SCORE: Found a motherlode of NOS 4763791AB sticks from Timothy Kyle Bomar who has "... a shop full of Gen 1 parts."
(Boomer's Garage https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555306735652&mibextid=opq0tG)
Great guy, his name has to be out there for parts if it already isn't.
How did I find this: Mentioned dipstick problem with garage buddy who has Mitchell. He logged on and found the 4763791AB part number (which "matches" my 4763792AB tube.) With thils "AB" # in hand, I searched internet and found a discussion of what I was dealing with. And the information that explained why any current # stick would not fit the 96 "AB" tube: the superseded stick had to have the tube also upgraded. I was unaware of this and now it all made sense. So I knew exactly what I needed. I posted my WTB on a FB Viper Parts forum and someone said check with Boomer. And that was it, he literally had a Fistful of Doll.... Sticks.
So I finally have the correct stick and also confirmed they got the scribe mark within 1/2 quart of where it should be:
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EDIT: another observation: the safe range is Wider on the OE "AB" stick w/OE pan than the "899" stick which some places say is a 1996 Only RT/10. Why the different interval? Usually ADD means "add 1 quart" and perhaps the 889 stick interval was not quite 2 quarts. So they lowered ADD a half quart to get "2 quarts." In fact the AC and AD short sticks, one says "2 quarts" and the other doesn't if I remember correctly - the only difference between the sticks was the lettering.
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EDIT: STICK BLOWING OUT THEORY: I don't think so:
*) the can snap requires OVER 25 POUNDS of pull to remove the dipstick - I just checked it with a tension scale and gave up at 25 - I suspect at least 5-10# more.
*) 250 psi in crankcase would be required to produce 25 # with a 3/8" ID tube (given tube is smaller and 25 is low, 400 psi?)
*) I'd bet even money on assembly no special instructions were given and since no hand assembler in their right mind would push the dipstick in hard enough to engage the crazy stiff snap, cars went out the door with the loose dipsticks not snapped in place.
*) Owners got them and had NO IDEA that a snap even existed let alone how hard that snap was and so never engaged it. (and without the snap, the dipstick is just laying in the tube with the slight friction of the curved bends at the top of the stick.
*) At the track, engine vibration would be enough to break the weak sticking friction of the stick bends and enough crank case pressure to lift the stick weight of a few ounces would be enough to raise it up in the tube. Of course once lifted a bit, what little seal was gone so then you'd need stagnation pressure to blow it out. I'll leave the rho*v**2/2 calculation to the reader.
NOTE: What is the pull out snap force? I don't know. At 25# pull, the impending "explosion" was more than I wanted to experience so I didn't pull harder. When I remove the stick, I don't pull - I pry: I wrap my fingers around the handle and then push off with my thumb on the expansion tank. To install, I seat it properly on the snap and carefully apply pressure with the palm of my hand - a lot of pressure ("what is going to break this time" goes thru my mind).
Feast your eyes on this one: (Yep, that's 26 of them - well 25 now.)
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