How can I measure my Viper's performance without going to a drag strip?
Windshield-mounted accelerometers are becoming popular, as they can tell you your 0-60 mph elapsed times, quarter-mile times and trap speeds, and even give you a calculated horsepower value.
A very popular one is called the Vericom, and is a wonderfully flexible device with many options to read and record acceleration. Also consider the G-Tech which is about $130. It is not as flexible, but reports I have read indicate that it is pretty accurate for 0-60, 1/4 times & speeds, and decently repeatable for before & after comparisons. You may also want to check out the Dyno Lab device which, like the G-Tech and Vericom, is an accelerometer. The DynoLab is PC compatible for downloading test info. Obviously, the Dynojet dyno is a great test tool as is the dragstrip. By far the most accurate and sophisticated test device for measuring acceleration is the Stalker radar gun with STATS software (Available from Radar Sales in St. Paul, MN). This system is used by magazines such as Motor Trend and Road and Track, as well as Team Viper, HMS, etc. and can compute any combination of time, speed and distance. Want to know your 0-60mph, 0-157mph, etc.? This system costs about $2500 but is incredible for serious data acquisition.