There's something different about a Viper...

[viper GTS-R]

I don't know why but I feel like bringing up the past.

There's something different about a Viper....something I can't explain with most other sports cars. There's an attraction to it that grabs me...

It's a Friday afternoon. Right after school I hoped into the family van to take a ride down to Colts Neck at the Colts Neck Inn. We pull into the lot as it's my first time seeing more than one viper, now four sitting together. I'm eyeing a red GTS, completely done like a LeMans GTS-R. Oddly enough this is the first viper I've seen from another country. I think at this moment, looking what was in front of me was the begining of a goal...

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

So I go across the road (I was on the wrong side) and see some more vipers and my first Lamborghini, a Diablo SV too! So I talk with one owner of a 94 RT/10 about how the car had no strut to hold the trunk open so he baught a small hydralic one. Fit rather nicely...

Afterwards I go inside and talk with a very nice man by the name of Joe Houss. Did I mention at the time he was the NJ VCA president? Nice enough to talk about vipers with a ten year old kid, he asks if I would like to meet back tomarrow at Englishtown Raceway Park for a ride with a pro driver in a 700hp GTS....

What?

Jebus, total shock and awe Joey! So it was on! Got up early the next day and went to the track. Met with Joe again and Evan Smith (Evan writes for Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords). I get some cool viper stuff (which I still have!), get introduced to some more viper owners and it was time to go off in a viper.

I felt glorified...We chugged through 1st and 2nd gear (can't remember why), and headed down to the south end of the track where Evan then got out to tell the safety instructior we were going to make two quick passes. At this moment I remember looking all around the car to make sure I was actually in a viper and the whole thing wasn't some dream.

Evan got back in and we made those two passes. Short distance runs but even at half of it we hit 95 mph from a dead stop. I remember being sucked in the seat. I wish I could feel that all the time....

Two years blow by. Jeez it felt like I haven't seen a viper in ages but on our way back from a Florida trip I noticed something low, sleek, and grey. There's a viper on my street!? We at least the end of it. I meet Steve for the first time, I take some pictures (about when I first started doing photography) and we go out for a ride. I never expected to see a viper in my neighborhood, forget the street I live on nearly four houses down.

I got my 2nd ride and was it fun. Here I was in a RT/10 just tearing up the local streets! We pull onto the end of Mary Ave and get the car sideways just enough to have me laugh as hard as I can.

You must be registered for see images attach

As time goes by, I get some more rides by some great people. Dimitrio's and I rode with the group to downtown Sommerville. That was wicked.

You must be registered for see images attach

I got another ride in a 96 blue and white GTS, sat in a White mamba and a Silver SRT/10, and took a short ride in a paxton powered Copperhead and a 96 white RT/10.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Since it was so nice for my 18th birthday I took a ride to Buhler Dodge and got to see the new SRT-C...I didn't just look at it, Darren was nice enough to let me sit in it.

You must be registered for see images attach

So what's different about a viper? I'm not quite sure what the best thing is to say, but when I have that camera in my hand and I position it to take a certain angle I want, I usally tend to look at the angle just a little longer.

You must be registered for see images attach

--RS

 

[C O D Y]

Nice story. Can't wait to read what you'll write when you buy your 1st one.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Congrats. Enjoy. Look forward to getting yours.

 

[Warfang]

another red/white chiming in here... I envy you. The journey to getting a Viper is almost as fun as having one.

 

[Knight Viper]

Thanks for the journey back into time. I never got to ride in one but there was one (B/W) I was able to see from time to time when the store owner would drive it to work and park it out front where I could see and dream about it on my way by. I can remember thinking that Viper is the most messing car I have ever seen and now to drive one....PRICELESS....
Good luck on your journey to ownership! KV

 

[Rizzo]

I was about 24 the first time I drove one. I had a business at the time and I bought a lot of new trucks from the local Dodge dealer. I was there one afternoon and he had just taken delivery of a new Viper. I jokingly asked the owner of the dealership where the keys were so I could borrow it. He had the keys in his hands and threw them to me and said have fun and walked away. I thought he was joking. He turned around and told me to get lost and he would see me later that day. I was in shock but not about to turn this offer down. Took it for about an hour and LOVED it. I never dreamed I would own one. Took me another 12 years to finally get my hands on my own.

 

[InjectTheVenom]

I was about 24 the first time I drove one. I had a business at the time and I bought a lot of new trucks from the local Dodge dealer. I was there one afternoon and he had just taken delivery of a new Viper. I jokingly asked the owner of the dealership where the keys were so I could borrow it. He had the keys in his hands and threw them to me and said have fun and walked away. I thought he was joking. He turned around and told me to get lost and he would see me later that day. I was in shock but not about to turn this offer down. Took it for about an hour and LOVED it. I never dreamed I would own one. Took me another 12 years to finally get my hands on my own.

That's a cool story. Hmm I wonder what the name of that dealership was, hopefully towards the Calgary area

 

[ViperTony]

My first Viper experience was 10 years ago when my uncle bought a White/Blue RT/10 and drove it to my house. He needed a place to store it so his wife wouldn't find out about it (they were going through a divorce at the time ) and I said "SURE! I'll keep a good eye on it." I knew as soon as I saw it pull up to my driveway that I needed to have one. I finally earned one 9 years later.

 

[Viper ACR]

The power of the Viper means a lot to me in more ways than one . When I was in an accident that should have taken my life .... and did take my dads life . It helped me get through troubled times deciding I was gonna buy one . Kept my mind on the positive side of life .

I always wanted one since Dodge first came out with the blue and white GTS .I knew I probably shouldn't buy one when I did . Because I wasnt sure if I would be able to go back to work or pay my bills. But I was just thankful to be here .I figured what better way to get motivated, to get better, and get on with life . Then to buy my dream car (Even if it wasn't the most unoppritunistic time of my life to do so )

It helped me get through rehabilitation to fight and stay strong . I always thought of the day when I would be able to get into the car and take it down a nice winding mountain road. When I was layed up for 5 months after having a shattered pelvis not knowing if I would walk properly again, I stayed positive kept busy looking for the perfect Viper to buy . (Even though I had never seen one in person before.) But knew that one day it would be here and I would be able to take it out .Drive down the highway and make all my worries go away.

So sure enough the day of delivery , just a month after I started walking again . I was lost for words when the car came off the truck . All my months of pain and anguish evaporated with the sight of that car . So the Viper is definetly more than just a car to me its a personal symbol of perseverance, strength , hope , desire and a celebration of life

 

[InjectTheVenom]

So sure enough the day of delivery , just a month after I started walking again . I was lost for words when the car came off the truck . All my months of pain and anguish evaporated with the sight of that car . So the Viper is definetly more than just a car to me its a personal symbol of perseverance, strength , hope , desire and a celebration of life

Likewise but then in a different situation.. the way things are going for me right now I will probably never own one in my life, but it sure as hell keeps me motivated.

 

[Ratical2]

My story is one of longing and desire as well, when I saw the the original Viper Concept I couldn't believe that a car could look so good. I loved the rebirth of the 60's curves.
In 1995 I was totally blown away again with the new GTS when I hand built the first 200 LED brake lights for the GTS.
In 1997, I got to meet Maurice Liang in Detroit at the SAE convention. We both worked for Hewlett Packard and were there for booth duty. He offered to take me for a ride in his RT/10 when we got back to California. WOW, rarely does anticipation get exceeded by reality. What a ride. Maurice kept my dream alive a year later with a ride along in his 96 Blue GTS around Laguna Seca. I was so hooked, but the reality was, only in my wildest dreams would I ever get to own one of these Vipers. In my opinion the Viper GTS is most beautiful car to come out of Detroit since the GT40 of the 60's.
On with my story. The first time I drove a Viper was so incredible. At first it felt like a dream and I hoped that it would never end.
About 4 years ago my brother bought a 96RT/10. I flew to Austin and had we had a wonderful weekend exploring his reality and my dream.
Occasionaly, Maurice would call me up and say I got a new Viper on loan, want to check it out? Uhhhh, Yeahhhhhh. Be right there.
Maurice even helped get my wife on board. I took her up to his house and he took her for a quick ride. She came back only 10 minutes later with an incredible grin on her face and said," Now, I understand why you want this car so bad!"

Recently things changed in such a marvelous way that the money was available to purchase my dream. On March 13th, I got my very own Blue and White 96 GTS( is there really any other color? .
Actually owning this car has exceeded my dreams and expectations.

For you dreamers out there, keep on dreaming and hoping... you just never know when a dream might become reality...

 

[DodgeViper01]

What was going on in Colts Neck? Four cars??? Hum..

 

[viper GTS-R]

Keith remember the old viper rendevous in Colts Neck and Englishtown the NJ chapter used to have? I took that YEARS ago in the Colts Neck Inn parking lot and I think 3 out of those 4 vipers are from Canada.

--RS

 

[toolwench]

My first Viper experience wasn't a big deal...a guy knew another guy who let me sit in his Viper. I was too afraid to do anything other than say, "Wow!"

However, my second Viper experience was a big one. I met my husband online. In an email, he said he had a Viper...I assumed it was Matchbox or Hot Wheels...

And two weeks later when we met in person and he pulled up in his '94, I instantly wanted to run away. This was not the guy I thought was my soulmate. He got out of the car and was wearing nice clothes, nice shoes even.

I was wearing faded jeans and green Doc Martens. I drove there in a '68 Mustang with a big primer spot on a rear quarter panel. There was no way this guy was gonna dig me and no way I'd hang with such a square--Viper or not. No freakin' way.

But then I got us donuts (we met at a Krispy Kreme 'cause I had a coupon for a free dozen!) and we talked...for about 7 hours...And then he took me for a ride...and we got dinner...and went for another ride as he took me home. He was afterall my soulmate--although somewhat opposite in disposition--and I really didn't want to be apart from him.

Turns out, he didn't want to be aprt from me, either. He popped the question 11 days later and were married inside 4 months. I still tease him for taking so long.

He wrecked that Viper a few years later, but that's okay, we got another one... An '03 this time and I'm pretty sure we'll always have a Viper no matter what.

To him, that first Viper was an achievement. To me, it was an awesome car that before I came into contact with, refused to get excited about because I figured I'd never own one. Now, I can't imagine life without one!!!!!