I forgot -- the gills were even more prominent!

[Hisserman]

Today while touring the Walter P. Chrysler museum in Auburn Hills, MI today, I stopped to pause in front of the first "official" Viper concept car. I remember seeing it for the first time at the Detroit North American Auto Show and remember how it blew my mind!

What I forgot was how the headers protruded out of the gills! If you thought your car got hot . . .!!

If you ever get near the Detroit area, visit the museum. You'll see some great Vipers (like one of the Le Mans cars shown below) and lots of other interesting Dodge and Chrysler cars.

Ahhh -- the good old days of Lutz, Gale and the original Viper team . . .!!

 

[Vic]

That concept Viper was fantastic! Just growls when you look at it. OR "hissess"..Hey, its no longer on the rotating display?

I also liked the AMX Javelin in the basement, and the Airflow concept and production models.

Did you catch Walter Chrysler's personal shop tools? That had some impact with me. The tools of the man who started Chrysler, a designer and engineer, a mechaninc at heart.

 

[GR8_ASP]

Bruce, you missed a picture of the 1996 Indy pace car. Funny thing is I was walking with one of the original Viper team guys and he leaned over and looked at the VIN of the pace car and commented that it was the "replica" that they made after the 500 in order to provide a museum piece for Indy. The VIN clearly indicated it was an early 1992 vehicle (VIN 010) that was remade into a coupe. So how did the museum end up with the "copy?"

 

[SylvanSRT]

there were several gts's provided to the indy that year so there was a back up car if necessary. i was driven around the speedway during speed week in the actual pace car, probably still sitting in CAAP, by Lynn St.James and consider myself very lucky to have had that experience. btw going 125+ with the a/c running. also when seening the concept viper rt at the naias i said if they make that car someday i will own one(now on # 3). the concept was utter poetry and shocking for the day and the production car did not stray all that far from it.

 

[Casey]

That's pretty sweet!!

 

[Hisserman]

Ron --

I didn't take a picture of the Indy Pace Car, the white RT-10 with blue stripes in the basement, the Le Mans engine on the display stand, the Viper book section in the gift shop, etc., etc. on purpose -- gotta leave some things for the new visitors to see! Check it out guys and gals, it's worth the trip.

 

[Bo knows]

Did you go into the theatre & watch the movie ??

 

[Bo knows]

Did you happen to go into the theater & watch the movie ??

 

[GR8_ASP]

What movie? In the theater Tom Hoover provided a slide show and commentary.

 

[Bratatatat]

Those gills are awesome!