The long GOODBYE......

[Supercharged Vipermad]

Or, I should say "see ya' later".

Bernie Katz is right up there with many of the big names...people who I have helped in the past, or whom I have seen help others, all in the name of the car. Paul Ronald, Marv Spatz, Chris Marshall, Bill P......the list is long....and VERY distinguished!

Bernie helped me sell my car and asked for nothing. He posted it on his site, and two days after he listed it on Ebay he calls me and says its sold.

Bitter-sweet day. I've had fun these past 8+ years, but I am/was ready to make a move for the short term and then regroup into another Viper after the kid heads off to college and my wife and I actually live in the same state! One of these days I'm gonna knock on Joe's door with a cashiers check and drive that black RT/10 away!!

I know, sounds all corny and shi....stuff, but it has to be said! Its ALL about the car. I have had the honor of working with MANY VCA people, Jay Herbert.....catches more than his fair share of crap and he hangs on. Wing King, JonB, The Wizard......even people I have never met but have helped (or they have helped me....Joseph Dell, AB....), THAT list can go on forever!!! ALL considered friends and I would drop everything if any Viper Owner needed help.

Here are some parting shots.

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Bernie has THE trailer, no doubt about it! Bernie, you are a God among mere mortals! You have been a good friend for years and I appreciate your help more than you'll know.

That first picture of Bernie's trailer evokes the SAME repsonse from EVERYONE I show it to....."HOLY $&IT, that thing is HUGE!!!". Now...personally...I hear THAT all the time and I ain't got no trailer.....but that is another story!! LOL!!

The last picture is my Christmas present to myself. Viper money bought the truck.....and then went on to take care of some other things that needed to be sorted out before our boy goes off to college. No way does the big RAM replace the Viper....but all the other things I was able to do made the deal OK with me. I still have some leather coats I'll put in the Classifieds....actually two matching black suede with a red Viper embroidered on the back and front, and then two other matching red/black leather. Hopefully I can still take advantage of my waning VCA membership and post for free!

Thanks everyone for a GREAT time! I honestly never thought this day would come, but what I have accomplished along the way, and where I ended up....makes it ALL worth it! Drive safe!

PS to Rick (BLUESNAKE367)......looks like you now have the fastest Viper in Va. Beach.....MAYBE!

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Gawd, that is a hot GTS you had Tony. You still plan on hanging around here, right?

 

[SERPENT INDY]

...beautiful Viper....hate to see ya go, but sometimes life throws a curve and it's necessary to straighten it out....educating the kids comes first in my book too....I've owned Vipers for 10 years and can imagine how naked you must feel, but the friends you made along the way are the most important part of the whole deal...hope to see ya back soon

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Pretty Viper Tony. But don't stay away forever. There is a 600hp stocker waiting for you to pull the trigger.

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

Seeing so many parting pics of that beautiful ride definitly indicates buyer remorse. Education for your son comes first of course and you definitly are making the right decision. Hope to see you in another Viper again ASAP!

 

[Casey]

Tony, great looking GTS! No doubt, Bernie is the best!

Take care of your priorities, and enjoy the HUNT for the next toy!

 

[ViperJohn]

Had to have been hard to let it go, especially given how much time and effort went into getting the car the way you wanted it.

Best of luck and don't be a stranger.

 

[Burt G]

Dammmmm Tony,
It must have been real difficult to see your baby get loaded up & transported
to a new home. Kinda leaves you with that empty feeling like seeing your best girl walk out the door on ya

 

[RX VIPER]

You were good to that car. You even sent him with his favorite Voi 6 blanket in the hatch to keep him warm on the trip.

Man that's a good looking car. Good luck!

 

[RedEnuf93]

Man, I loved that car....
Awesome looks!!!

I hope you'll get another soon...?

 

[YouWish]

God what a awesome GTS!!! The new owner must be tickled to death.

 

[Supercharged Vipermad]

Thanks all! From what I have heard, the new owner is ANXIOUS! I heard he has a good collection of high HP cars, so the likelyhood of this ending up wrapped around a tree is pretty low.

It was easier to see go than I thought it would be...probably because Bernie helped make it QUICK and painless....like ripping off a band-aid.

Pain will probably hit tomorrow! LOL!

Wife retires from the Navy in 1.5 years...then we'll finally settle down, either here at the house in Va., at the house in Annapolis.....or in the Keys. At THAT time I'll drop the bomb on her!!

 

[Sam 01 RT10]

Damn Tony, that car looks clean!
Good luck on the hunt for the next Viper!
Be sure to bring it to Vegas for some BBQ.

 

[Hisserman]

I know one kid who better f*cking not flunk out of college!!

 

[Vic]

That was/is one badazz looking GTS! I don't know if I could part with it, if I owned it.

BUt you got your priorities right, Tony, "family first"!

You'll get another honey, I'm sure of it.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Congratulations on the sale. Hope to see you back soon. Your GTS is one of the most known cars on this board

 

[Bonkers]

Wow.... I can't believe you actually went through with
it. I remember how you wanted to sell every time it
misfired or a juicy bug hit it - just figured you were
letting off steam.

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

AWSOME VIPER Tony....

Sounds like you will be shopping for a new snake in 1.5 years time...
Until then stick around on the board.........
Good luck

Just looked and you were member NO 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[illegalspeeds]

Tony,
While you are thanking all those who helped, do not forget all of us that you have helped along the way. You (unknowingly) found the Viper I ended up buying, let me use your lift, helped with changing my oil, and answered so many "Viper Rookie" questions for me that I will be forever in your debt. Good luck, and if you ever miss it and want to go for a ride in a slow red snake, you know how to get a hold of me.
Matt

 

[plumcrazy]

tony, i know you'll be back. till then, see ya and hang in there bud

 

[viper GTS-R]

Sad to see it go Tony! Def one of the baddest vipers out there!

--RS

 

[Steve-Indy]

Take care, Tony...and THANKS for all that you've done here!!!

 

[slaughterj]

WOW.

Keep in touch Tony! And get into that other Viper in 1.5 years!

 

[Asp Man]

Sad day, I'm sure you'll be back!
Thanks for the avartar help way back when.
It's going to be hard to take that sign over the garage door down. Maybe leave it up as a reminder that it's only a few months or couple of years before another one sleeps where that one did.

 

[AviP]

Vipermad, with a name like that, you are a good guy to be selling your Viper for your kid. Neither of my kids are getting me to sell my Viper. I'll sell the house first!

 

[Supercharged Vipermad]

Thanks Avi.....the bottom line is there were MANY, many factors that I took into account. Sure, one was positioning myself in what I believe will be a better spot about 6 months from now. Of course, I could be wrong as heck....but the next 6-18 months for me are COMPLETELY unknown. Son graduates in June, heads off somewhere, wife doesn't retire for another year after that. Do I move to Annapolis to live with her, giving up my job down here? Do we live apart one MORE year (to total 6), and then regroup together in the location we want? can't really say right now. It might be easy to say the simple choice is to move back to where she is......but do I want to give up my position here, only to end up back here later?

I also wanted to extinguish a little debt, just to remove some of the possible frustrations with such a turbulent time coming in our lives. KISS has always worked well and the last thing I want after 20+ years of marriage is hassle created by us.

Funny thing, I feel so relieved just to have it over. MANY have thought of selling, even that BLUESNAKE367 close by me....then changed their minds. Once the ball was rolling I was anxious to get it done and not drag out the agony!! LOL

No doubt the guy got a GREAT deal, I'm happy with where I ended up, and I think Bernie is OK with his part in things. I don't think I could have done it so effortlessly without Bernie Katz!

Matt (illegalspeeds)....I'll drop you a call here directly, I might still have som red viper shi....stuff somewhere around the house. And if you wanna get your oil changed you better hurry...I think Rick has called dibbs on my lift so it might be at his house soon!! LOL!

Yes....user #2. There is not, and never was, a #1....so that makes ME #1!!!!! LOL!

 

[BLUESNAKE367]

Very sad day in Tidewater Va. Tony was the first Viper guy I came across, had no idea any existed...

Really going to miss you at the car shows, and of course on the open road, yeah you were faster. but that did not stop me from running ya..

Hey things change and that is for certain, but once bitten and the venom will never leave your blood...you will be back one day. and I will be there to run your asp....

Just think, someone else will be making sweet love to that fine machine soon...lol

 

[JonB]

Yes....user #2. There is not, and never was, a #1....so that makes ME #1!!!!! LOL!

Tony, Glad you made it to my homestead in the process.....you are welcome back any time. Help me (again) to understand how / if I get my OLD user # and old post-counts added? At one time # was #5 or so....and now on my 3rd screenname I LOST a lot of that old-stuff. It matters to Old-timers!

If you need any RAM parts or accesories, me and Chuck are ready. BEST WISHES TONY

 

[ViperJoe]

Tony, ALL the best my friend......if you ever get up to Richmond, give me a shout, we can meet at Bernie's and do lunch!

I was just at BJ Motors a month ago and didn't see that freakin monster trailer!

What state will the red snake reside in now?

Have a happy and healthy New Year!

 

[Supercharged Vipermad]

Thanks Rick....now tell Dave to come get the Porsche!! LOL!!

JonB....one of my FIRST and BEST momories will always be heading to your house with Paul Ronald. Not something I will ever forget. You take a good beating, but you return it back with GREAT service and really going above and beyond the call of duty. Many times I have called you for help and it was there for me!

Joe....PM me your contact info, I'll add you to my Crackberry and call when I head towards Richmond. Heck, I am up to the Annapolis area regularly....I could easily head back down 95/64 instead of the Eastern Shore!!

The car is going to Georgia.....1TONY1....if you're reading this, I spoke with the new owner and suggested he have you make sure the tune is good for your area. If anyone is on the road next week (I think), be on the lookout for that HUGE Viper Trailer above and be sre to give Bernie a good HONK!