Anyone up for a drive?!

[TexasTonka]

Well July has snuck up on me and I am caught with nothing planned this month.

So if anyone has any ideas now is your time to chime in!

If you would like to host a party, dinner, drive, event just post it here and lets get it going!

Thanks for your help in advance... only thing on my mind is a long ride west and in this heat don't know if that is a good idea or not!

 

[MikeG]

I guess being a newbie I'm not really yet up for leading from the front and hosting a party, dinner, drive or any similar event, just now.
But, even though it is July and this so far has been the absolute hottest spring and summer ever recorded in Texas ..... I am up for a meet and drive, to most anywhere. This might be boring for other long time owners; guess that's cause the car is new to me, and any opportunity to go out and drive it is exciting. So far, I've been driving weekends alone. Don't know what it is like to go out on a drive with other Vipers, but sounds like fun. Even though it is July, so far, on the highway anyway, the car has pegged at 195 temperature-wise. Realize mine is totally stock, and that this probably is not true for those that have modified cars. But all this being said, if anyone wants to go for a drive, I'm up. Saturday or Sunday, makes no difference. Maybe those of us in San Antonio could head out to Austin - hook up with some Austin folk, and then as a group head west for a nice scenic drive; even stop for lunch somewhere. Call it a day and drive back. ???

Short notice, I know.

 

[MikeG]

Just noticed on the Calendar it infers there is some sort of Viper event for July 8. Says (More information to follow). Anyone know what, when and where?

 

[TexasTonka]

I guess being a newbie I'm not really yet up for leading from the front and hosting a party, dinner, drive or any similar event, just now.
But, even though it is July and this so far has been the absolute hottest spring and summer ever recorded in Texas ..... I am up for a meet and drive, to most anywhere. This might be boring for other long time owners; guess that's cause the car is new to me, and any opportunity to go out and drive it is exciting. So far, I've been driving weekends alone. Don't know what it is like to go out on a drive with other Vipers, but sounds like fun. Even though it is July, so far, on the highway anyway, the car has pegged at 195 temperature-wise. Realize mine is totally stock, and that this probably is not true for those that have modified cars. But all this being said, if anyone wants to go for a drive, I'm up. Saturday or Sunday, makes no difference. Maybe those of us in San Antonio could head out to Austin - hook up with some Austin folk, and then as a group head west for a nice scenic drive; even stop for lunch somewhere. Call it a day and drive back. ???

Short notice, I know.

Just noticed on the Calendar it infers there is some sort of Viper event for July 8. Says (More information to follow). Anyone know what, when and where?

Mike- I hear ya. I will try and plan a route for next weekend, July 16th. I'll send out an email on Sunday. Great to hear the car is doing so well in the heat! Did you get new tires put on it already? Makes it a different animal doesn't it?!

To everyone- Any destination in mind? Austin guys want to chime in with some northern routes?

 

[RevHeat]

I am just detailing my viper today at home... if anyone wants to come by and shoot the bull call me... 210.365.1187

 

[MikeG]

Hi Kurt. Yes, changing all fluids and changing the tires were the very first two things I did after buying the car. I took your advice (Since I won't be tracking it) and went with the BFG G Force T/A KDW NT tires. No regrets. They smoothed the ride out a lot, and I don't have that feeling I'm going to do a 360 when going into the corners. Great all purpose all weather tires.

Also, thanks for helping out Saturday with giving the Viper another "Look-see". I'll be contacting A.R.T. this week and arrange with Chris to bring it in. Hopefully, they will locate and identify the source of that Gawdawful noise coming from the undercarriage. Can't wait to make it go away.

I am definitely up for a drive next weekend. I increased my mileage tier with my Carrier from 2500 to 5000. That should be sufficient for "Pleasure" driving in Texas.

 

[MikeG]

I am just detailing my viper today at home... if anyone wants to come by and shoot the bull call me... 210.365.1187

Hi Chris. Great visiting with you Saturday. Thanks for putting my front License Plate adapter together; that and checking out my undercarriage (removal or rear wheel). I didn't intend to put you to work when I came out, but it was very much appreciated. For anyone interested, Chris turned me onto a great and inexpensive adapter for mounting the front license plate available from Parts Rack. It is a temporary mounting system whereby you can easily mount and remove the front tag any time, and as often as needed. A neat system for avoiding nasty DPS tickets and still run around with no front plate when deemed warranted (most times for me). They have them for all generation Vipers.

Chris, hopefully next time we meet up and you see me coming, you won't have to reach for your Tool Bag.
The assistance was very much appreciated.

I'll be visiting A.R.T. this week, and hopefully that will be the end of the undercarriage mystery. If not, maybe my Viper and I can find some sideline work at Kellogg doing rice crispy commercials (snap, crackle & pop).

 

[1buddyc]

For anyone interested, Chris turned me onto a great and inexpensive adapter for mounting the front license plate available from Parts Rack. It is a temporary mounting system whereby you can easily mount and remove the front tag any time, and as often as needed. A neat system for avoiding nasty DPS tickets and still run around with no front plate when deemed warranted (most times for me). They have them for all generation Vipers.
QUOTE]

Here's a Link to the Bracket.
http://partsrack.blastmart.com/customer/product.php?productid=1385&cat=153&page=1

 

[TexasTonka]

Mike- I hear ya. I will try and plan a route for next weekend, July 16th. I'll send out an email on Sunday. Great to hear the car is doing so well in the heat! Did you get new tires put on it already? Makes it a different animal doesn't it?!

To everyone- Any destination in mind? Austin guys want to chime in with some northern routes?

Well as you have seen no email went out. Just got back from meetings in DFW and playing catch up at the office. May have an impromptu drive on Saturday... more details will be sent as soon as I figure out what to do. Fredericksburg is OUT, there is a big music festival in Lukenbach on our way there, traffic for DAYS... maybe north... it is just this heat is getting to me... no ideas came rolling in so I assume 99% of you members are avoiding the heat as much as I am...

 

[MikeG]

I guess being a Desert Storm Vet I don't comprehend what "Heat" is ..... okay, I actually do. But, normally I'd be up for a drive most anywhere this weekend, except the Viper is going to be out of commission momentarily. I'm taking it in to A.R.T. in Buda to get the snap, crackle and pop removed. Chris thinks it may be the differential. Should have it back soon, but it is only going to get hotter until September arrives.

I was wondering what a drive out to to Lago Vista would be like? Seems to me it would be scenic from past recollections, with lots of curves and hills. Also, there is a fairly decent restaurant in Jonestown. Just musing. This of course would not make any sense at all to the Austin Folks, as it is right in their back yard, and would probably only be a 20 minute drive for them.

Anyway, I hope to have a different sounding machine after this week, which means driving will be more fun, heat or no heat.

Oh, I learned something today after going over to the Dodge Dealership in Seguin. There are 9 - that's right - 9 Vipers in this little bitty town, not counting mine. Funny thing is, I've lived here since 92 and cannot recall seeing any of them ever. Whomever the people are that have them, they apparently don't drive them. Sheeesh.

 

[Clyde]

I'd be interested in joining the party! I'm a new SRT owner here in San Antonio. Just picked up a white Mamba a little over a month ago. I met a few Viper owners at last month's SA Cars and Coffee. I'm not the world's best photographer, but I know my way around a camera a little bit so I can take some pics to share with everyone while we're out on the drive. I'll keep my eye on this thread and will make the drive if my schedule allows...

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[TexasTonka]

I'd be interested in joining the party! I'm a new SRT owner here in San Antonio. Just picked up a white Mamba a little over a month ago. I met a few Viper owners at last month's SA Cars and Coffee. I'm not the world's best photographer, but I know my way around a camera a little bit so I can take some pics to share with everyone while we're out on the drive. I'll keep my eye on this thread and will make the drive if my schedule allows...

You must be registered for see images attach

Clyde- What is the possibility of getting the entire club on Lackland to take pics in front of fighter planes? Have been wanting to organize something like this but didn't know a place to start. (awesome car by the way, I see a vert in my future....)

 

[TexasTonka]

I guess being a Desert Storm Vet I don't comprehend what "Heat" is ..... okay, I actually do. But, normally I'd be up for a drive most anywhere this weekend, except the Viper is going to be out of commission momentarily. I'm taking it in to A.R.T. in Buda to get the snap, crackle and pop removed. Chris thinks it may be the differential. Should have it back soon, but it is only going to get hotter until September arrives.

I was wondering what a drive out to to Lago Vista would be like? Seems to me it would be scenic from past recollections, with lots of curves and hills. Also, there is a fairly decent restaurant in Jonestown. Just musing. This of course would not make any sense at all to the Austin Folks, as it is right in their back yard, and would probably only be a 20 minute drive for them.

Anyway, I hope to have a different sounding machine after this week, which means driving will be more fun, heat or no heat.

Oh, I learned something today after going over to the Dodge Dealership in Seguin. There are 9 - that's right - 9 Vipers in this little bitty town, not counting mine. Funny thing is, I've lived here since 92 and cannot recall seeing any of them ever. Whomever the people are that have them, they apparently don't drive them. Sheeesh.

Mike- Throw your drive together and shoot it over to me. I'll make it happen. We have some die hards that show to every event and then we have others who show to one event a year, it all depends on what someone's schedule is that day and how the car is reacting.

 

[Clyde]

Clyde- What is the possibility of getting the entire club on Lackland to take pics in front of fighter planes? Have been wanting to organize something like this but didn't know a place to start. (awesome car by the way, I see a vert in my future....)

Thanks! I could look into it. There are a lot of planes there on static display, but the SR-71 and the F15 are probalby the only ones close enough to the parking lot to lend themselves to pics with our cars.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[MikeG]

Kurt,

RE: The "Ride". Will do.
Clyde: The "Pics": Awesome. Gen 3 & 4 Vipers look great next to Fighter Jets.

Actually, I'd like to take mine to Ft. Hood and park it next to an M1A2 Abrams Tank. I think it more accurately depicts the acute brutality of the Gen 2 GTS. I guess that's one of the things that attracted me to it. Its posture is all frontal offense - no defense. Love that about it.

Dropped the Viper off at A.R.T. this morning. After meeting and talking with Chris, this probably should have been my very first initial stop after I first bought the car. Live and learn. Great people and they really know their "Viper" stuff. Chris found several small issues that need attention just walking the car in the parking lot. I'm sure some more will turn up when they put it on the rack Monday. I have great faith in these guys. Good news is that the noise does not appear to be associated with the differential after all. So, hopefully, whatever its source, it will be a quick fix.

While I won't be able to make any "Ride" this weekend, I should be down in San Antonio for the Coffee and Ride Meet at months end. Hope to see ya all there.

 

[Bexar80]

I need to check in here more often. I would have loved to meet up with you guys at Chris's place last week. I've been driving my Viper a ton lately and some company would be great!

 

[TexasTonka]

Just thinking out loud here but anyone up for a quick trip to Leakey and back?

email me if you are.

 

[TexasTonka]

Fellow Viper owners!




It's time for the next event so mark your calendars or just check ours! (no need- it is next weekend...) Sorry for the short notice.






Event: July Drive Route 07/23/2011




Meeting place: Two spots here- If you are a northern club member you will meet Jason Tiffinator at the old spot we always used to meet at, the shut down Albertsons Parking lot at the "Y" - 7101 Hwy 71 W 78735 (he'll be in Big Red not the Bee) Northern Route
If you are a southern club member you can meet up with me in the Target parking lot close to the corner of 281 and TPC parkway (22832 US Highway 281 N San Antonio, TX 78258) Southern Route




Time: Northerners: Meet up at 8:45AM to try and beat some of the heat, take off at 9AM.
Southerners: Meets up at 8:45AM and take off around 9:15AM.




Description/special instructions:


We have had another VCA member open up his doors to the entire club! John and Polly Holmes have been a VCA member since 2002 with their Bumble Bee GTS and have invited us over for a quick tour of their ranch. John and Polly spend time raising colored Angora goats and fine wool sheep these days, although high octane fuel and 10W30 still is running in their veins! For those of you that have not had the pleasure of meeting John and Polly, this is a great opportunity. John started in a Nash dealership putting the first Ramblers on the showroom floor and retired from Carson Dodge in Carson City, NV. And their '02 GTS was the one you may have seen in the TV show Myth Busters, "The Great Race". On the MOPAR side, they have both written for the Dodge Ram magazine, Turbo Diesel Register (TDR), and for 16 years they have put on/participated in lots of car/truck shows. Additionally they have had lots of fun restoring 55-57 Chevy's, campaigned AMCs in the 60s in NHRA, did off-roading in Jeeps in the 70s...you name it!

They currently reside in Mountain Home, TX outside of Fredericksburg. We will start two groups, one north and one south at approx 9AM Saturday, both groups will then drive to Blanco, TX and meet at a fuel station. There should be a Stripes with a good amount of parking or a Shell at 48 Main Street, Blanco, TX. Whatever group gets in town first gets to pick the stop spot for top offs and waters. We won't be in Blanco long, top off and drive out... shouldn't need much fuel if any by this time. Then we are off to Fredericksburg on a few back roads. I have not verified these roads but last time I went up that way (about a 10 months ago) they were okay. We will top off fuel in Fredericksburg, my GTS will need it by then! We will drive through Fredericksburg and have all the shoppers and such take pictures of the cars roaring by on our way to Harper, TX on RR2093. In Harper John and Polly will meet us and bring us in on some back roads they know of the next few miles to thier ranch. No worries there is plenty of paved parking for those of you who don't ever get a tire dirty. From there we can get a tour of the ranch, get to know each other better and swap stories. There is a one place to eat in this town so if we are lucky and they are open we can all grab a burger there for lunch, I have heard it is something else!

So drop what you are doing, make sure the fluids are good, air pressure checks out, AC is charged up... and lets get out and do some DRIVING!!

A special Thank You to John and Polly for inviting us all in to your home and putting up with us for an afternoon!

 

[TexasTonka]

So are all of you foaming at the mouth to get out and DRIVE tomorrow?!



It will be one heck of a drive, put some good miles on the cars and get away from everything for an afternoon. John and Polly have really gone out of their way to make sure everything is just right for their visit. I can't thank them enough for helping out with this and volunteering their time and HOME!



There will be several attractions beyond just seeing the ranch animals on their property that most of us do not see on a daily basis, including a spinning wheel demo from Polly as well as some modified Dodge Cummins trucks. Looking forward to this one!



John has sent me an email and cleared the way for his 'short cut' back way to the ranch from Harper- construction is done and free and clear for Vipers.



Weather is looking good for a drive so I will see all of you EARLY in the morning!

 

[got one]

Man I wish I could go!!! Have to work part of the tomorrow and Sunday take lots of pictures!!!

 

[MikeG]

Good news - got my GTS back from A.R.T. today. The snake has been cured of steroids and the annoying "Snap, crackle and pop" is gone. A whole lot of other tweaks were accomplished here and there, and this baby drove like someone just lifted the dealership showroom door and let it out for the very first time. What a ride. Cannot wait to take it out tomorrow for a really long drive.

I'll be there at 281 and TPC Parkway with coffee warming my hand. Wife will be there too. Talked her into it. Gonna be a blast.

 

[MikeG]

So is it just me and the Pres?

 

[TexasTonka]

I need to check in here more often. I would have loved to meet up with you guys at Chris's place last week. I've been driving my Viper a ton lately and some company would be great!

Tires make a world of difference!

 

[TexasTonka]

Man I wish I could go!!! Have to work part of the tomorrow and Sunday take lots of pictures!!!

One of these days we are gonna have to get you out to a long distance drive! Those quick drives are cool but some of us are lactose intolerant!

 

[TexasTonka]

Good news - got my GTS back from A.R.T. today. The snake has been cured of steroids and the annoying "Snap, crackle and pop" is gone. A whole lot of other tweaks were accomplished here and there, and this baby drove like someone just lifted the dealership showroom door and let it out for the very first time. What a ride. Cannot wait to take it out tomorrow for a really long drive.

I'll be there at 281 and TPC Parkway with coffee warming my hand. Wife will be there too. Talked her into it. Gonna be a blast.

Be good to meet the better half! I'll be in the RT to get a suntan!

 

[Bexar80]

Tires make a world of difference!

Indeed they do, only had I heeded that in January. Oh well live and learn but one thing is for sure, no one can mistake my car now.

Looks like the drive was a good one according to the pictures posted in the GenI/II forum.

 

[TexasTonka]

Indeed they do, only had I heeded that in January. Oh well live and learn but one thing is for sure, no one can mistake my car now.

Looks like the drive was a good one according to the pictures posted in the GenI/II forum.

It was a great drive, should have joined us! Put the Venom membership to work for ya! How is the car BTW, are you going to do anything about it or keep as is and have fun?

 

[Bexar80]

It was a great drive, should have joined us! Put the Venom membership to work for ya! How is the car BTW, are you going to do anything about it or keep as is and have fun?

Well as you guys saw at the roundup it is all cosmetic but no panel escaped the wrath of the barbed wire. It will just take time which unfortunately I do not have lots of right now. Like a hill billy I have touched up some here and there when I've gotten time to play in the garage. It actually doesn't look as bad I thought it would if I say so myself...the touchup that is. When people ask what I drove I say, "my ******...its a Viper." Funniest looks on peoples faces. I still charish my car but I sure don't mind driving it more now. If nothing else there are always Vipers for sale out there.