Gen 1 Help?

[Hot-Rod]

I am still gathering information on the Gen 1 (1994) I am considering can anyone please help with the following.


1.Head gasket Repair

Was it ever a recall

Can I tell if my was ever fixed Dealer database ect? should I count on having to pay for this repair?

2. Aside from collision damage what should I look for?

3. Do all factory viper wheel and tire packages fit all vipers?

Thanks

 

[jasontiff]

I can help with a few things.

Look for heat bubbles in the paint along the side sills. My car had 53k miles on it when I bought it, every single one driven with stock cats. The side sills have lots of heat bubbles in them from it.

Look for stress crack in the paint on the hood.

Open and close the doors to see if they drag when they close. Door sag is pretty common but for the most part easily remedied.

Almost every car will have some scrapes under the fascia; that's normal, unless it's been repainted or is a garage/trailer queen.

I know Gen. III wheels bolt onto Gen. I and Gen. II cars with no modification. I don't know if I've seen any Gen. IV wheels on the earlier cars, but I'd be they're the same.

I just got off the phone with one of our local techs, and the gasket set from Mopar is up to about $1400 (which includes the head gaskets). A member of our fine club is making the head gaskets himself, and for the next day they're only $250 for a set of head gaskets (pre-ordering ends the 15th).

There is a book, and I believe a thread on things to look for when purchasing. I'll try and hunt it down and post it here.

 

[jasontiff]

I got this from here:
http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-gts-discussions/615933-buying-97-gts-b-w-what-check.html

I bought the same car as you last year from a buyer 3000 miles away. I also had a local member check out the car.

Here is a list of general viper questions I used. Congratulations on choosing not only only a great car.....but the best color!!

Used Viper Questions:

General:
1.Year?
2. Price?
3. Mileage?
4. Clean title?
5. VIN #?
6. Existing lien?
7. In service date?

Equipment:
1. Stock / original, or minor / moderate modifications (K&N filters, smooth tubes)
(headers, hi-flow cats, cat-back system, or more?) Rear wing?
2. Exterior and Interior Color? (Body stripes - painted or vinyl) Interior mods?
3. Nature of radio / CD player (stock, single in-dash, trunk player, etc.)?
4. Soft-top, hardtop, or both? Condition of each
5. Bag for soft-top?
6. Bikini top and bag
7. Tonneau cover? Side windows? (Gen1)
8. Car cover?
9. Existing Factory warranty / extended warranty (or provide after-market warranty)?

Condition:
1. General overall condition (any nicks, chips, scratches, window cracks, etc.)?
2. Involved in an accident(s), damaged, repainted, (telltale signs) etc.?
3. Condition under front bumper / front lip spoiler?
4. Condition of top(s)? (Soft-top sagging? Exterior condition?) Scratches on sport bar? Sport Bar cap missing?
5. How maintained? Records? (One owner? How many and how long) Documentation / Paperwork? DOCUMENTATION AND HISTORY of maintenance and sale(s) / owner(s)
6. Leather condition? (Split/cracked/worn?)
7. Tire condition? Brand/Size (Reasonable tread?)
8. Wheels (condition, nicks, curb rash?) Stock wheels for the particular year or aftermarket
9. Carpet / Floor mats condition?
10. Smoker / non-smoker?
11. Nitrous or other power adder used?
12. Used for track events (strip, track, Viper Days and autocross)?
13. Condition of the rocker panels (top and underside, chips, yellowing, sandblasted)
14. Condition of inside the door / rocker area
15. Scrapes under front bumper / spoiler?
16. Bottomed out?
17. 998 / 999 recall work done (if applicable) and done CORRECTLY. Documented?
18. Head gaskets (Gen1) Documentation?
19. Hood alignment (symmetrical?) Any hairline cracks? Hinges keep hood up?
20. Doors close well (no drooping / sagging-bad hinges)

1. What dealer was the Viper originally or last purchased from?
2. What is the current mileage?
3. Is it still under factory warranty? (what was the "in service" date?) Extended warranty?
4. Is the original window sticker available?
5. Do you have any of the original sales documentation?
6. What type of maintenance and / or repairs have been done to the car? (Records?)
7. Who performed / performs the repairs / maintenance?
8. When was the last service performed and what did it entail?
9. Does it have the stock radio?
10. Is there ANY curb rash on ANY of the wheels?
11. Has the car been driven in the rain? (cleanliness of the underside and wheelwells)
12. Are there equal gaps at the bottom sides of the hood, where the hood sides meet the top of the rocker panel? (just behind the front wheels) Pictures?
13. Are there equal gaps at the front "leading edge" sides of the hood where it meets the front bumper? (outermost front edge, towards the rear of the headlights) Pictures?
14. Are there ANY scrapes to the front spoiler? (under the car, black lip spoiler)
15. Are there ANY scrapes to the front facia? (body colored front end, underneath)
16. Under the front of the car, have the leading or front portion of the front frame rails been scraped / bottomed out?
17. Are there any scratches, dents, scrapes to the inside door jambs (black painted areas)?
18. Are there any scrapes, dings, chips, etc to the rocker panel sides OR their undersides?
19. Does the A/C blow cold?
20. Do all switches and accessories operate properly?
21. Are there any fine cracks or surface spider-webbing cracks in / on the hood?
22. Will the hood stay up on its own?
23. Are the side bolsters of the seats (drivers in particular) showing any wear?
24. Do the doors close cleanly and flush and open without "dropping down" / sagging when opening? (sign of weak hinges)
25. Is the Viper garage kept?
26. Why are you selling?
27. What is your age?
28. What major city are you near?

 

[Hot-Rod]

Great List! Thank You I did purchase the Vipers Buyers guide by Maurice Liang but it seemed to miss some of the issues I have read about here. I love these cars but do not want to end up with a problem.

 

[maxdaddy]

My 95 has been great, the rockers do have a couple bubbles, see if it has ac,(not all do).drive slow till the tire warm up! you will love it!

 

[Hot-Rod]

My 95 has been great, the rockers do have a couple bubbles, see if it has ac,(not all do).drive slow till the tire warm up! you will love it!

I have looked at one with AC and one with out. I am not sure if I care one way or the other, that could change in August however.

 

[dave6666]

Nice work Jason!

You have been officially appointed as the VCA Gen 1 Historian and Sales/Marketing Coordinating Worldwide Director and Regional President in Charge.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

The paint bubbles on the rockers are not from heat, but from corrsosion caused by dissimilar metals in contact. The side sill is aluminum and the frame is steel. This is why the sheet metal screws holding the side sills on are galvanized - they act as sacrificial metals. If these screws look rusty, maybe time to get new ones. To an extreme, you can try to electrically isolate the side sill from the frame by putting duct tape on the inside of the side sill where the screw holes are. I did this (cheap, but effective) and have only one screw hole that has problems after 9 years.

Ironically, this is what killed early Cobras. Their aluminum body was also attached to the steel frame and it would corrode. You'd think someone would have learned that lesson 25 years later.

 

[dave6666]

You'd think someone would have learned that lesson 25 years later.

Well, you know how that goes. Unless the CEO or CFO or someone like thats personal car had a problem, you think anything would get done about it?

Kind of like the economy today. Do you think any politician is at risk of foreclosure or is missing meals to pay for gasoline?

Things like that have to be bottom-up driven. Thank God for us worker bees!

 

[sdaddy]

I have looked at one with AC and one with out. I am not sure if I care one way or the other, that could change in August however.

Believe me, In August you are gonna care. These engines put out a tremendous amount of heat through the floorboards and side sills that the AC has to fight in addition to the outside temperature. I drive mine top down A/C on all the time.

I have an immaculate bone stock red 94 with the exception of tubes, filters and MGW shift knob. I also have all the original parts, original window sticker, soft top and windows (in excellent shape), Mopar Hardtop, Northwind sliding locking windows, custom cover, shop manual etc. Dash is perfect and no curbing on wheels Car drives 100% and AC blows cold.

I am 57 years old and have owned this car for eight years and it has had TLC. Always a Florida car with no rust or corrosion on the underside.

I just bought a 96 blue/white GTS and one has to go to free up garage space. Looking to get $35,000.

Send me a message if interested. Car is not in the classified as it is not actively for sale.

Oh, no recall was done on the head gaskets, but were fixed if failed under warranty. Mine were redone with the new gaskets by a Viper Tech at about 17,000 miles and I have the receipt. My car has just over 20,000 miles now.

 

[jasontiff]

Nice work Jason!

You have been officially appointed as the VCA Gen 1 Historian and Sales/Marketing Coordinating Worldwide Director and Regional President in Charge.

That's more complex than "Old Thread Copier/Paster", but I'm sticking with it!