Hi from Australia!

[-nighthawk-]

Hi guys,
just wanted to introduce myself to the forum (forgive me if this isn't the correct category )

I've been a huge fan of the Viper for over 10 years now (I'm 21) and I'm aiming to buy one within the next 5 years after graduating university. Unfortunately the Viper is incredibly rare here and the only ones you will really ever see are from private collectors etc.

I've personally never seen one on the road before except for when visiting ViperFormance near me which does LHD to RHD conversions, that was an awesome experience.

I'm planning a big trip to the USA within the next year or two to have a drive of some Vipers and visit the country, maybe I'll be able to organise it around an official Viper meet.
Currently subscribed to Viper Magazine which is an amazing magazine

My favorite Viper would have to be either the 2010 ACR with the Green stripes / black body or the 2002 GTS in the Final Edition Red / White stripe combo. I've also got many Viper t-shirts and model cars.

Hopefully one day soon I'll be able to post pictures of my Viper on the forum! I've worked hard over the years and I'm studying to try and secure a well paid job in order for this dream to come true.

Are there any Australians on this forum?

Thanks guys

 

[Fatboy 18]

Hello from the UK
I know there were a couple of Vipers in OZ but they do have to be converted to RHD If I remember correctly there was a Gen2 Viper RT/10 which was converted to a GTS and RHD, i think the car found its way back to the UK? think it was a gold / Bronze colour (not standard) I will ask Some of the guys if they have any pics
Ive never traced my family history, but I do share the same Sir name as a certain famous female Australian actor

 

[-nighthawk-]

There are a couple of dozen hiding around Australia somewhere.

I've heard of a few people who have seen them on track days in their LHD form. It costs between $35,000 and $40,000 for the RHD conversion so no one really wants them here

 

[viper_itch]

Ouch! that's costly. Is it required to drive on the highway?

 

[Fatboy 18]

Yes I believe it is

 

[-nighthawk-]

Yep anywhere legally to be registered it must be RHD unless it's over 25 years old. The cost just to import it with all the paperwork etc. is around $7,500.

Then the conversion another $40,000 so a decent condition second-hand Gen II is close to 100k, which is what you can get a brand new one for :O

 

[GTS Dean]

I let a business associate of mine from Brisbane drive my GTS around my local roadcourse about a year ago. He's raced at Bathurst as an amateur several times, and was seriously fired up about getting a Viper back to OZ. He hasn't followed up on it - so either he forgot how fun it was, or was turned off by the cost of conversion for street use.

 

[-nighthawk-]

It's quite expensive to be spending at least 50k on a car that you're just using for the track unless you're really good, that extra 40k for the conversion really kills the appeal to the Viper for most people over here (not me).

ViperFormance is the only legible conversion place in Australia, but they only convert up to Gen II. There is another place or 2 that does Gen III and Gen IV conversions however the quality is no where near that of ViperFormance which is why I'll probably aim for a Gen II.

I can only pray that Dodge does a RHD Gen V Viper (please read this Ralph )

 

[Martin]

My company is based in Oz, and I've thought about moving over there several times over the years - and looked into what it would take to bring my Vipers with me. It's definitely not an easy process... I thought I could put them in a shipping container, get them into a garage someplace, and then only drive them on special occasions. I figured there 'must' be some sort of limited use registration that the Oz authorities would allow. It turned out to be a big problem - you can't even get the car out of customs and quarantine until it's verified that the car complies with all the Australian Design Rules. Converting to RHD is almost always required, and it's REALLY tough and expensive with a Viper.

There really aren't any loopholes with this. About the only 'loophole' is if you've owned the car overseas for more than 12 months and you temporarily import it into Oz for tourist purposes. The problem with that is you can't leave Australia while the car is there - and they keep track of it via your passport. If you do leave Australia while the car is there, you're subject to some big fines and forfeiture of the "full market value" deposit you must give to the authorities when you bring the car in. Then, they force you to export the car immediately.

Probably easier and less expensive to buy the car in the US, store it in a rented garage, and fly over here on holiday to drive it around a few times a year.

 

[Timnineside]

How much would a ticket be if you were pulled over in a LHD car? $40,000 can pay for a heck of a lot of tickets! Take into consideration how often you plan on driving it, and how many times you may get caught. Just tint the windows VERY dark and I say your good to go!

 

[VYPR BYT 94]

... I've been a huge fan of the Viper for over 10 years now (I'm 21) ...

Ah yes, sounds like you were an 11yr old with impeccable taste. Good luck on your noble quest!

 

[Canuck]

Hi nighthawk,

if you are considering buying at around the top end of the 5 year range from right now, then you are going to start to near the 25-year-old age of a 1992 Viper, at which point LHD is legal to drive.

There are still some brand-new 1992 Vipers floating around (usually called 'MSO') for about $50,000-$55,000 USD. And others with less than 10,000miles on the odometer for around $35,000-$40,000 USD. Personally, I would want the 10,000 mile car if I was driving it to enjoy it since less likely to have stuff seized up or some unknown manufacturing defect. You can add a nice hardtop in for around $2000 or so if don't like roadsters.

If the costs to ship are flat at $7,500, then might as well bring over a low mile-car instead of one with 60,000 to 100,000 miles on it.

You could bring over a 1992 when you see one come available, and if it is not 25 years old yet by that point, just suffer through the tickets for a few months/year until it does turn 25, then smooth, happy sailing!

A variation would be to use this approach of getting a 1992, and drive it around for 10 years, until the 2002 GTS turns 25 years old. If you import a solid, low-miles, story-free, 1992 Viper at a fair price, you can have fun with it for years and sell it for near what you paid for it, and maybe just maybe a little bit more.

(...From my experience of importing an over-15-year-old 1992, to not have to deal with Canada customs requiring retrofitting the vehicle for meeting Canadian laws to allow it on the road).

 

[Martin]

I may not be totally up to date on the laws, but the "25 year old rule" is a bit misinterpreted. The way the law is worded is that the car must be pre-1989 built, and I don't think that date changes... There is another provision in the law that further exempts cars that are 30 years old or older. In any event, the car still has to pass inspection, and if there's anything wrong with it, it must be fixed before being allowed out of customs. This probably wouldn't be a problem with a car like the Viper, but for most "30 year old" cars, the inspection will usually find things that must be fixed - and that can get expensive.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Very tough to get things done, but in 2002 thirty Vipers were sent over to Australia by Chrysler. They were all sent for immediate conversion to RHD and all were done and sold except for 4 , which were returned to the US. We acquired all 4 and these Snakes are running around the US now after having had a vacation trip down under. The RHD situation is just part of the difficult equation, but who knows if the new folks running SRT may not view building one for the folks in Great Britain, Australia , etc. when the new Snake debuts?

 

[Fatboy 18]

Very tough to get things done, but in 2002 thirty Vipers were sent over to Australia by Chrysler. They were all sent for immediate conversion to RHD and all were done and sold except for 4 , which were returned to the US. We acquired all 4 and these Snakes are running around the US now after having had a vacation trip down under. The RHD situation is just part of the difficult equation, but who knows if the new folks running SRT may not view building one for the folks in Great Britain, Australia , etc. when the new Snake debuts?

Im sure it would help with sales but for personally I love LHD, it makes parking much more easier as I can look down from the Drivers window and not damage my wheels, good for chatting to the girls on the side walk too

 

[Neil - UK]

Fatboy is sort of correct, we did have x2 Viperformance cars converted and sent to the UK, they were both for the Chrylser UK managing director. He didnt have much luck with either of them as one was written off and the other had a huge accident, both were
leant to other people and both times the cars had only been in the UK a few months...

im sort of an Aus at heart, as i was born and lived near Surfers Paradise for 5 years before my parents returned back to the UK

 

[Fatboy 18]

Fatboy is sort of correct, we did have x2 Viperformance cars converted and sent to the UK, they were both for the Chrylser UK managing director. He didnt have much luck with either of them as one was written off and the other had a huge accident, both were
leant to other people and both times the cars had only been in the UK a few months...

im sort of an Aus at heart, as i was born and lived near Surfers Paradise for 5 years before my parents returned back to the UK

Hey Neil, there were some pics of those cars posted on PH (I think?) Do you have those

 

[Neil - UK]

yea, i snapped the yellow RT @ Billing

 

[PDCjonny]

If you are going to be in the New York area on your visit, let the New York /CT Viper club know.
We have been known to entertain foreign visitors with some Viper antics.

 

[-nighthawk-]

New York is definitely towards the top of my places to visit so no doubt I will be there

I'm surprised there would be many Vipers in the city, I've always pictured them being outside of cities on highways etc.

 

[OrecaGTS-R/T]

Hi Nighthawk, you sound like me from many years ago. I'm still a huge Viperholic but still a long way from being an owner. I still collect the Viper Magazine and used to run a website dedicated to the Viper. I also did work experience with the good people at ViPerformance back in 2000 and have been lucky enough to catch a couple of Viper on the roads here in Victoria. Below is a Viper I saw last year in Brighton, I asked the gentleman if he minded me taking photos and after a lengthy conversation, he said he was more than happy for me to jump in the drivers seat. A day I won't forget in a hurry.

You will have to be realistic and it sounds like you understand what these cars do cost but get yourself into a good job, save your money and keep your dream alive. There are a few around, (6 on www.carsales.com.au at the moment actually - I'd love to get my hands on that Final Edition). Best of luck. Oh and by the way, being a teacher isn't going to get you a Viper for probably more than half a century, this I can assure you! haha

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[OrecaGTS-R/T]

Oh and by the way, I forgot to mention that there are a few Competition Coupe's running around in the Australian GT series. If you can get to one of their events, it's a great outing.

http://www.australiangt.com.au

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[-nighthawk-]

Hi OrecaGTS-R/T, good to see another Melbourne member!
I have worked out all the costs and was so close to actually purchasing a Viper around a year ago even just have it sitting in LHD form until I had enough money to convert to RHD, I love them that much. I worked as a systems administrator (still do part time while I'm at uni) and I was on a decent enough wage to save up after a few years. Unfortunately reality hit me telling I should go to uni to study for a better job, the Viper being a huge influence. I also knew I needed something secure to keep up with the costs.

Actually, I remember seeing that exact Dodge Viper while driving past the Brighton Jeep / Dodge dealer a few years ago! How cool.

I spoke to a guy on the ViperAlley forums who is in Melbourne and owns a red RT/10, he said he would drive it around to my house during summer to have a look, maybe we could organise a Melbourne meetup? He also told me the insurance is pretty cheap at around $1,500. My FTO was quoted for $2,000 due to my age, crazy.

haha I've also got my eye on that Red GTS, but you'll be able to get the same car for half the cost imported. (mind you most of the ones sold in Australia are in mint condition).

Anywhere here's a few photos from my ViperFormance visit back in 2004:
What was particularly interesting is they had a few Red SRT's there, I only have a video and a background shot of them and can't tell if they are RHD. Must have been trialing something!

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Also, here's a few shots of my room with my Viper models and huge Viper flag

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/197/dsc0225do.jpg
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[Parmenion1_00]

Hi..... I see your thread here is from 2011... Any luck getting a Viper?

I live here in Oz (originally a Pom but been here 11 years nearly) And a year ago i realised my 20 odd year dream of buying and owning a Viper.
I adore these cars like you wouldnt believe. And a year on, and i still get goosebumps when i see my car. I drive it of course and its more than you could ever imagine. Its truly phenomenal in every way, in every detail.
I have a 2005 Gen 3 SRT10. Was RHD converted by US Autos. Let me tell you that Viper Performance have gone bust and have also done some very questionable conversions. A Red 2006 SRT10 was stuffed up by Viper Performance and the owner then found out and shipped to US Autos (Surry Hills, NSW) whereby they totally redone the conversion from scratch. US Autos are the ONLY compliant converters to RHD in Oz for Gen 3&4 Vipers. You will get no change from $64,000 AUD for the conversion. They are also recognised and approved by Dodge (Chrysler USA)
The quality of the US Autos conversion is breathtaking. A complete 100% mirror conversion. Quality is not compromised at all and in fact, higher spec in key areas.
US Autos have been converting Vipers, RAMS, Vettes etc for over 20 years. They are only ones to trust mate. Especially on Vipers.
Feel free to get in touch. We can chat Vipers and i can tell you that i also have over the years, invested so much time, energy and passion into these amazing cars. I always knew i would get one, just never knew when..... Until last year
BTW, the 2002 GTS that is STILL for sale in Sydney (red with white stripes) the limited edition one (commemorates Le Man win) i nearly bought until this SRT10 opportunity came along. I can tell you the price you see is way over the top. He was willing to take 120,000 AUD but i was trying to get him to take 100,000. Which he was considering. The SRT10 opportunity was a hell of an opportunity and one that only an insane person would let go.

 

[THUNDER DOWN UNDER]

Hi..... I see your thread here is from 2011... Any luck getting a Viper?

I live here in Oz (originally a Pom but been here 11 years nearly) And a year ago i realised my 20 odd year dream of buying and owning a Viper.
I adore these cars like you wouldnt believe. And a year on, and i still get goosebumps when i see my car. I drive it of course and its more than you could ever imagine. Its truly phenomenal in every way, in every detail.
I have a 2005 Gen 3 SRT10. Was RHD converted by US Autos. Let me tell you that Viper Performance have gone bust and have also done some very questionable conversions. A Red 2006 SRT10 was stuffed up by Viper Performance and the owner then found out and shipped to US Autos (Surry Hills, NSW) whereby they totally redone the conversion from scratch. US Autos are the ONLY compliant converters to RHD in Oz for Gen 3&4 Vipers. You will get no change from $64,000 AUD for the conversion. They are also recognised and approved by Dodge (Chrysler USA)
The quality of the US Autos conversion is breathtaking. A complete 100% mirror conversion. Quality is not compromised at all and in fact, higher spec in key areas.
US Autos have been converting Vipers, RAMS, Vettes etc for over 20 years. They are only ones to trust mate. Especially on Vipers.
Feel free to get in touch. We can chat Vipers and i can tell you that i also have over the years, invested so much time, energy and passion into these amazing cars. I always knew i would get one, just never knew when..... Until last year
BTW, the 2002 GTS that is STILL for sale in Sydney (red with white stripes) the limited edition one (commemorates Le Man win) i nearly bought until this SRT10 opportunity came along. I can tell you the price you see is way over the top. He was willing to take 120,000 AUD but i was trying to get him to take 100,000. Which he was considering. The SRT10 opportunity was a hell of an opportunity and one that only an insane person would let go.

Hi all,
Just come across this post from Parmenion1 and felt the need to rebut and clarify a few things as this person is not credible.
Viperformance has not gone bust. We are still trading, just stopped converting and compliancing Vipers as a 16 Year Stint is along time. Our Company not only specialised in Dodge Vipers, we also specialised in Porsche (Previously under the 911 Factory) and classic cars. We have now reverted back to classic cars and Restoration of the Old F1 Trucks.
Viperformance WAS and IS the only recognised and Approved Company by Chrysler USA outside of America for Conversion and Compliance of the Dodge Viper Vehicle's. After inspection of our conversions in Australia by the engineers from Detroit that built the Viper we were contracted to convert the Vipers for Chrysler Australia for their 5 star dealerships. Our conversions and processes have always been the same.
We only specialised in the Dodge Vipers up to 2002 Models. We have NEVER CONVERTED OR ATTEMPTED TO CONVERT THE SRT10. The red 2006 SRT10 that the author of this post casually accuses us of stuffing up the conversion is untrue as we only converted Gen 1 & Gen 2 Dodge Vipers.


Parmenion 1, As you have only ever posted once, and the content is untrue and defamatory I can only assume your post was to do as much damage to our reputation for what reason only you know. But would love to speak to you my contact number is 0412 868 373



Jennifer Diles
Viperformance.