No Flame Intended...Just an Observation

[Y2K5SRT]

Figured I had better state that right up front for yesterday's encounter:

I took my 11-year-old son for a little cruise in the GTS. We wandered around, enjoying a beautiful day here in Kansas City. We decided to go down to the Plaza area, which is always kinda fun. There are usually a few nice cars wandering around and the bikes seem to gather there some Sunday afternoons as well.

Now the thing about the Plaza area is that there are no stop signs or traffic signals throughout most of it. It is a high-rent shopping area and pedestrians have the right-of-way. Yes, they do 99% of the time anyway, but in this case you can sit for several minutes while a line of pedestrians walks across. We came to just such a stop. While waiting, several people gave the "thumbs up" and one guy did the "we're not worthy" bowing up and down in front of the car. Another told me I had better keep it so my passenger could drive it someday. One lovely young lady did a wolf whistle rather loudly before winking at us. Mind you, they are literally a couple feet off the front fascia while doing this, and my son was delighted.

Not so delighted was the new silver Corvette coupe sitting right next to us. He might as well have been driving an AMC Pacer. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders, while he and his passenger gave us looks to kill. Believe me when I tell you that I love the Corvette as much as anybody (including current owners), but that had to ****. I think the Viper could hold its own next to any exotic (especially with those flashy racing stripes), but I wouldn't want to pull up next to an F50 anytime soon - unless it was to race. The Z06 is one of the best performance values in the country and I would love to own one as soon as that lottery thing hits. Corvettes are beautiful cars and definitely world-class performers. Just don't try to convince the general public which one trips their trigger the most...

No flame intended...just an observation (apologies to CStegall).

Chris

 

[Jim Hodel]

That's absolutely true. When my wife and I want to go somewhere without attracting so much attention, we take the Z06 rather then the Viper.

Jim

 

[Tomer]

Chris, hold on, get your flame retardent suit out!!!

Just last Friday on my drive home (cruising at ~ 70) I had
a silver C5 come up on my right. I look over and he shot me the wave and thumbs up...He "looked" like an aggresive driver to me, but thats totally subjective I know...

Two minutes later, on a side street heading to my house, a nice red Z06 pulls up on my left in a turn lane (I was stopped at the light)...The nice couple inside both turned to me, their eyes lite up and they flashed the thumbs up with HUGE smiles on their faces....

This in a 10 minute ride from work to home...Is this the average # of compliments from Vette owners per mile?? I am not sure, but it was a great viper day for me (not to mention the 4 guys who walked over to my car in the work parking lot while I fired it up an they payed their respects...

Tomer
96 RT/10

 

[2tall]

Nothing from Corvettes so far. They just pretend they didn't just see me pass them.

Rustang/firebird/carmaro owners are big thumbs up types.

 

[Performin Norman]

You are right on target. I get a few looks and have had some Viper level sightings while in my Z06 but usually not. However, I too took a car out of the garage and got Viper level, if not higher attention. It was my 71 Convertible Cuda. I can't believe the attention that car gets. 30 years old and still draws attention like Viper. Go Mopar!!!

I had people waving at us, yelling. Had a couple of kids yelling at their folks "Daddy, look at that car". It was fun. A group of 8 or so at the park watched as we circled them and then they yelled and waved. It was fun.

Oh, I almost forgot. I dropped my wife off at Beauty Brands and drove out to the middle of the parking lot. There was a guy in a brand new Jaguar waiting in front of the building. He kept staring. Then he got out of his car and walked up to my car and started a conversation. It is good to meet folks who appreciate cars. Especially the classics.

 

[dadsvpr]

you know i just had to relay this.....

you've never experienced attention unless you've driven a superbird. old car guys say kool, homeless people say kool, kids and old folks giggle, cute girls laugh hysterically (thinking its the stupidist thing the've ever seen) and the guys in the expensive exotic cars wouldn't be caught dead next to the thing not knowing what the heck it is. it was alot of fun and i have to say i miss it, but still no substitute for a viper!
Jason

99 acr
70 superbird "gone, but not forgotten"

 

[Y2K5SRT]

Not to worry tomer, definitely not a dis to the Vette drivers. I can see why they wouldn't have been thrilled. The vast majority of Vette drivers around here will wave, especially if I wave first. I get many thumbs up from Vette owners and always return them as well. These two guys (who, with all due respect, looked like posers anyway) had every reason to be upset. They showed up with a great car and ended up sitting on the sidelines. I have nothing but respect for the car and for the vast majority of owners. Even the Corvette fanatic who vowed to kill me when he found his daughter's diary when we were both back in high school. Guarantee he still has Corvettes, not so sure about whether he still has the daughter...

Chris

 

[cstegall]

I have always noticed that I never get a revved engine from a Vette. Every Mustang,Firebird and Camaro revs at least once or twice. Someone posted on this board that it is a compliment when someone revs their engine...guess I am having a hard time telling the compliments from the challenges

No Flame Intended...Just Observation,

CStegall

 

[Tomer]

Along the line of gone but not forgotten, my 73 Cuda 340 4-speed, totally restored, Rallye Red with black vinyl top got many many looks/compliments...Really, right up there with my Viper...One day my neighbour across the street (who has arthritis so bad he can hardly walk) came over when I had fired up the Cuda...He said, "its too bad kids these days don't know what a real car is supposed to sound like"...It was nice to give him a reason to come over and chat and smile, even though I am sure his body was telling him about all the reasons he should not do that...

By the way, the same neighbour came over this past Saturday and asked me how I was enjoying the Viper!!!!

But alas, I had to sell the Cuda to get the Viper, partly due to financial constraints, partly due to not enough parking spaces in my garage!!!!

Too many cars, not enough time/money to own em all at once...

Mopar or Nocar I say!

Tomer
96 RT/10 (current)
73 Cuda (Gone but not forgotten)
76 Dodge Short Box Step Side (gone, and wife glad it is...)
79 Dodge Magnum, gone (miss that rich corinthian leather)
99 Durango (grocery getter)

 

[Jeff Torrey]

On the flip side. That corvette owner may be driving a Viper in the near future.

 

[Matt M PA]

Jason..you are right! I used to have 2 Superbirds, a blue-fire 440-6 and a limelight 440-4 4 speed. (Also had a '69 Road Runner convertible) Anyhow, the blue 'bird was more a trailered showcar at the end, while the lime one was a driver...a really nice one, but a driver. I got more attention with my first Viper, a '96 GTS than with the lime 'bird! I guess the 'birds were seen too much around here to get any notice. I don't know whatever happened to the lime one after it was sold..but the blue one went to a car museum in New Zealand. I restored both of these cars myself...but don't miss them. Oh, and 'Vette owners, most act like there is no Viper there at all.