[who else but rk]

actually they do smartass 

[Bert]

actually they do smartass 

I saw something about that, super light weight with power.  Its in production now?

[Flynbyu]

thank you for posting that brian

No problem.

I was in high school when this car was in development. I would always talk cars with my friend's dad, and he told me he heard a rumor about a new car coming.....This of course was before the information superhighway. I remember seeing an article in Hot Rod magazine about the Viper coming.

I remember seeing Shelby on TV right when Dodge released the Viper, and he was credited as one of the advisors on the project. I was shocked to see this car go to production, thinking it would be short lived because of the cost. Especially since the Dodge name was very tarnished with quality control issues.

~Brian