Driving your Viper In Colorodo?

[BoeingMan]

Haven't posted much at all this summer. I've been having way too much fun traveling all over the place enjoying the sights that this great planet has to offer. Anyway, I was in Silverton Colorodo (elevation around 7000 ft) last week and saw 6 Vipers parked in a row across the street. Didn't see any of the drivers and wasn't able to talk to any of them. Don't know what club they belonged to.

Anyway one of the questions I would have asked them was how much noticeable HP/TQ loss do they experience driving at these high elevations ...

For those Viper GTS/RT owners that live in the high altitude (5000' and above) how much performance loss do you guys feel when you drive at those altitudes. If you have some dyno numbers feel free to jot those down too.

Looking though, for seat of the pants driving experience stories. The San Juan mountains in Colorodo were absolutely gorgeous. The sites would take anyone's breath away. If anyone is looking for a good vacation spot go there. Those peaks get up to 14000 ft. and are accesable by 4x4 vehicles. I made it to one of those peaks, among others, (though not in my viper) and it was a blast.

I would consider moving to Denver only if it wouldn't take too much away from my viper...

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bob D]

About 4 to 5% per 1000 ft is lost depending on the air density at the time. The only time it bothers me is at the drag strip. Driving on mountain roads it's not a bad trade off.

 

[BoeingMan]

Thanks for the reply BoB D.

What are your times at the track and at what altitude?

Again thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[Boxer12]

Its 'Colorado' dude!

geez

 

[Affatica]

Bob is definitely not the best person to ask about drag times on a stock car. My GTS has a stock motor, custom exhaust, smooth tubes, and filters and I usually run in the high 12's. Most of the owners here generally run low 13's depending on driving skill.

There is nothing quite like driving through the mountains in a viper.

 

[BoeingMan]

Thanks guys.

I've driven cars at altitude before, though none of them have been performace cars. Those that I did drive never seemed to have much pick up as they did down lower. ( Yes, I know, obvious) I had wondered if the altitute would take too much fun out of the viper.

Again thanks guys and sorry your feathers got ruffled boxer12, geeez

 

[Vreracing]

I guess you could always Supercharge or turbo charge it.

I drove a 3000VR4 over Bob Cat Pass outside of Red River NM a few years ago. I couldn't hardly feel the difference at 10,000 feet.

 

[jaydoc1]

I started driving my Viper here in Colorado so didn't really know how much different it would be at a lower altitude. Last October I took it back to Kansas City for a rally and it was decidedly "greasier" there. Much easier to break the back end loose without really trying.

 

[Detlef]

For mountain driving, Viper power is overkill anyways as the roads are narrow and very twisty at times. This is so much fun driving and the Viper has plenty to keep it entertaining. Those Viper were most likely part of the Colorado chapter of the VCA. We do many events in the summer months and many involve the mountains. I am hosting a drive in a few weeks and expect many snakes to slither through the Northern Colorado canyons at high speeds.

 

[Venom-US]

Mine showed a 100hp loss on the dyno. I never had it at sea level, but was down too 3700ft in NE last month and felt a big difference. Most will loose on a n/a car around 1sec on their 1/4 mile times. The only time you really feel the power loss is when you are racing.

 

[S-JC]

Yeah, it's mostly unnoticeable. I owned the Viper at sea level for a year before moving to Colorado. I notice the difference the most when trying to launch from zero--doesn't seem to get up and go quite as fast. But you get pretty used to it. And the VCA here has an awesome time on all of our get-togethers.