Anyone Know Anything About Vipers?

[Department Of Boost]

I know this should probably be in pit stop. But this is where all the track guys are.......soooooooooo. Here it is.

Anyone know anything about 2009-ish Viper ACR's and how they hold up at track days?

I was thinking GT350. But used Vipers are less money and well, VIPERS!!!!! Did I day VIPER!!!!!

I joined a Viper forum. But what I'm really looking for is someone who knows if they overheat? Eat hubs? Blow up? Whatever. I know nothing about Vipers aside from them being awesome.

Thanks

 

[lito]

Yes, they sound awful, diesel engine like. Case closed, lol.

 

[CobraRed]

I had the pleasure of piloting one (2015 Viper, not ACR) for a few days. Drove it in stop and go traffic in Malibu for around an hour in 90 degree ambient and also about 2 hours of hard driving in the canyons at night and the temp gauge never went much past halfway. You could definitely see heat coming out of the hood vents at stop lights, though. I believe it showed actual oil and coolant temps, and oil pressure directly to the right of the tach.

It does sound like a truck, and it's always loud. It's hard to casually pull away from a light.

It feels significantly quicker than the C7 Z51 package, although its width makes it hard to say on canyon roads how it performs over the C7.


Overall I fell like it would be a fantastic track car. I would not own one as a daily even outside space/seats limitations, but it's not a labor to drive as a weekend car.

 

[Department Of Boost]

Yes, they sound awful, diesel engine like. Case closed, lol.

They do sound pretty lame. That said last time I was at the track there was one there with headers, no cats and some sort of mufflers. It sounded PISSED!!!! He would downshift into the corners and it was popping and snorting like 14 sportbikes. It was sweet.

I had the pleasure of piloting one (2015 Viper, not ACR) for a few days. Drove it in stop and go traffic in Malibu for around an hour in 90 degree ambient and also about 2 hours of hard driving in the canyons at night and the temp gauge never went much past halfway. You could definitely see heat coming out of the hood vents at stop lights, though. I believe it showed actual oil and coolant temps, and oil pressure directly to the right of the tach.

It does sound like a truck, and it's always loud. It's hard to casually pull away from a light.

It feels significantly quicker than the C7 Z51 package, although its width makes it hard to say on canyon roads how it performs over the C7.


Overall I fell like it would be a fantastic track car. I would not own one as a daily even outside space/seats limitations, but it's not a labor to drive as a weekend car.

Is that your C7?

I'm looking at C6 Z06's too.

 

[CobraRed]

Is that your C7?

I'm looking at C6 Z06's too.

Not mine, we just had the cars for a couple days and my friend was in the vette me in the viper so I got to drive the corvette a bit too.

I probably wouldn't rag on an LS7 day in and out on a track. They are going at fire sale prices tho.

 

[fast Ed]

The 13-cars are quite different than the previous gen though, aren't they? I'd say C6 Z06 before a Viper of the same era. Doesn't sound like a UPS truck, and is going to have more support in the long run.


cheers
Ed

 

[Mike Rousch]

I know the older ones are very hard to find parts for, and when you do find them they are outrageous in price.

 

[Department Of Boost]

I know the older ones are very hard to find parts for, and when you do find them they are outrageous in price.

I'm hearing there may be issues getting diffs.

I missed out on the track prepped Z06. That was a great deal!!! I should have jumped on that with both feet but I wasn't sure what i was doing yet.

I should probably skip the Viper and take the same advice I give everyone else. "Get a track car/bike that you can get parts for at the junk yard". I'm stupid though....................and VIPER!!!! LOL!!!

 

[TGR96]

^^^When I was big time into sport bikes and track days, I resisted the temptation of getting onto a nice Ducati 998 (my dream bike at the time) because of what you just said. 600cc Jap bike parts are a fraction of the price of their Italian counterparts. If I put the bike down, which I did a good bit, fixing it was never an issues, mechanically or financially.

I do track the Stang some, but my main track car is a Miata for the very same reason, parts are cheap and abundant, and it is fairly reliable. Plus, if I put it in the wall or blow it up, my feelings won't be hurt quite as bad as if I did that in the Stang! LOL

I have kinda had my eye out for a C6Z myself, but I must admit, there is just something about a Viper. Don't know if I would DD one, but it would be so cool to have one.

And I know from your posts that you are no stranger to the track, and although I have never driven one, I have heard/read ad nauseam that Vipers are a handful on the track. Like it WANTS to kill you.

 

[Department Of Boost]

^^^When I was big time into sport bikes and track days, I resisted the temptation of getting onto a nice Ducati 998 (my dream bike at the time) because of what you just said. 600cc Jap bike parts are a fraction of the price of their Italian counterparts. If I put the bike down, which I did a good bit, fixing it was never an issues, mechanically or financially.

I do track the Stang some, but my main track car is a Miata for the very same reason, parts are cheap and abundant, and it is fairly reliable. Plus, if I put it in the wall or blow it up, my feelings won't be hurt quite as bad as if I did that in the Stang! LOL

I have kinda had my eye out for a C6Z myself, but I must admit, there is just something about a Viper. Don't know if I would DD one, but it would be so cool to have one.

And I know from your posts that you are no stranger to the track, and although I have never driven one, I have heard/read ad nauseam that Vipers are a handful on the track. Like it WANTS to kill you.

I kinda prefer something on the razors edge that wants to kill me, LOL. The bikes really screwed me up for the car thing. They feel so.........safe!!!! There is something very rewarding about "taming the beast".

Ends up one of my friends works with a guy who was part of the ACR design team. He's going to download him tonight and let me know what is what.

I checked on insurance......$135/mo!!! I can live with that.

 

[stkjock]

if you get a Viper - check the specialty insurance companies, Grundy/Haggerty. You could get a policy for $30-40 a month if you're not DD the car. Of course it would not be covered on the track.

 

[Department Of Boost]

if you get a Viper - check the specialty insurance companies, Grundy/Haggerty. You could get a policy for $30-40 a month if you're not DD the car. Of course it would not be covered on the track.

That's why you crash on the way home

I need to call Heacock. It's who my 07' is through.

 

[Champale]

A good friend has a solid red '08 ACR (1 of 3 made in solid red, probably only 1 with red interior) with low miles and I have driven it. Amazing car, fast as hell, you can't even scratch the surface of it's handling on the street ('08 ACR is still one of the fastest streetcars Motor Trend has tested at Laguna). To my knowledge, they are very durable cars for trackday use but I am not really in the know.

Interestingly, he is considering getting rid of it for a GT350.

 

[Department Of Boost]

A good friend has a solid red '08 ACR (1 of 3 made in solid red, probably only 1 with red interior) with low miles and I have driven it. Amazing car, fast as hell, you can't even scratch the surface of it's handling on the street ('08 ACR is still one of the fastest streetcars Motor Trend has tested at Laguna). To my knowledge, they are very durable cars for trackday use but I am not really in the know.

Interestingly, he is considering getting rid of it for a GT350.

It sounds like they are actually pretty durable.

I would probably just pull the trigger on a GT350R. But I can't find one for under $10K over. And that is a solid maybe. That's starting to get pricey. I can buy the Viper, extra wheels, race seats, belts, roll bar...... AND a trailer for that money.

 

[frink84]

motoiq has a project viper.

http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/articleType/CategoryView/categoryId/236/Viper-GTS.aspx

 

[modernbeat]

They are durable. They are a tight fit and feel tighter than a first generation Miata for me (6'3", 38in waist and 265lbs). The foot room is better than you would think for track use, but no usable dead pedal for highway cruising. They feel big and heavy, yet fast. Feels heavier than my GMC 2500. So much torque, you try to drive just above the middle of the rev range. Don't wring out the the engine. I've heard of differential mount issues, but never seen one on the handful of cars I've worked with. Difficult to cage due to headroom, but not as difficult as a C5 or C4.

They are basically tube frame cars with heavy duty components. Most of the issues I've been witness to are from owners doing stupid, half thought through modifications, or driving dyno queens with no support for the power. For the most part though, they can be fast and reliable.

 

[Department Of Boost]

motoiq has a project viper.

http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/articleType/CategoryView/categoryId/236/Viper-GTS.aspx

That's a Gen III. I'm looking at the Gen IV. I just learned that today.

They are durable. They are a tight fit and feel tighter than a first generation Miata for me (6'3", 38in waist and 265lbs). The foot room is better than you would think for track use, but no usable dead pedal for highway cruising. They feel big and heavy, yet fast. Feels heavier than my GMC 2500. So much torque, you try to drive just above the middle of the rev range. Don't wring out the the engine. I've heard of differential mount issues, but never seen one on the handful of cars I've worked with. Difficult to cage due to headroom, but not as difficult as a C5 or C4.

They are basically tube frame cars with heavy duty components. Most of the issues I've been witness to are from owners doing stupid, half thought through modifications, or driving dyno queens with no support for the power. For the most part though, they can be fast and reliable.

Fitting probably won't be an issue for me. I'm 6' 190 with a 31" waist. The "feels heavy" doesn't thrill me to death though. The Vettes I'm looking at are 3000-3100lb. With as much power.

Thanks!!!

 

[Champale]

PM me if you are interested. Pristine car, has less than 10k miles, he's 2nd owner and it has never been on a track to his knowledge. Brand new R888s on the way, too.

 

[Department Of Boost]

PM me if you are interested. Pristine car, has less than 10k miles, he's 2nd owner and it has never been on a track to his knowledge. Brand new R888s on the way, too.

That sounds expensive!!! LOL!!! I need the "rode hard and hung up wet" model.

 

[Champale]

I don't know what he would want for it, to be honest. Like I said, if you are interested in talking to him, PM me.