west coast press test of srt10

[eagles]

I read there was an unveiling for the auto press about to take place right under my nose. That afternoon I stopped by a local dealer [5star]to do some snooping and guess what I found--5 srt10 viper mules [4 red 1 black] being made road ready by a local viper tech and the PVO head engineer [drivetrain and mechanicals] for the srt10 and a top PVO viper tech to turn the wrenches. A large number of the automotive press were being flown in to SFO and put up in a local hotel as a base. They were going to drive the srt10 as well as other sports cars and do a comparison with a number of competitive machines supplied by DC including vettes & porsches and others. While I watched they were making some small adjustments to a squeeking drivers door hinge as well as adding shims to the power steering pump mounting to align and take a squeel out of the serpentine belt caused by an incorrectly machined waterpump which in turn caused a misalignment on the belt. Earlier [friday] the viper tech was replacing both tailight pods because the rubber seal around the perimeter of the pods was showing cracks. the maker will have to change compounds for production.
I saw the black viper next to the red ones and I believe the red ones show the contours and subtle details better while the black does make the car seem smaller and the side vent is not as pronounced and the strakes in the side vent are almost invisable.

While talking with the engineer I came up with the following:
1. the next and last mules will begin being built in prox two weeks and contrary to these 5 the next mules
will use production parts instead of prototypes.
2. it is on schedule.
3. front fender top line raised 1 to 1.5 inches over original design
4. side vent deepened prox 1.5 inches
5. there may still be some slight changes before reg production begins, but he did not specify.
6. an engine dyno may have showed 505 hp and 528 to 540 ftlbs tq., he was hesitant to provide those figures and put a disclaimer stating that he 'believes' those numbers are close.
7. brake rotors on production will not be crossdrilled.
8. srt10 are 50 state emissions legal, all engines and emissions are the same.
9. Motor trend will do a complete road test in two weeks.
10. Top speed testing will take place shortly.
11. the side vents are designed to get hot air out from the engine compartment.

The above information is what I picked up at an informal gathering in an hour an a half as the PVO guys worked on the vipers and I was allowed to ask questions and watch what they were doing. I believe this to be fairly accurate but not the gospel. All of the people connected with the dealer, the viper and DC were friendly and informative and answered most questions I asked and I want to thank them. The test drives will occur on wed or thurs of this week partly along the coast on hiway 1. I was able to take a few digital photos and prox 20 mins of video but I do not have a clue how to go about posting as I'm rather computer illiterate.

note: some or all of this information may have been posted prior.
ed albini

 

[BobK898]

So Ed, how did the cars look in person?

 

[SRT10]

Do it ED! Lets see the pics!

 

[Venom Lover]

Thanks for the info, Ed. Sounds like a great experience!

A couple of questions:

By front fender top line, do you mean above the wheels? Is the implication that the fenders are more flared above the wheels?

Side vent deepened??? Gulp! If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, the last thing it needed was to be deepened!

With all due respect, those dyno numbers sound unimpressive. I'm hoping they turn out to be intentionally low propaganda. 505 bhp translates to 439 rwhp with 13% drive train loss. My '97 GTS dyno'd at 425 rwhp bone stock. I'm hoping the real numbers turn out to be a very underrated 520 bhp, but I guess I'm fantasizing.


--Mike

 

[eagles]

BobK898
the seat inserts were suede, IMO, they look very classy, the panel fit was not production quality with uneven margins and out of flush panel match. I like the way they looked overall except the gas cap cover, iwhich is truly ordinary. the cars look pretty agressive with the front fenders being much higher than the hood. I could not see clearly in any published pictures that there is a point that runs along the top of the front fenders thru the top of the doors and thru the top of the rear fenders the whole length of the car. from all of the pics I have seen I thought that the fender tops were rounded. the interior was well laid out and the seats have really substantial side bolsters, they felt very supportive. the cars exhast note was the best I have heard from a stock viper. the start button is red and says start. the engine and indeed the whole car shares no parts with previous vipers except the brake master cylinder I was told. the valve covers are a different texture and color from my '96, being smoother and shinier in texture and more of a muted red again I was told that will be the production color for
the valve covers.
ed

 

[eagles]

Venom Lover;
the top of the fender is merely taller if measured from the highest point to the ground, they didn't mention the flare being different.
the vent opening measured horizontally is wider
i agree i hope those dyno numbers are not what we are going to see on production cars, at least the hp numbers.


ed

 

[FUSCUCLA1]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by eagles:
Venom Lover;
the top of the fender is merely taller if measured from the highest point to the ground, they didn't mention the flare being different.
the vent opening measured horizontally is wider
i agree i hope those dyno numbers are not what we are going to see on production cars, at least the hp numbers.


ed

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

One thing for clarification please. At first you said it was deeper now wider. Wider along which axis? Lenght of the car or width of the car? Thanks

 

[Vic]

Wow, its getting exciting. That car is gonna rock the skeptics!

I'm sure they gave it a more agressive body sculpting, as response to a signifigant amount of negative feedback from mostly GTS owners.

I have'nt seen this re-worked version, but compared to the one I have seen, I definitely liked my GTS looks better. But if they gave it a bolder look, and with it being lighter,, faster, better handling, better brakes, wider tires, well.....

Now the gap has narrowed quite a bit.

 

[garolittle]

Dang it! Where are the pictures!!!!! I can not stand the suspense.

 

[Mike Brunton]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Maxwedge:
couldnt that also be called BMW Trend? Or BMW+Driver...both magazines are the same. Shut the Viper out of every supercar comparo after Chrysler gave in and put ABS on the cars. they just didnt want a 10 year old car to smoke their Vett/Porsche...
Car magazines are about selling cars not reporting the truth...
JMHO
Damion<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, after driving alot of the cars these guys drive, I find my opinions usually agree with theirs. Sometimes they tend to overdramatize differences but their love of BMW's is not baseless. Spend some seat time in an M5 and you'll wonder why other cars can't be so fast, yet refined and easy to drive.

I think it's actually the other way around.. I think most of the magazine guys tend to tell the truth without much bias... but most of the guys who own the cars that don't come out on top can't take the ego shot of someone else not thinking theirs is the biggest baddest thing made, so they assume the mag guys don't know jack.

IMO, nothing could be further from the truth.

 

[Steve Ferguson]

Here is a great statement all you coupe advocates will not like. The Comp Coupe is going for final wind testing, and based on the results, they are expecting all the panels on the car to be "adjusted". There was no indication as to how or why, and the crowd that got this information did not care, since they are purchasing the car for the performance it is offering. But I find it ironic that all those who care about looks rather than performance are now going to be mad that changes that result in better performance will upset their view of this new performance monster? Again, let me reiterate that there was absolutely no indication as to what the changes may look like other than they would be made to even further the performance of what promises to be the fastest race car ever offered to the public by a manufacturer.

For the performance nuts this is great news, for the style department we will have to wait and see what the reaction is?

 

[2charmed]

Steve,

Does that mean that the SRT-10 may need body adjustments to
enhance performance also? I'm sure DC won't change anything on
the SRT-10 now, but if the coupe needs changes due to performance
issues than that may indicate the SRT-10 has some of the same issues?

2charmed

 

[Steve Ferguson]

I guess (AND THIS IS ONLY A GUESS) that since the design of the CC came first, that the performance enhancement have already been made to the SRT/10 to allow for maximum levels? That may be the reason that the SRT/10 seems to have less bulge and more flow? Now the Comp Coupe in an effort to maximize and squeeze every once of speed out of its structure, will most likely have some subtle changes that produce greater numbers! Again, for the performance junkies this is great news, for the eye candy clan it is a wait and see prospect.

 

[Vic]

Steve, Can't we have it all?

 

[yuckydog]

Pics, man, PICS! Where are the pics?

James

 

[eagles]

I've been tryin to post this responce but it will not show up, so i'll try again.
FUSCUCLA; wider through the width
garolittle; i will try to post pics by the end of the weekend or sooner with the help of my bro in law Mike.
sorry its taking so long.

 

[luc]

"...the fastest race car ever offered to the public by a manufacturer."

for that to be true,you will have to list a bunch or restrictions/disclaimers

1/ Do not include any open wheel race cars

2/ Do not include any race cars not made in the US

3/ Do not include any "public" without a racing license

4/ Do not include any manufacturer who is not one of the " Big 3"

5/ Etc.....


A brand new,race ready formula Mazda cost less than $40k,IS sold to the public (no license needed to buy it) and will be way faster,but of course it is an open wheel car.

Not trying to put the car down,I saw it at Laguna Secca and I think that it is a great car.

As to what is more important,look or performance,I don't remember seeing a lot of fast and ugly cars.
almost all the time a fast car will also be a good looking car but a good looking car is not always a fast car.

What make a car special,is when you have both,look and performance,as in GT 40,Ferrari Testa Rosa,Viper GTS,Cobra,69 Mustang Cobra Jet,etc.

Luc.00GTS
03 SRT 10 ordered

 

[Vic]

Right on, Luc!

 

[2charmed]

To make the Comp. Coupe faster on the track, wouldn't that indicate more ground effects ect. not less? I would think that
may make the car look more aggressive not less? We'll have to wait and see, if they are subtle changes then it's no big deal to any of us probably. The comp coupe isn't a street version anyway and the rest of us that want a coupe are still waiting for some indication there will be a street version. Maybe the comp coupe will look much more aggressive and we'll all be happy!
Or is that too much to hope for?

2charmed

 

[Vic]

I think that since they are re-working the SRT styling a bit, they have to re-work the comp coupe to make it match. Otherwise the eventual coupe version of the SRT wont look like its spiritual forebear, the competition coupe. Don't let anyone fool you that they wont make a coupe. They just tease you, before it comes out. The idea here is to make it look like the eventual coupe is a response to popular demand, kind of like when "old" Coke was re-instated. Thats called marketing!

Now watch someone post back a vicious denial! Thats ok, just remember you heard it from me first.

 

[Tomer]

PICS??? Puuuullleeeeeeezzzzzeeeeeeeeeee...

Tomer

 

[Guyver1]

2charmed

Ground effects help a car stick to the ground, but they aren't aerodynamic, and cause a vehicle's drag coefficient to skyrocket. The trick is to design different body panels to work in conjunction with ground effects to minimize the drag created. Slapping a spoiler on a car hurts all-out speed, but designing a spoiler in conjuction with the car's body work, or changing the car's body work to make more efficient use of the spoiler will reduce the loss of straight line speed, while still providing the standard grip advantage.

 

[Viperrick]

Steve is correct in saying that some of the body panels will change but.... these will be subtle changes. All being done to make the cars skin more efficient. For instance the roof scoop will be made smaller, the location of the refueling port being multiplied to 2, changed to dry break seals and moving up on the 1/4, the rear diffuser sounds to be the major change, the naca ducts on rear 1/4's (for dif cooler) being eliminated and changed to a single slot at rear etc. These changes are not that major. Unless you have looked at the car in peson closely, many people will not even notice the changes. The changes are being done for the purpose of refining the car from the recent wind tunnel work. Now if we only got them to change the front fascia to more closely match the 2000 GTS-R Concept car front end than we would have something to talk about. The next mule (chassis #3) will have the reworked body and roll cage incorporated into it. Can't wait to see it.

 

[yuckydog]

Where are the pics???

James