Seeking Garage Queen Gen I Viper

[modernrocketry]

I have been doing some research and have decided that I want a Gen I Viper.

My requirements are as follows:
94-95, A/C, Red, No modifications, including factory radio, less than 20k miles, no accidents, title scrubbing, etc. My preference would be to find a California car, but this one is negotiable.

I know this list is restrictive, but I am in no hurry and willing to pay a fair price.

I have two questions:

1. What things mechanically should be I pay close attention to when looking at prospective cars?
2. Once I purchase a car, what things should I have serviced/replaced? Remember the idea is to keep this car as close to stock as possible. But I understand that tires/gaskets and the like have improved with time and should be replaced.

Thanks!

 

[Dads Toy]

why are you wanting a gen 1 over the others? curious on how you came up with your decision. I am a Viper Owner wannabe and have narrowed my choice down to gen 1 or gen 3. can't afford a newer one at this time.

My reason over the gen 2 is that I love the look of the side pipes.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Headgaskets.


If I had a nice 95 with little or no mileage, no accident or paint history that has been kept in a garage, expect $40K-$45K will be needed to buy the car. Just MHO.

 

[modernrocketry]

The reason is a little bit personal preference and a little bit experience.

Experience:
My first car -- at age 16 -- was a Triumph Spitfire. When it ran, it was great fun! But it basically was a street legal go-cart as it had no creature comforts. When I graduated college, I bought a 1991 Honda CRX brand new. It is the base HF model and the only option I could afford was A/C. I couldn’t afford a radio -- back then a radio was an option. (I paid $8500.00) I still have that car and it turns 20 on January 6th with 200K on the odometer. I drive it almost every day. I have had many other cars at the same time – Jaguars, BMWs, and a couple of SUVs, but I always prefer driving the CRX because it does not have any of those luxuries that interfere with the driver’s experience. It’s basically a reliable, street legal go-cart.

My perception of the Gen I Viper follows the theme of the 2 cars above that I love very much – basically a go-kart… Except the Viper has a REALLY BIG Briggs & Stratton!

Preference:
I’m not a fan of the GTS simply because I live in Southern California – we have excellent weather most of the time. When I need a car with a top, I’ll drive my SUV. I seriously considered the Gen II because of the windows, door handles, etc. But this goes counter to the reason I mention above. And regarding the newer generation Vipers, I’m not a big fan of the overall styling. The first time I saw one, I thought, “Miata on ‘roids” After a few years they have grown on me, and they always get my attention when I see one. Also they are much more aggressive looking than the Gen I/II’s but I still prefer Gen I’s. And lastly, I fricken love the side pipes… that’s just the cherry on top.

 

[modernrocketry]

Headgaskets.


If I had a nice 95 with little or no mileage, no accident or paint history that has been kept in a garage, expect $40K-$45K will be needed to buy the car. Just MHO.

That's what I was thinking, but I have identified 3 potentials ranging from 29K to 37K. Two are in California and originally shipped to Cali.

One is owned by a co-worker -- original owner, 12K miles, completely stock except for a trickle charger on the battery. Top and windows have never been taken out of the plastic wrap. He is "deciding" if he REALLY wants to sell it. This car is the high end of that range.

 

[99 R/T 10]

If it is a 1995 and stamped "last 300", it would be a bonus. There are too many 94s for it to be worth $37K unless it had minimal mileage(4K or less).

 

[eucharistos]

i think 20k miles is a bit much to be a garage queen

******* is really nice

spitfires are cool

 

[modernrocketry]

******* is really nice

That caught me off guard... made me laugh... diet coke came outta my nose....

Thanks! it still burns.

 

[RedEnuf93]

Look for cracks in front of the the hood (at hinge area)
Overspray (indicating possible repaint)
Old tires (you dont want to drive with old hockey pucks)
Headgaskets (as #1 on your list)
Cracked sidebars on your hard top (at front of bars, next to A-pillar)
Ugly scratched original dash (these Vipers had the "famous" fuzzy paint on dash)
Side sill corrosion (they "bubble", which means they corrode inside out. Once you see the damage, its too late)
Bubbling valve covers (paint peels and bubbles with age)
Without saying goes for any frame damage....
Check for all cracked plastic on doors (difficult to find)

That should keep you busy for a while. Good luck finding your trailer queen!
Oh yeah... pick good color!!! Red/Black/Green/Yellow....
In case you extend the year one higher, the 96 has more colors to offer, the famous McViper (mustand and Ketchup combo) or the white with blue stripes... etc...

 

[jay01m]

***DISCLAIMER***
Don't bother reading the below post because I'm an idiot who thought Viper's didn't come with A/C until 1997. If you want a good laugh feel free to read on. I'm putting myself in the penalty box, no posts for the next 5 minutes . modernrocketry, don't listen to me, you go get your 94/95 RT10!
------
"FYI, Vipers had no A/C until 1997. In SOCAL, I know the humidity isn't bad, but I'd venture to say in the middle of the summer, it will be hot. That said, if the thought of no A/C bothers you, you have a decision to make between having A/C and having side exhausts if you want to keep your car original, because not only are there no A/C Vipers from 1992 to 1996, but I don't believe any RT10s from 1997 to 2002 had side exhausts. Yes, it ***** because there are lots of side exhaust fans out there, and they feel a little cheated when the entire Gen II line had no side exhausts."

 

[racerjim]

I've got basically the car your after sitting in my garage, it came form california. But its got 50K on it and is in Good shape not Great or perfect. I paid only 22,500 for it. so that was a great deal.

PS Mine is a 94 WITH A/C it was an option.

Like stated above the sills discolor where the cats sit and the valve covers paint bubbles and comes off.

Also expect to do motor mounts as well as the trans mount.

good luck on your search.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

FYI, Vipers had no A/C until 1997.

Thats wrong. AC became a factory installed option in 94'. RT/10s had no rollup windows until 97'

but I don't believe any RT10s from 1997 to 2002 had side exhausts.

96'-02' RT/10s had rear exhaust. 92'-95' had side exhaust

 

[viper067]

Huh? 94's and up had AC

 

[supersnake]

FYI, Vipers had no A/C until 1997. That is SOOOOOOOOOOO WRONG, My 95 has Factory Air and works perfectly. You have a PM.

 

[jay01m]

You guys are RIGHT! My bad! Just looked it up again... am I right in saying it was an option starting in 1994 and became standard in 1997? I wonder if that's where I got confused, because I always thought the A/C came around in 1997. Oops! Don't mind me, I'm just an idiot with a 1997 GTS

I edited my previous post, and my flame suit is on. It's cool, I deserve it.

 

[viperbuck93]

I have been doing some research and have decided that I want a Gen I Viper.

My requirements are as follows:
94-95, A/C, Red, No modifications, including factory radio, less than 20k miles, no accidents, title scrubbing, etc. My preference would be to find a California car, but this one is negotiable.

I know this list is restrictive, but I am in no hurry and willing to pay a fair price.

I have two questions:

1. What things mechanically should be I pay close attention to when looking at prospective cars?
2. Once I purchase a car, what things should I have serviced/replaced? Remember the idea is to keep this car as close to stock as possible. But I understand that tires/gaskets and the like have improved with time and should be replaced.

Thanks!

Question. why 94/95 not 92/95 exactly the same car, I have a 93 (#241) immaculate and stock with the exception of K&N, smooth tubes. I also stripped and painted the ugly grey dash and added black stripes, chrome wheels and decals. It does have 40k well maintained miles, matter of fact people that do not know Vipers well think it is new. Not saying I want to sell but someone mentioned $40K for a mint Gen 1. I paid 36K for it almost 4 years ago and was under the impression it had lost alot of value? What would one pay for a car like this now?

 

[modernrocketry]

The reason behind my preference for a 94/95 is as follows:

I really want A/C -- even though I'll rarely use it. I think the radiant heat from the side pipe might make the car uncomfortable on long ride out to the desert.

I'll leave the 1992 to the ********* collectors. The guys that'll sit on em for 50 years and then take them to Pebble Beach for all to enjoy.

I'm a little scared of the 1993's, I hear that Dodge had significant fit & finish issues with these cars and that is the reason there are so few of them. They spent lots of time in the factory getting them right. Maybe my fear is unwarranted and your guys can set me straight.

 

[modernrocketry]

Look for cracks in front of the the hood (at hinge area)...

Holy crap your car is seriously HOT!
Those white stripes are increadible.

Where those added or original to the car?

I know I said I wanted a stock car... but those stripes...WOW!

 

[mattdillon]

I have been doing some research and have decided that I want a Gen I Viper.

My requirements are as follows:
94-95, A/C, Red, No modifications, including factory radio, less than 20k miles, no accidents, title scrubbing, etc. My preference would be to find a California car, but this one is negotiable.

I know this list is restrictive, but I am in no hurry and willing to pay a fair price.

I have two questions:

1. What things mechanically should be I pay close attention to when looking at prospective cars?
2. Once I purchase a car, what things should I have serviced/replaced? Remember the idea is to keep this car as close to stock as possible. But I understand that tires/gaskets and the like have improved with time and should be replaced.

Thanks!

Your requirements are about as narrow as mine were (just got it 3 weeks ago) but mine HAD to be a gen II (for the look & some modern creature comforts) but my stickler was it HAD to be Steel Gray (only made in 2000) so now I'm down to 1 year & it HAD to be under 10k miles (actually 7,900) & stock. So be Patient, it's out there. Good Luck!

 

[eucharistos]

Holy crap your car is seriously HOT!
Those white stripes are increadible.

Where those added or original to the car?

I know I said I wanted a stock car... but those stripes...WOW!

search RedEnuf93's pics,

i've told him to his face (on here )

visually, his is my favorite rt

 

[RedEnuf93]

visually, his is my favorite rt

Thanks, but not a 20.000 mile car, not a trailer queen and most definately not anywhere near stock...

 

[viperbuck93]

The reason behind my preference for a 94/95 is as follows:

I really want A/C -- even though I'll rarely use it. I think the radiant heat from the side pipe might make the car uncomfortable on long ride out to the desert.

I'll leave the 1992 to the ********* collectors. The guys that'll sit on em for 50 years and then take them to Pebble Beach for all to enjoy.

I'm a little scared of the 1993's, I hear that Dodge had significant fit & finish issues with these cars and that is the reason there are so few of them. They spent lots of time in the factory getting them right. Maybe my fear is unwarranted and your guys can set me straight.

Interesting, I have never heard that of the 93's, my fit and finish is almost perfect. Just curious where did you hear that from? Air conditioning has never been an issue for me, i love the top off so air makes no sense. (It sits all winter, you know snow, ice, salt.)
Regaurdless, whichever year you pick, you'll love it, they are all VIPERS!!!

 

[viperbob]

Also, the 93s did not have the reverse lock-out...started in 94.

 

[J&R3xV10]

I have a 94 yellow RT with 17k miles, Borla cat-back, and smooth tubes, otherwise completely stock. I love it more than anything but I can tell you, the a/c is useless. The only time it is ever used in my car is when I get stuck in traffic I turn it on in the foot wells to fan out the heat.

 

[Dom426h]

I am a Viper Owner wannabe and have narrowed my choice down to gen 1 or gen 3. can't afford a newer one at this time.

My reason over the gen 2 is that I love the look of the side pipes.

Thats silly if sidepipes is the only thing keeping you from considering a Gen2 seeing that there is atleast 3 different options for sidepipes available for a Gen2 viper. One of which being taking the sidesills off of a Gen1 on bolting them directly onto the Gen2 This leaves you with the badass looks of the Gen1 with the added benefit of a better frame, suspension, motor, ect... of the Gen2

completely stock except for a trickle charger on the battery.

Was that a joke? because i found it to be hilarious

 

[J&R3xV10]

Thats silly if sidepipes is the only thing keeping you from considering a Gen2 seeing that there is atleast 3 different options for sidepipes available for a Gen2 viper. One of which being taking the sidesills off of a Gen1 on bolting them directly onto the Gen2 This leaves you with the badass looks of the Gen1 with the added benefit of a better frame, suspension, motor, ect...

doesn't seem to make much sense if he is looking for a stock viper

 

[Dom426h]

True but, that comment was in response to DadsToy who only said "My reason over the gen 2 is that I love the look of the side pipes" Nothing was said about stock/condition/mileage/ect... I was simply informing him of the option.

But On to the OP, Some people dont know what they want. For example many ignorant people relate reliability to stock & low mileage when in fact a stock or modified car that has been driven and well maintained can prove to be a more reliable driver or racer over a car that has been sitting for many years with old fluids and dried up seals. Now if someone wants a car to let it sit in their garage or a museum with the intention of preserving the originality without wasting money on maintenance or modifications then by all means go ahead and buy a car that has previously lived its life that way. I assume this is not the OP's intention as his passion towards the Gen1 calling it a street legal go-cart with no creature comforts leads me to believe that he is looking for something that he can enjoy on the road. IMO to enjoy a Gen1 on the road atleast one thing has to be modified to un-neuter the car. The stock exhaust system is compared to a UPS truck sound and leaves the sidsills burning hot from the restriction. A modified exhaust system will leave you with cooler sidesills, more power, and a better sounding exhaust note.

It is always best to find out what a prospective buyers goal's/intentions are with a car to be able to properly make recommendations and give advice.

Stock, Pristine, Unmolested, Low-mileage, are all warm&fuzzy words that the typical prospective buyer likes to hear. But these terms say nothing about the mechanical condition of the vehicle amongst other things that might be important to the buyer.

 

[JPL]

Ahh, something about a GEN1

You must be registered for see images

 

[viperbob]

I have a 94 yellow RT with 17k miles, Borla cat-back, and smooth tubes, otherwise completely stock. I love it more than anything but I can tell you, the a/c is useless. The only time it is ever used in my car is when I get stuck in traffic I turn it on in the foot wells to fan out the heat.

I put over 10k miles on a '94 when I lived in Maryland - there is no way in hell I would have bought it if it did not have AC...my wife & I both thought it worked very well.

 

[Matt M PA]

I have a 96 RT and I think the A?C is a huge help in hot weather even with the top and windows at home. When you turn the A/C off it feels like you turned the heat on!

Anyhow, I don't think the OP is really that narrow of a search. If memory serves, the 94s were the highest...or one of the highest production years.