Viper Misconceptions & Falsehoods

[slaughterj]

The current thread about the Robb Report article on the Viper got me thinking about how there are so many misconceptions and falsehoods spread about the Viper, e.g., the origin of the engine, that it handles poorly, that it has 12 cylinders (or an option for 12), etc. I'd like to see all of these common misconceptions posted here and clarified, so perhaps it can be put together as a informational link on this site, can be forwarded to idiotic article writers, etc., and maybe help to dispel some of these misconceptions.

So, what do we have?

 

[SquadX]

Well I'll start, from what I've heard and read, someone from Lamb. helped in the engine and body design of the car.

 

[Zan186]

Well I'll start, from what I've heard and read, someone from Lamb. helped in the engine and body design of the car.

I believe that portion is true. Chrysler owned Lambo and the engine block originated from a pickup truck. Lambo's fingerprints are all over the V10.

 

[SquadX]

And another is that if you drive a Viper, your "XXXX" is bigger. But I think that one is true some nevermind.

 

[DEKE01]

I believe that portion is true. Chrysler owned Lambo and the engine block originated from a pickup truck. Lambo's fingerprints are all over the V10.

OK, the part about it being a "truck engine". True or false?

 

[VENOMIS]

I ve also herd that the rumor that vipers "handle like $hit" However we know that is BS unless you have 8 year old tires...

 

[Burntrubber]

I believe that portion is true. Chrysler owned Lambo and the engine block originated from a pickup truck. Lambo's fingerprints are all over the V10.

Truck engine, Lambo tuning / application.
Carroll shelby helped with the body design.
Bob Lutz (I beleive) was mastermind.

from what I heard.
I also think you have to have a small penis to buy one, that was my main reason

 

[big-n-italian]

you own a viper? YOU MUST BE RICH!!







(an owner misconception)

 

[Compensating]

I also think you have to have a small penis to buy one, that was my main reason

hence my screename...

everyone seems to think they are sub 10 second cars stock...

 

[DEKE01]

everyone seems to think they are sub 10 second cars stock...

well that's because they are only good for the drag strip since they can't turn

 

[Vreracing]

The most difficult part of driving the Viper is using the on board computer properly.

It is used for braking, acceleration and handling. With that large of an engine and those big of tires, it takes finesse and practice to drive the Viper.

You must be registered for see images

 

[ViperGTS]

Wake up guys! The VIPER is only in your dreams, it's a dream car - nothing more.
Nothing less!

Truck engine? bla-bla-bla...because Chrylser had a V10 from cast iron for the pickups it doesnt mean the all-aluminum engine for the Viper is the same! BS.

 

[EllowViper]

Quote" ...and you have to register it with the local PD since its so fast..."Unquote!!!

 

[VENM8R]

If One Is Good Then Two Are Better

I had a book about the Viper (someone "borrowed" it 6 yrs. ago and never gave it back) and in it they described how the very first engine was really made from two separate engines. They had cut off one end of one of the engines and then welded to the to other to make 10 cylinders and it really worked. The book had a lot of information in it, I can't remember the exact title any more. I don't remember anything about a truck engine being mentioned.



Clown Shoe 'Compensation'

I had owned my Viper for just two weeks and was driving it home when I encountered a surprising reaction to it.

I was approaching a stop light at an intersection when an old rusty pickup truck puttered up to the left of me about the same time. A man was driving in it with a women beside him. The lady in it slumped over and out the open window towards me while screaming: "It looks like a clown shoe!" she then stuck out her left hand with the thumb and fore finger parallel, about an inch apart, screaming "It's not big enough!" To which I replied, "Lady, don't complain to me...why did you marry your husband - if it's not big enough"?

She then roared unintelligibly, shaking, rocking feverishly, cursing in a way (speaking in tongues?) I hadn't ever heard before or since. I thought her head was going to spin around 360° and spew out green goo, ala' Linda Blair. The man must have heard my comment, because he swerved at my car as I begin to turn right.
This lady must have thought I was going to react angrily, she wasn't ready for a response like that. Hell, even I don't know where that came from, it was like I was hearing someone else answer, only it was me. I don't usually reply to people like that, as nothing you say is going to change their negative attitude anyways.

You know, some people just live to be unhappy.

 

[Limit]

She was just compensating for her and her husbands lack of money

 

[Y2K5SRT]

OK, the part about it being a "truck engine". True or false?

FALSE.

According to the book Dodge Viper by Daniel F. Carney, a V10 truck engine didn't even exist in 1989 for the Dodge truck:

Oh there were some lines on paper about building a truck V-10," said Herb Helbig, "but an iron-block V-10 in a car like the Viper wasn't going to get it because of the weight." In the end, the Viper shared only the same number of cylinders, with Chrysler tapping Lamborghini for help on the aluminum block, head, and other components.

So it was a completely different design from any potential truck engine. About the only mentioned components from the truck were the parking brake mechanism and the pickup truck wheel hub assembly - thus the resulting six-bolt wheel pattern. And that is where the urban legend of a truck engine took hold...

 

[RevHeat]

I always wanted the answers to the following questions:

(1) Who designed the Sneaky Pete Logo? Father Viper (Roy Sjoberg) told me once, but I forgot the designer’s name.

(2) Why did Dodge after the 1996 GTS stop the stripes thru the license plate? I heard that it was because it was time consuming.

 

[KWIK96]

I like this thread.
Its just like watching Mythbusters.

 

[Limit]

I always wanted the answers to the following questions:

(1) Who designed the Sneaky Pete Logo? Father Viper (Roy Sjoberg) told me once, but I forgot the designer’s name.

(2) Why did Dodge after the 1996 GTS stop the stripes thru the license plate? I heard that it was because it was time consuming.

I can answer #2. Even though you got the right answer. Too time consuming for not much reason.

 

[gen2lover]

the viper is fast.

 

[DEKE01]

FALSE.

According to the book Dodge Viper by Daniel F. Carney, a V10 truck engine didn't even exist in 1989 for the Dodge truck:

Oh there were some lines on paper about building a truck V-10," said Herb Helbig, "but an iron-block V-10 in a car like the Viper wasn't going to get it because of the weight." In the end, the Viper shared only the same number of cylinders, with Chrysler tapping Lamborghini for help on the aluminum block, head, and other components.

So it was a completely different design from any potential truck engine. About the only mentioned components from the truck were the parking brake mechanism and the pickup truck wheel hub assembly - thus the resulting six-bolt wheel pattern. And that is where the urban legend of a truck engine took hold...

Thanks - greatly appreciated ammunition for my on going war with an M5 driver.

 

[PS78]

er... the orig block was a (standard 90dgree) 5.9ltr V8 and Lutz persisted with the idea to add 2 extra cyclinders (don't know how they arrived at 7990cc when 5900cc/8= 738...). Portions of 2 V8s were brazed together and apparently the resultant V10 ran much smoother than predicted (optimum for V10 is 72degrees). Lambo helped in conversion of block to aluminium.

my answer to those that slate it's road holding is 'how did it manage to win at Le Mans 3 yrs running against many other cars better known for their handling? (just opt to drop the GT2, not GT1 bit tho!)

 

[usaf0016]

Did anyone see what that guy on top gear said? When he did a little thing on the viper he said himself that the engine was made from a truck engine or something like that, maybe thats why so many people believe it? oh and 2 words.. hood speakers!

 

[Canyon707]

I was told by a chrysler.More than one Tech. That the v10 was a 360 with two more cylinders. I have no proof of this but, that is what I was told.

 

[Cobraken]

When the truck 10 cylinder was in development, an initial grafting of 2 cylinders on a 360 ci design was an early exploration. When the Viper developers were looking for an engine, they looked to the developing truck engine because of the massive torque possibilities. So it's true that Viper engineers eventually got their engine start from the truck 10 cylinder development program. Some similarities with the gen 1 motor are there but there isn't anything shared by the two motors. (My understanding).

I think that reporters like to say the Viper was developed from a truck in an attempt to get a reaction. I extremely dislike it when they do! Viper engineers also like repeating it for some reason, so it promotes the misconception that we are driving a big sports car with a truck engine. The original small block Ford (221, 260, 289, 302) came from their truck engine development program that was looking @ thin wall casting ideas. Heck, most of the 40' & 50's British sports cars had engines developed from water pumps from WWII.

 

[Canyon707]

When the truck 10 cylinder was in development, an initial grafting of 2 cylinders on a 360 ci design was an early exploration. When the Viper developers were looking for an engine, they looked to the developing truck engine because of the massive torque possibilities. So it's true that Viper engineers eventually got their engine start from the truck 10 cylinder development program. Some similarities with the gen 1 motor are there but there isn't anything shared by the two motors. (My understanding).

I think that reporters like to say the Viper was developed from a truck in an attempt to get a reaction. I extremely dislike it when they do! Viper engineers also like repeating it for some reason, so it promotes the misconception that we are driving a big sports car with a truck engine. The original small block Ford (221, 260, 289, 302) came from their truck engine development program that was looking @ thin wall casting ideas. Heck, most of the 40' & 50's British sports cars had engines developed from water pumps from WWII.

Thanks. Interesting information.

 

[dave6666]

Does it matter if the Viper has a truck engine? Is it less of a Viper?

It has the same tranny and rear end as the Vette, Mustang and Camaro doesn't it?

Do I have to stop driving now because I have a Vivetstamaro truck car?

 

[slaughterj]

Alright, so the truck engine one was covered, how about any others?

Poor handling and braking seem to be mentioned. Is this due to Gen 1s? Bad tires on little driven cars? What? It seems for at least Gen 3s, these are clearly very good, making the misconception seem to relate to earlier times.

 

[KenH]

I think the distinction is whether a car handles poorly, or is hard to handle at the limits. Compared to most other cars, the Viper is harder to handle at the limits.

Combination of having high limits, short wheelbase, wide low profile tires, massive torque to the tires and no electronic nanny controls. When it gets away from someone, they blame it on the car not handling when in fact the driver couldn't handle the car.