Thank You Team Viper/PVO

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

The weather is crystal clear and high 60's. Picked up my red SRT10 last night. Put the top down and went to the office with a stop at friends(his car is on its way) office. I know what he will be dreaming about tonight.

This new Snake is huge improvement in build quality and overall improvements. And yes heads do turn, and thumbs-up given. This is my 5th new Viper and the feeling is very much like that of my first RED 96 RT10.

Now I am rushing to select a stacker.

 

[Steve-Indy]

Very HAPPY for you , Fred...with 2 feet of snow piled up in front of bay #1, SRT-10 has NOT been driven in the 2 months it has been here...maybe someday...but til then, keep ypur posts coming !!

 

[jay1970]

Congratulations!!!! I will be spending more time in Saratoga.. May be I will be able to catch a glimpse of your car

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

At the first 20 hour of ownership I am still excited. Just filled the tank getting ready for late afternoon driving with the top down. Really great to have a rag top. My RT never had the soft top out of the original sealed bag. So far the top has been up twice. It is a little tight and will certainly become easier when the top is stretched a little. But it fits like a glove. Washed the car with no drops of water getting inside the cabin.

Only one oversight is the fuel fill area. There is no place to put the cap and there is no edge protector pad. Just means we have to be careful when filling. Which will likely be a daily occurrence for a while. It is expected to be in the 70's tomorrow.

Sorry about the bad East Coast weather! It is fantastic in California.

 

[cstegall]

Fred,

Congrats on the new car . I have just received the VIN on mine...how long was it before you actually got your car from the time you were issued a VIN. Mine is red like yours

Thanks for the help.

Clark

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Thanks for all the Congrats.

In the first day of ownership the top has been up 3 times. (Gets easier each time.) During the 6 years of RT ownership I had the hard top on less than a 1/2 dozen times.

I spent the evening with my son(3 1/2 years old) driving around for engine run-in to spec. The cup holder works great for a kids drink and kids 31 flavor kids cup. He told me it was a fun ride.

You get a cup holder when the ash tray is removed.

The interior lighting is very nice. Comes on so you can find your way around then quickly fades away.






I was not told when the VIN was issued.

 

[Tomer]

Fred, you referenced a "stacker"...Are you referring to a CD stacker, or a lift for the Garage? I know there have been
recent posts about lifts....We just moved to Los Altos from the East Bay...Maybe I will take my 96 RT over your way
in hopes of a glimpse of the SRT!!!

If you are looking into garage lifts, please e-mail me privately. We have an oversized one car garage, but with high
ceiling, so the minister of domestic affiars just authorised research into the project...The objective will be to have
the Viper in the air, and her ML 320 under it...Might be a tight fit...

CONGRATS on the car!

Tomer

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Today was a perfect SRT day. Spent a few hours just driving around putting on the easy miles. Nothing but thumbs up and nice comments.

Ted May had a tech session at his shop today. Very nice event. After most members took off for a fun run we put the SRT on the scales. The racers in the group got excited and shocked with the balance. Ted has the numbers but they were pretty much 50% on all corners. Within 2 pounds on the front and 30 on the rear. With a little over a 1/2 tank. Weight approx. 3350 without driver.

Before it was put on the scales I had commented it cornered much better then my ACR. After the scale the comment back to me was; no wonder it is perfectly balanced from the factory!

And to the whiners, one comment

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Day six. Styling is a hit. While drying SRT next to the ACR and GT2. My wife, not a Viperholic, said "it makes your other cars look old".

The forward view from the cockpit it great. And it gives you the feeling you are in an ALMS LMP900 Audi or Panoz.

Top Tip - put a rubber bumper on the leading edge of the hook (top) fastener. It is easy to close the top with the hook in the latched position which will chip the bottom of the U shaped cutout(center of windshield frame above the mirror) that receives that hook.

 

[Daffy Duck Viper]

Top Tip - put a rubber bumper on the leading edge of the hook (top) fastener. It is easy to close the top with the hook in the latched position which will chip the bottom of the U shaped cutout(center of windshield frame above the mirror) that receives that hook.

Hmmm. I'm having trouble visualizing that. Anyone have a picture of the area under discussion? Thanks.
-Daffy

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

The top has a hook as in big fish hook with no barb. It hooks into a shaft in the top of the windshield frame. The hook grabs the shaft and the top is secured with a handle the pulls(cam action) the top against the windshield frame.

The hook section is retracted when the top is brought to the windshield, ideal operation. Two post(in the top left and right side) align and help secure the top to the windshield frame(the post fits into alignment holes). When the top is pulled in place the handle is pushed forward which swings the hook forward and up to gram the shaft then pulls the top to the windshield frame.

The hook can be in the center of its cycle and may hit the windshield frame top edge of the slot which has a cut out for the hook to grab the post. Sorry I do not know how to attach a photo.

I will got to Fry's or Orchard to look for a small rubber stop.

 

[Daffy Duck Viper]

Thanks, Fred.
I appreciate the extra info. That helps me visualize it much better. No need for pic now.
-Daffy

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

There is another possible mechanism for chipping. If the hook misses the pin it will continue moving up and hit the slot edge.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Tue. was the 4th SRT10 bath in the first week of ownership.

Christian(3 yrs and 9 Months) was helping dad. My wife came out to watch. She looked at the SRT10 and then at the GT2 and ACR(Silver-Blue) and back to the SRT10 then said it really makes the others look bad. This was a turning point, because when looking at the SRT10 pictures she said it looked like a Corvette, with a little jest.

Today I picked Christian up from pre-school and later we took a little drive to "Micky D's" drive through. He went to sleep, I parked in the garage with the CD playing and waited for him to wake. About 45 minutes later he started moving and finally was awake. He stared in the car for another 45 minutes eating his cold chicken and fries. He just wanted to sit in the SRT10. We asked him which car he liked best and he said the Red(SRT10) one. It is amazing how young kids become interested in cars.

The CD player is great!

 

[Fast Viper Dan]

Well Fred, I wonder if Christian likes the "Red" one most because I told him that's the one he gets to drive when he turns sixteen?
Dan

 

[BarbaraAnn]

So glad you got your car! My daughter swears she saw an SRT-10 in Vernal, Utah, last week! Any idea how I can find out whom that might be? We have a Double-Park, by the way, which is terrific. Even I can operate it with ease!