Each February we depart the frozen tundra that is Boston for a week of southern Florida fun in sun. Before each trip I browse southern Florida craigslist in hope of finding a gem, that rust-free-but-with-faded-paint-obscure-limited-edition-something-that-is-being-sold-by-a-widow-of-man-who-worshiped-it, for pennies on a dollar. So far I have not found such thing, but I did find a Viper race car, and who wouldn’t want a Viper race car, right?


From the ad:

Dodge Viper Race Car – $48000 (Lantana)

1998 Dodge Viper Prototype GT-3 Production Race Car
Built by Viper Creator Roy Sjoberg

From the Richard Berry Collection

This Historically significant prototype race car was fully engineered and built through a partnership with Chrysler Corporation from 2000-2001 using a new 1998 chassis. After successful testing for proof of concept, Dodge executives decided take the program in house and soon after released the Viper Competition Coupe.

Eventually this prototype was sold to Richard Berry, heir to the Yellow Pages dynasty, where it was stored in climate controlled storage; reportedly unused, from 2002 — 2014. During 2014 the car was mechanically checked out, shod with a new set of Hoosier slicks, and run by the current owner for one track day at Homestead Miami Speedway.

Offered at only $48,000. Offers and partial trades will be considered.

Email, call or text (772) NINE 13-FOUR 121 for more info.

VEHICLE DETAILS:

Built by Roy Sjoberg, Viper program chief engineer of Chrysler Corporation, this 1998 Dodge Viper R/T coupe was fully race-prepared for the Viper Days Racing Series. The Viper’s 8.0L/450 HP V-10 engine is blueprinted to withstand the rigors of endurance racing, and connected to the 6-speed manual transmission with a heavy duty Tilton clutch assembly. The ultra-lightweight body incorporates ALMS-spec panels, spoilers and windshield and an SCCA-approved roll cage with extensive chassis bracing. Brembo racing disc brakes are used at all four corners behind 3-piece alloy wheels wearing Hoosier race rubber for maximum grip and stopping power. The cockpit features full driver safety and controls, including engine electronic controls with computer interface. Serial number 1B3ER65E7WV400458, this competition Viper will be sold on bill of sale.

VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS:

– Built by Roy Sjoberg, Retired Factory Executive Engineer for the Dodge Viper Project

– Balanced and blue printed V-10 Viper engine producing 525hp at 6,800rpm, built to Endurance Race Specifications

– Upgraded GTSR driveline and transmission with external cooler.

– Ultra lightweight body

– Alms body windshield

– SCCA and Grand Am legal roll-cage with engine compartment bracing and triple driver side door bars.

– Tilton clutch

– Brembo race brakes

– Race setup engine electronics with computer interface

– Triple adjustable JR2 shocks, sway bars, interchangeable torsion bars, lightweight GTSR control arms with spherical bearings.

VIPER AND GT-3 PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT:

Very few cars in the history of the American automobile have captured the imagination of car enthusiasts like the Dodge Viper. What started as an outrageous concept muscle car at the 1989 North American International Auto Show in Detroit led to a bold corporate experiment, with a street-legal production car readied in just 32 months. A factory-backed racing effort soon followed, which led to the GT-2 Le Mans and FIA Championships and the Championship in the American Le Mans Series.
“The goal was to make the fastest vehicle on the planet,” said Roy H. Sjoberg, automotive innovator and developer of the Dodge Viper, a sleek muscle car capable of going from zero to 100 miles per hour, and back to zero, in about 13 seconds. Known in the car world as Father Viper, Sjoberg was named to head up the Dodge Viper Project team in 1989.

Sports Car racing was in his blood since the mid 1950s when he pit crewed for his brother’s 356 Porsche at such venues as Lockport, Watkins Glen, and Elkhart Lake. This developed into SCCA car preparation and race driving, including an IMSA stint at Mosport. One of Sjoberg’s most memorable activities was the three years he spent as development manager for his long-time friend, Zora Arkus-Duntov, the father of the Corvette, and the man who nicknamed Sjoberg “Father Viper.”

Viper Racing was always an intent of the team with the production design durability tested at Nelson Ledges, where experience had taught that this circuit was a 24 hour “challenge” to any and all vehicle components (including drivers, with the minimal facilities). With the FIA redefinition of GT-1 to production vehicles only, the team committed to the 1996 Le Mans and enlisted the Canadian racing team of Canaska and the French racing team of Oreca. In late spring of 1996, the FIA reinterpreted the rules to allow the new Porsche prototype car to enter GT-1, with its resulting win. Viper placed 10th overall and established its endurance racing metal with all four vehicles completing the 24 hours. In 1997, with the vehicle reclassified to GT-2, the Oreca team placed first and second and initiated several years of dominance in both Europe and the U.S.

Upon retirement, Sjoberg decided to build the then GT-3 class Viper that had been designed at Dodge to take on the Porsche dominance in production sports car racing, but was never built due to budget constraints. The vehicle design is basically a GT-2 vehicle built with the production chassis and engine requirements designed to meet the FIA definition. Some examples are: suspension points must be within a +/- 20mm from production mounting and the use of a production engine induction system. As the GT-2 racecar was built with enhanced production components, many of these systems could be incorporated into this vehicle. The vehicle is a “ground up” build to the specifications noted in the brochure and incorporates some specific structural GrandAm requirements. Upon completion, the vehicle was raced at several Viper Challenge venues for development purposes.

While many SCCA/IMSA race cars are home-built in private garages by well meaning amateurs using mail-order performance parts, this car which was actually designed, engineered and built by the ex-factory Chief Engineer for the entire project. No questionable engineering details, haphazard workmanship or incorrect parts will be found on this fabulous yellow Viper “GT-3” Roadster.

Considering that this car would cost over $150,000 to duplicate, a purchase within $70,000 – $75,000 estimated value would make good sense to a Viper enthusiast. It is race ready and suitable for serious Pro Racing in the Grand-Am Cup Series, SCCA Amateur Events, Autocross, and ever popular Track Days. Additionally, if you do not mind showing off a bit, what a fine entry this would be for Viper Club Track Events!

It shouldn’t be all that tough to keep the car going, either. It’s basically a fully race-prepared very low time production GT-2, so the components won’t be nearly as fragile as the pure-competition stuff. The engine is advertised at 525 hp, blueprinted to “endurance race specifications.” This sounds very cool, but what it’s really saying is that neither engine nor drive train is particularly stressed in this configuration. (Stock output is 460 hp.) This is exactly what you want to hear if you’re using the car as a track toy. With some care you could probably run 60-70 hours between rebuilds. Trust me, that’s a lot of laps!

GT-3 VIPER Race Car – SPECIFICATIONS

Body
Complete Ultra-Light Weight Body
ALMS PolyCarbonate Front/Rear Windshields
Autoform Adjustable Rear Challenge Wing
Race format legal aerodynamic surface alterations with ALMS/FIA 20mm track change

Mechanical
Tilton Clutch & Lt. Wt Flywheel Assy.
GTSR Viscous Locking Rear End
K&N Air Filters with Smooth Tubes and Air Box
Balanger Headers w/ 3″ Side Exhaust
Brakes
Brembo 4 Wheel Multi-pot Race Brakes
Autoform Brake Cooling System – Air Collector, 3″ Hoses, Knuckle Shrouds
Brake Balance Bar Adjuster – Cockpit Adjustable
Tilton Master Cylinders
Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Fuel System
26 Gallon ATL Fuel Cell – with built in surge tank and flapper door
Manual Fuel Pressure Regulator
Dual Bosch Fuel Pumps with Reserve Tank/Pump
Aeroquip Race fittings (incl.cooling system)
Suspension
Triple Adjust JRZ Shocks
Spherical Bearings in Control Arms (Monoballs)
Light Weight GTSR Control Arms
Spherical Bearing/Steering Clevis
GTSR Rack & Pinion
Chassis & Roll Cage
Grand Am Roll Cage with Engine Bracing and Triple Driver Side Door Bars(with ALMS intent)
Adjustable Sway Bars with Interchangeable Torsion Bars
Tow Hooks
ALMS “ground-up” frame & susp. mounting “factory” structure
Interior
Sparco Pro 2000 Race Seat
Team Tech 5 Point Harness
Custom Team Tech Window Net
Light weight Trim with heat insulation
Electrical
Optima Gel Cell Battery
Light Weight Wiring Harness
Dual Electrical Cut-off Switches
Race set-up Engine Electronics with computer interface
Safety
SCCA Roll Cage
Electrical Cut-offs per ALMS specs.
Fire Suppression System
Powertrain
Balanced & Blue Printed “Endurance” Viper Engine – Dyno verified
GTSR upgraded Transmission
Updated driveline to GTSR specs
Engine dry-sump compatible
Cooling
Racing Differential Cooler
GTSR Transmission Cooler
Fluidyne Aluminum Radiator
Wheels &Tires
18″ Wheels – Complete Custom Wheel
Hoosier – 335-30ZR-18 – Rear Tires
Hoosier – 315-35ZR-18 – Front Tires

$48,000 seems low for this, especially if in fact it is race ready and competitive. You can’t even get an Ariel Atom for that money. Anyone looking to take a step, or a dozen, up from Lemons racing?

Source: Miami Craigslist