testing at the track with stock rollbar hoops

[luv2race2]

Because its a convertible, are tracks letting the SRT-10 onto the track in most cases? Top down or up?

On this forum a month or so ago, someone said one person was building real steel posts to possible replace the stock plastic hoops. I would sure feel better (on the track or not) to get them replaced. Please let me know if anyone has pictures or installation info on any new roll bars.

 

[Viperfreak2]

Hmmmmm. There BETTER be real steel roll bars underneath the plastic covers! I hope the thread you mentioned only talks about replacing the covers with something that looks nicer.

 

[Tom Shapiro]

The roll hoops are NOT roll bars. They are made out of aluminum and are bolted into brackets which are maybe 3 inches tall and these brackets are bolted into the upper frame rail. Archer Racing and Autoform are manufacturing a roll bar for the SRT. Autoform is designing their roll bar to SCCA solo II specs(not wheel to wheel racing)

 

[luv2race2]

Thanks for the info. I am trying to make an ibformed decision soon!

 

[Viperfreak2]

That sure is disappointing! How about it DC? Are these aluminum bolt ons capable of saving my neck if the car rolls over, or is there a sticker somewhere that says " the Sport bar(s) are not intended as rollover protection"? I hate to compare, but my Z4 has welded in steel roll hoops and the same style Z-fold top as the SRT, only you don't have to open the trunk to fold the roof. Now if only the Z4 had 500hp....

 

[Tom Shapiro]

In fact there is a decal in each door jam that states they are not roll bars.

 

[Viperfreak2]

For 80K they should be steel. Another comparison: DC builds a car called the 500SL. I've seen the result of an overturn of the SL after a high speed crash/roll on the autobahn. The driver and passenger walked away with scratches. Isn't an SL in the same price range as the SRT? I think it also comes with a carpeted trunk standard, but who cares when your neck is broken.

 

[Tom Shapiro]

My only disappointment in the SRT is that DC did not engineer a functional rollbar into the car. It makes my job as IL VCA performance driving director more complicated. The party line for not having a real rollbar is that there are legal liabilties that have to be considered in case of failure. However, the flip side of that argument is how can you sell a 500 h.p. car with the performance and handling of a true race car without a rollbar? I've been told roll over protection in the SRT is built into the windshield frame. Is that enough protection? I don't know. You know there are going to be SRT roll over accidents. Any Viper drivers out there take expressway ramps at the posted speed limit? I don't think so. No matter how you look at the liability issue you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I definitely would have paid more for my SRT to have a functional roll bar. It would also encourage more Viper owners to take their cars to the track, instead of of trying to push the SRT's limits on the street. It's going to be very difficult to find a track , drag strip, series, or club event that you can attend that will not require a roll bar for the SRT.

 

[cstegall]

Tom,

I always understood that the issue was that DC did NOT want to produce items on the car that definitely defined it as a "Race Car" off the assembly line that could be used as a street car. I thought the DC direction has been that they were building a "street car" that could be "adapted" to the track and still remain streetable. I believe that if they deliver a car that is decked out at the line to be raced they will have produced another Competition car(as the new coup is)and not one for the general masses.
I may be wrong in my assessment here...just what I understood.

Clark

 

[Tom Shapiro]

Clark your assessment could be 100% correct. No argument here. There were probably a variety of reasons why DC didn't install a rollbar. I know alot of the guys on this site pleaded with DC to build the coupe version along with the convertible, because they wanted to track their cars. The answer heard most often was the coupe, if build at all, is 3-4 years away. So, if you want to track your car, then buy a Comp Coupe. Well for a majority of Viper owners buying a car that is not street legal just isn't realistic. We are trying to attract Gen 3 owners into participating in IL VCA high performance driving events to broaden their overall Viper ownership experience. I'm seeing the roll bar issue becoming a potential stumbling block for many SRT-10 owners thinking about taking their car to the track.

 

[luv2race2]

I was hoping maybe the double roll hoops like the old Cobra or something.


Otherwise I am hoping for an aftermarket addition soon. Thanks again for the info and hope that DC is reading this thread!!

 

[GTS Dean]

For 80K they should be steel. Another comparison: DC builds a car called the 500SL. I've seen the result of an overturn of the SL after a high speed crash/roll on the autobahn. The driver and passenger walked away with scratches. Isn't an SL in the same price range as the SRT? I think it also comes with a carpeted trunk standard, but who cares when your neck is broken.

I was looking at the window sticker on a new SL 500 the other day. I think it was over $98,000. "Price range" is relative. In the $75-100k range, one is closer to the bottom end, the other is closer to the top end. That's still quite a spread.