1996 Viper GTS Venom 550 Hennessey - modifications

[Rebird]

streetking, is that a factory or aftermarket wheel on the viper you sold? OMG, that car is amazing!!

speed, i have been following your progress and it is looking great!

[KAA]

Originally Posted by spddmnjay

Here is a quote from The Viper Wizard about the spare tire.

"ViperDays will not let you run without a spare in place, when bolted/screwed into place the spare becomes an intergal part of crumple zone and tere is actually a cable that connects the rear two sides of the frame/chassis to the bolted in spare.

Without the spare in place and lets says you spin out and back it into a telephone pole, your frame rails may split resulting in catastrophic failure!! If this should happen and you or your passenger gets hurt and there is an investigation, if they determine that the spare not being in place causing the injury, you f**king lose!! "

ViperDays is a performance driving school for Viper owners.

I've read every thread on that subject over at VCA. I've also spoken to Chuck Tator aka the Wizard. I don't buy it. You really believe an insurance company would deny a claim because the spare tire wasn't in place?? Think about it logically. There's nothing ANYWHERE warning you that removing the spare will compromise the crash safety of the vehicle. My God, there's a label on the car warning you about the side sill getting hot from the exhaust! I want to see something in writing from an insurer saying they will deny a claim. I want to hear about a factual case where that has happened. There is no way they would win that case if you sued. I think this is one of the biggest Viper myths ever created.

So, what did they change on the '03+ SRT's that don't come from the factory with a spare??

[spddmnjay]

Rear 'luggage/storage' area complete with sound deadener.

[spddmnjay]

I've been told that the cable in the pictures below links both sides of the frame rails for safety in the event of a rear end collision. Please note I have the exhaust heat deflector plate removed and inner wheel wells.

[spddmnjay]

Originally Posted by KAA

I've read every thread on that subject over at VCA. I've also spoken to Chuck Tator aka the Wizard. I don't buy it. You really believe an insurance company would deny a claim because the spare tire wasn't in place?? Think about it logically. There's nothing ANYWHERE warning you that removing the spare will compromise the crash safety of the vehicle. My God, there's a label on the car warning you about the side sill getting hot from the exhaust! I want to see something in writing from an insurer saying they will deny a claim. I want to hear about a factual case where that has happened. There is no way they would win that case if you sued. I think this is one of the biggest Viper myths ever created.

So, what did they change on the '03+ SRT's that don't come from the factory with a spare??

You have a many very valid points. However, I am no Viper expert and therfore listen to Viper experts such as Chuck Tator. I'm going to speak with Chuck Tator about this and get the story from the 'horses mouth'.

[spddmnjay]

SPARE TIRE ISSUE

I asked JonB (Parts Rack) to comment on the Spare Tire issue. Here are his comments:

"If you have a roll bar or cage, no worry. HOWEVER

Some history: When Vipers were first crash-tested by Fed mandate, it was discovered that the RT/10 TRUNK LID can dislodge in a rear crash. If the spare is not in the trunk, the trunk lid can intrude into the cockpit thru the rear window. The rear sport hoop acts as a blade-guide and the trunklid edge becomes a guillotene. The INFLATED Spare Tire, if BOLTED IN, becomes a great shock-absorber and rear tub stiffener and prevents the decklid from moving forward and therefore prevents head loss.

Team Viper members attending the FIRST EVER VIPER NATIONALS DRAG RACES in TX in 1995 pointed this out to the the TECH INSPECTOR there, and spares have been madated in RT/10s ever since. I am fairly certain that tech inspector was the same guy who informed SKIP THOMAS at VIPER DAYS. That tech inspector was me. At the fisrt VOI-sanctioned drags {VOI-4 Orlando} we required Spares in RT10s only.

If you have a ROLL BAR in the car, this prevents the trunk intrusion, so the spare was less important, but still a functional rear-crash safety device preventing more serious frame collapse. So VRL maintained the requirement in non-roll-cage cars, even tho federal REAR CRASH DATA on GTSs was not as forboding results as RT/10.

I think the SRT Spare tie-down is to prevent its mounting-point ejection, not to make it a structural component; But if it stays in place it certainly helps absorb impact. SRT10 frames are carry-over to 2008, and there is NO SPARE in the 08. I am curious about any crash-test results and steps taken for 08. "


Additional question to JonB:

My GTS does not have a roll bar and I do not intend on tracking the car. Having said that, is the spare tire a government requirement and/or insurance requirement for safety reasons?

JonB response:

"ABSOLUTLEY NOT. Racing venue sanctioning body requirements only. But anyone can sue you for any reason, or for no reason, if they get hurt in your car.

I just spoke to my friend SKIP SHIFTY over at DOT and he says "WE ARE THE FEDS and WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU......BUT WE HAVE NOT MANDATED THAT REQUIREMENT"

For more Skip Shifty Antics, Search SKIP SHIFTY"


So the consensus is that the spare tire is NOT PART OF THE BODY/FRAME/CHASSIS design.

[spddmnjay]

Hello Keith a.k.a. KAA,

I want to thank you for raising the questions about the spare tire as it is not required in my GTS (as per post above).

Cheers
Jason

[KAA]

Originally Posted by spddmnjay

Hello Keith a.k.a. KAA,

I want to thank you for raising the questions about the spare tire as it is not required in my GTS (as per post above).

Cheers
Jason

Hell of a job you're doing on your Viper!

[Bowtieracing]

Originally Posted by spddmnjay

[....Racing venue sanctioning body requirements only. But anyone can sue you for any reason, or for no reason, if they get hurt in your car....

Only in a america Get sued for not having spare tire on board..

[spddmnjay]

OMG!!! Where is my Viper??? Yuka, yuka, yuka .... I thought it was time to rewax my shop floor before I start doing some serious engine work. Pics of my shop with a brand new waxed floor.