I long for the old days....

[KenH]

When all the Gen 1 vs. Gen 2 or RT-10 vs. GTS ribbing was in good fun. One thing I liked about the Viper community was the fact that a Viper was a Viper and they were all good. Didn't matter one bit if you were running a '93 RT/10 or an '02 GTS, it was simply Vipers united against the rest of the automotive world.

Then along comes the SRT-10 and suddenly it's like a bunch of bickering old ladies around here (no offense to the old ladies around here ). It's like Francis painted her house yellow or something and the rest of the neighborhood can't quite seem to get over it even though it was about 2 years ago now.

 

[Dreamert]

Not quite sure if this makes any sense to me but I kinda understand you......it's the same [******] (sorry for the use of nasty words) with the Neon and SRT4 communities..... not for everybody of course but...there are always dickhaeds around to make the others look like bad so...

I share your feelings......in some way.

 

[CHAD]

Great post Dreamert! Now what did you say?

 

[Yves]

Good point Ken.
Have also been mentioning this a couple of times : "Les gouts et les Couleurs, on ne les discute pas"
Personally I absolutely love the new SRT.

 

[C O D Y]

We all long for the days when there were not any SRT's!




Maybe the new coupe will help.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Things have not changed all that much.
In "the good old days" the debate still raged with passion.
Some felt that adding air conditioning "ruined" the car, and the basic nature that it endowed.
When the GTS was announced some felt that only a Roadster could be a Viper, and that adding the top removed it's ability for the driver to commune with nature, and experience the true Viper nature.
When power windows were released, and adjustable footpedals were made available, the purists lamented the passing of the only "true" Vipers.
The RT/10 v. GTS debate ran many pages, with fervent supporters on each side. Some way along the path it became accepted that they were each different, but still both Vipers.
Then came along the SRT. It was apparent that the then current body style was running up to some sales resistance, as they were staying on many dealers lots too long. Many dealerships began to discount them heavily to move them. Dodge needed to reach out to a different market. This new car was indeed different. It was embraced by a new band of buyers (as well as many older style owners who wanted the new model).The new car is faster, more powerful, better handling, better braking, and much sleeker than the older model. Things evolve or die.
I fully expect the discussions to rage once again when the street coupe is announced. These debates are all part of the emotionally charged vehicle known as VIPER!

 

[Rollin4]

Things have not changed all that much.
In "the good old days" the debate still raged with passion.
Some felt that adding air conditioning "ruined" the car, and the basic nature that it endowed.
When the GTS was announced some felt that only a Roadster could be a Viper, and that adding the top removed it's ability for the driver to commune with nature, and experience the true Viper nature.
When power windows were released, and adjustable footpedals were made available, the purists lamented the passing of the only "true" Vipers.
The RT/10 v. GTS debate ran many pages, with fervent supporters on each side. Some way along the path it became accepted that they were each different, but still both Vipers.
Then came along the SRT. It was apparent that the then current body style was running up to some sales resistance, as they were staying on many dealers lots too long. Many dealerships began to discount them heavily to move them. Dodge needed to reach out to a different market. This new car was indeed different. It was embraced by a new band of buyers (as well as many older style owners who wanted the new model).The new car is faster, more powerful, better handling, better braking, and much sleeker than the older model. Things evolve or die.
I fully expect the discussions to rage once again when the street coupe is announced. These debates are all part of the emotionally charged vehicle known as VIPER!

Great post Paul.......

 

[KenH]

Yves,
How have you been? We missed you & Tea at Dick & Nicole's BBQ at the coast a couple of weeks ago!

Cody - I think your just missing some brain cells from that BBQ . The pic below shows that the SRT-10 gets just as much attention as the other Vipers (as in none).

 

[joe117]

Yves,
What did you say about goats?

 

[JonB]

Ah, the Good Old Days of VOI-1 and before......


Pac-NW VCA debuted the SRT-10 at a car-show / cruise in way back in 2002, ONE MONTH BEFORE VOI- 7 ! We had 24 Vipers: Gen 1 / Gen 2, and ONE SRT-10.

The D-C engineer who brought the car was pretty stunned at the lack of attention the SRT received whne parked amid the "Oldies". The SRT-10 was rather anonymous. Just DRIVE ONE to see how much faster/better the SRT-10 truly performs.

 

[Jeff Torrey]

"Just DRIVE ONE to see how much faster/better the SRT-10 truly performs."

Jon- We won't mention the early Gen 1 you have out back with the cover over it

 

[KenH]

We take the Saleen S7 with us to keep the fingerprints off the Vipers. Works every time, Gen 1, 2 or 3.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Ummm... handling? The yellow SRT-10s loaned for the VCA-PVO autocross were IMHO awful. I'm waiting for someone to say that they stiffened the rear sway bar or disconnected the front one to give these movie cars more rear end slide to look good on film, but they were worse than Gen1 or Gen2 cars. (My Gen 1 time beat my SRT time at Englishtown by several seconds.) And, isn't this is the yellow SRT found upside down in Detroit a few months ago...

PS: don't mean to pick on yellow, style, or ergonomics, just driver comfort with vehicle dynamics.

 

[Yves]

Yves,
How have you been? We missed you & Tea at Dick & Nicole's BBQ at the coast a couple of weeks ago!

We moved back to Europe.

I was actually back in town a couple of days after the BBQ.
Good thing I missed it though, since I had to run Hood to Coast