708 cam vs ABS brakes

[Tom F&L GoR]

Costwise regarding brakes:

doing nothing to the OEM non-ABS brakes will severely limit your track fun and you'll eventually have a "bad experience" when Granny jumps in front of you.

$660 for 40mm rear calipers gets you 1.0+ G braking with an OEM look.

$3500-ish gets you Dave's Big Brakes for 1.0+ G braking and looks great. Really great.

$10,000 buys you installed ABS.

I don't know price difference between a '99 and an '01, but I guess less than $10,000. Anyone that has done option 2,3, or 4 above will tell you option 1 is bad, very bad. Even Chuck.

 

[OKViper]

I had a '99 with the 708 cam - amd now have an '02 - there isn't a big difference anyway...

 

[plumcrazy]

other than the forged internals if ya ever wanna go s/c or TT

 

[RTTTTed]

I do like the rumble and rough idle of the 708. It does sound a lot better.

Ted

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Wouldn't almost any exhaust upgrade provide similar aural beneifts?

 

[RTTTTed]

Wouldn't almost any exhaust upgrade provide similar aural beneifts?

Although stock exhaust does sound crappy and all changes seem to improve the sound, I was referring to rough idle (overlap) sounding like it has a bigger camshaft compared to the smoother idling newer camshaft. My car sounds like it has more than stock hp at idle.

Ted

 

[OKViper]

other than the forged internals if ya ever wanna go s/c or TT

Nice try - my '02 is blown...

 

[99 R/T 10]

I just updated my ad, new lower rice on a 97 708/forged motor RT/10!!!!

Edit: For some reason my ad was deleted or removed from this site. I know when I went to adjust the price I only hit th eedit button. Anyway, here is the ad from the Alley:

ViperAlley Classifieds - 1997 Viper RT/10 - Powered by PhotoPost Classifieds

 

[PDCjonny]

Although stock exhaust does sound crappy and all changes seem to improve the sound, I was referring to rough idle (overlap) sounding like it has a bigger camshaft compared to the smoother idling newer camshaft. My car sounds like it has more than stock hp at idle.

Ted

Without question the 708 lumpy cams have a MUCH different sound at idle than creampuffs. I have had people ask me many times if I have an aftermarket cam in my '98, it lopes and rumbles like muscle cars of old, shakes the ground at start-up. It is very noticable, and I have compared it side by side with newer models. In fact my buddy who has an 02 FE clearly agreed.

 

[PatentLaw]

Said it before....will say it again......if people could consistently control braking such that stopping distances were superior without ABS, then that is the way it would be for most performance cars. Heck....even airplanes.

You are not going to beat the computer modulation.

And most people cannot lay down very high horsepower anyway. They spin their wheels. Little benefit is seen for many people. Most of this is just ego......"I have more than you."

Go with the 01 or 02.

 

[hemihead]

Based on thre comments I've read here I've pretty much sealed the deal on an '02, but coming off of a lumpy camed 1969 440 I'm going to miss the idle. Like some of the guys suggested in this string, it's much more cost effective,to put in a cam vs ABS so a 708 camupgrade will be an early one for me.

 

[Russ M]

The big advantage to 99 and older is.

1) Stronger motor, hands down. They can and have shown to be capable of 1000rwhp on stock bottom ends. Not sure how long it can keep that up for but in any case its much longer than a 2000+.

2) Makes considerably more power(when modded with minor bolt ons).

The 2001 and 2002 gives you ABS, which is a very nice option but dont get the impression that it makes the car stop on a dime. It still has the same flaws as the older cars did, which you can fix just like on the older cars.

Bottom line is you need to decide what color you want, that is one thing you cant change easily.