Well, after 8 years and 4 C5's.. I've moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

[nevrenuf]

Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Hello everyone... I've been converted, I think!. I just bought my first Viper after 8 years of Corvettes. I have spend the last 6 years driving highly modified C5's and decided it was time for a change. My 2004 SRT-10 is quite a change!

As I did with all of my previous cars, I plan to mod the Viper. My screen name of "Never Enough" was appropriate .. I cant seem to stop playing around with these cars!

At any rate, I look forward to participating in the forum and will certainly be hoping to lean on you folks for some advice about vendors, etc.

A couple questions ...

Headers.. whose got the best ones? Primary sizes? Long or short?

Shifters .. B&M or otherwise..

Exhaust .. any alternatives to Corsa??

Any issues with the 04' that I am likely to have to deal with? i.e. heat, driveability issues, etc..?

Thanks Again for letting me join in the fun.. I've met alot of Viper folks back when I was a Zaino Dealer.. and am looking forward to a new experience after so many years in the Corvette world..

Tom

 

[SnakeEye]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Tom, Congrats on getting your new Viper!

 

[Hirohawa]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Congrats on your new ride.

 

[MannyC]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Tom, not sure where you are located, but send your car off to one of the super viper tuners and get it back with 700+ RWHP and you'll be happy with all the go fast parts they put in there.

I plan on turbo'ing my SRT10 in 2005, but I have a Viper GTS that was done my Doug Levin Motorsports and the thing was a monster when I first got it (883 RWHP), and the acceleration feeling is addicting!

 

[ARMORGOD]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Congratulations! Enjoy.

 

[Nowayforya]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Congratulations! Welcome to the Viper World.

 

[NOMERCY]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Welcome aboard!!

 

[C O D Y]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Good choice!!!

 

[Y2K5SRT]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

A couple questions ...

Headers.. whose got the best ones? Primary sizes? Long or short?

Shifters .. B&M or otherwise..

Exhaust .. any alternatives to Corsa??

Any issues with the 04' that I am likely to have to deal with? i.e. heat, driveability issues, etc..?

Welcome aboard Tom! I will take a shot at your questions, but suspect that some of the experts will chime in at some point. I would note that I have done no mechanical mods to my SRT - yet. But having read pretty much every single post on the SRT-10 since it was first announced (and on my second SRT personally), here is what I have observed:

For power, folks seem to prefer the Bellanger headers. They say that they are a little louder, but do the job well, especially when combined with the Corsa "track" exhaust. Not sure about long or short.

For the shifter, I think some go with either the B&M or the SVS setup. I believe Mopar Performance is also making a short shift kit for the SRT-10 now. That said, many folks are perfectly happy with a shorter shift knob from folks like MGW, Ltd. using the stock shift mechanism. I have changed mine out on every single Viper I have owned and been perfectly happy with it.

There are several alternatives to Corsa, depending on your goals. If you are looking at cost as a factor, more than a few folks have elminated their secondary cats and put in a bullet muffler replacement. That or a high-flow cat with the bullet muffler. One local guy elminated both the secondary cats AND his mufflers. You would think that would be insanely loud, but it is actually pretty "normal" sounding until he hits the gas. Then it goes to NASCAR levels pretty quickly. I believe Borla also makes something for the SRT.

The one issue that is fairly confined to the '04's is the cam shaft bolt and the harmonic balancer bolt. The first was the subject of a recall, while the latter has been found to be loose on a LOT of cars. There are more than a few '04's out there with rebuilt motors because of it. Just make sure you check with your dealer to see that the recall work (if any) is up to date, as well as check the balancer bolt yourself.

All SRT's experience heat in the footwells and the sidesills to some degree (no pun intended). Removing the secondary cats or installing high-flow cats has cured that problem for most owners that have gone this route. As far as driveability, there are three things to consider with the Viper vs. the Vette:

1. Insane amounts of torque at even the lowest of RPM's. Even when you beef up the Vette, the Viper usually has more low end torque. This can lead to some pretty wild rides if you aren't careful. With the Pilot runflats, they give very little warning before they break loose and you can find yourself doing a 360 when you least expect it. Bottom line: Make sure you are pointed straight ahead on level ground before you nail the go pedal. And if the pavement and/or tires are cold - forget it.

2. Wide tires and stiff suspension will make this car wander quite a bit over rough or rutted roads. You don't notice the ruts on the highway when you are tooling around in your daily driver, but with the Viper you will think it is a carnival ride. Even mild ruts will toss you back and forth, making the Viper a two-handed driving experience more often than not.

3. Wheel hop. There are several threads on this subject right here in this forum. Use the "search" function of the website to see them for yourself. Stiff springs, big tires, and lots of torque can get those back tires hopping with poor traction. Too much hop and you will be replacing some pretty expensive equipment in the back end. Just be aware of it, as most Vipers have it to varying degrees.

Again, welcome to the Viper Nation. Be sure to look up your local VCA chapter. They are definitely your best resources for information and mods. Enjoy that new Viper!

Chris

 

[RavenFan_94]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Chris, I hope you never become board with Vipers. Your posts make this board worth reading. Merry Christmas.

And... Welcome aboard!!! You made a great choice. Regardless of what some may say, the SRT is a fantastic car.

 

[Kai SRT10]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

A couple questions ...

Headers.. whose got the best ones? Primary sizes? Long or short?
Shifters .. B&M or otherwise..
Exhaust .. any alternatives to Corsa??
Any issues with the 04' that I am likely to have to deal with? i.e. heat, driveability issues, etc..?
Thanks Again for letting me join in the fun.. I've met alot of Viper folks back when I was a Zaino Dealer.. and am looking forward to a new experience after so many years in the Corvette world..
Tom

Headers: I spent months researching this, and finally decided on . . . Billy Boat. They are 5 into 1 stepped headers. They are recommended highly by tuners I trust (including West Coast Viper and 3R.)

Exhaust: I use Corsa's track exhaust. It's too loud with headers, but the addition of some Dynamax muffler cones toned it down just enough. Eliminating the crossover and putting high flow cats in the sills will also eliminate the cabin heat that is inherent in the stock set up.

Shifter: Before you spend the time and $$ on a B&M shifter, try replacing the stock knob with a MGW first strike knob. Changing the knob changes the shift feel dramatically. It may be all you need.

Other mods:
Comp Coupe oil pan (if you're taking your car to the track, you will need this.)
Autoform roll bar (because the stock hoops are thin aluminum covered in rubber.)
Team Tech 6 point belts are another must for track days. (not just for safety, but because you will be able to drive so much better if you are held into your seat.)
If you are above medium height, a seat lowering kit provides for better visibility, and also makes extra room for wearing a helmet.

Kai

 

[ARMORGOD]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Tom,

One mod that has not been mentioned, but is definitely worth the money, is a gear swap. The stock 3.07s just don't work as well as 3.55s (some have even gone to 3.73s). The gear swap will allow you to actually use sixth gear for freeway cruising and will "wake up" the car during spirited driving. This is probably your best bang for your buck as far a seat of the pants driving impression.

 

[Viper Wizard]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Tom, Congrats and Welcome!

 

[ViperInBlack]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Tom:

And do not forget to add the K&N system for air intake.

After coming from a C5, this will be quite an experience for you. Welcome aboard and be safe.

Alice

 

[Epro]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

I

 

[Epro]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

I want a viper too...

 

[Gerald]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Hello everyone... I've been converted, I think!. I just bought my first Viper after 8 years of Corvettes. I have spend the last 6 years driving highly modified C5's and decided it was time for a change. My 2004 SRT-10 is quite a change!

As I did with all of my previous cars, I plan to mod the Viper. My screen name of "Never Enough" was appropriate .. I cant seem to stop playing around with these cars!

At any rate, I look forward to participating in the forum and will certainly be hoping to lean on you folks for some advice about vendors, etc.

A couple questions ...

Headers.. whose got the best ones? Primary sizes? Long or short?

Shifters .. B&M or otherwise..

Exhaust .. any alternatives to Corsa??

Any issues with the 04' that I am likely to have to deal with? i.e. heat, driveability issues, etc..?

Thanks Again for letting me join in the fun.. I've met alot of Viper folks back when I was a Zaino Dealer.. and am looking forward to a new experience after so many years in the Corvette world..

Tom

Once your bitten, your addicted!

There are many great tuners to choose from. Just use the search button. if you were in the corvette world I'm sure you know which ones to stay away from.


Looks forward to seeing some pics and your everlasting saga for 'never enuff' .. LOL!!

Gerald

 

[ViperJoe]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Welcome and congrats on the 04!
Many of us here came out of Vettes too.


"Join the VCA, it costs less than .28 cents a day"!

 

[InjectTheVenom]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

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[AG98RT10]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Welcome and congrats on the 04!
Many of us here came out of Vettes too.


"Join the VCA, it costs less than .28 cents a day"!

YEP!! and one of the things that you will have the opportunity to observe is all the excuse-making, rationalization, and just plain faulty info on the Vette forums about the Viper. Now that you have your own, you may be astonished to discover that the Viper a) does not handle worse than a Vette - it handles better! 2) is actually comfortable for longer trips, and 3) that all those things you heard about Vipers getting all the attention in mixed settings with Vettes were absolutely true!

Do be careful with the torque - there is really no comparison between a 350 short block and the Viper's V10 - plus you have no active handling to save your rear!

 

[nevrenuf]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

WOW!, thanks for all the replies!

Sounds like the first round of mods are pretty simple..

Exhaust :

Billy Boat 5 into 1 headers, Corsa Track Exhaust, high
flow cats, eliminate the crossover

Shifter :

Give the MGW First Strike Knob a chance.. and then see...

Air Intake :

K&N.. no one here mentioned smooth tubes.. but I've read about em.. are they worth the $$, and where do I get em ??

Tuning :

Sounds like installing a VEC2 is one of the first jobs.. where do I get it?

Gears :

3:55.. is it necessary to replace the entire rear end with Unitrac.. output shafts, etc.?

Seat Belts :

Best methods to install 5 or 6 way belts??? Still havent heard much here............

Nose Bra :

Just ordered a Speed lingerie Bra, in red to match my paint...

 

[Kai SRT10]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

WOW!, thanks for all the replies!

Sounds like the first round of mods are pretty simple..
Exhaust :
Billy Boat 5 into 1 headers, Corsa Track Exhaust, high
flow cats, eliminate the crossover
Shifter :
Give the MGW First Strike Knob a chance.. and then see...
Air Intake :
K&N.. no one here mentioned smooth tubes.. but I've read about em.. are they worth the $$, and where do I get em ??
Tuning :
Sounds like installing a VEC2 is one of the first jobs.. where do I get it?
Gears :
3:55.. is it necessary to replace the entire rear end with Unitrac.. output shafts, etc.?
Seat Belts :
Best methods to install 5 or 6 way belts??? Still havent heard much here............
Nose Bra :
Just ordered a Speed lingerie Bra, in red to match my paint...

The K&N airbox and filter set up for the SRT-10 has smooth tubes as part of the design. When people talk about getting K&Ns, they are typically talking not just about the filters, but the replacement tubes and box.

The Team Tech 6 point seat belts are designed to work with the SRT-10. Your SRT-10 actually has the attachment bolts and anchor points already in place. The nice thing about the Team Tech set-up is that once you mount it, you can put in in and take it out in just a couple of minutes, going from street belts to racing belts with minimal hassle. Be warned, however: The new SRT-10s have much thicker insulation under the carpet than the original 2003 SRT-10s that are shown in the installation video. Expect to have to punch through much thicker layers of insulation to get to the lower mounting anchors. Also, make sure to remove the seats while doing the initial seat belt install. Will save you bruised knuckles and lots of cursing.

A counterpoint to the chorus of fans for the 3.55 gear swap: I use the stock 3.07 gears, and am very happy with them. I find the higher gear ratio to actually be useful on a road course. If I were doing mostly drag racing, I would certainly change out to 3.55s, but I think that the tall stock 3.07s are perfect for fast corner carving. I would suggest living with the car a bit longer before you jump to the 3.55 gears.

One final piece of advice: You are bound to find him sooner or later, but Jon B. at www.partsrack.com is a terrific source for both parts and information. I've dealt with him on numerous occasions, both buying things and just getting advice. If you're looking for Viper goodies, Jon is a good place to start.

Good luck.

Kai

 

[NOMERCY]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

You may also want to rethink changing out the gears if you plan on a Stroker, Blower or Turbos ....

 

[car wash king]

Re: Well, after 8 years and 4 C5\'s.. I\'ve moved to a Viper!.. First Post.

Welcome