My Very Viper Orange Squeeze The Chronicle Continues

[viperBase1]

I have nothing to add just yet.. but I will.
The exhaust note is AWESOME.

She's an absolute monster.

More words later.

[ACRucrazy]

That's a great Gen IV to have. Enjoy!

[SSGNRDZ_28]

Exciting times! Thanks for the video.

[viperBase1]

K', time for a few words.

Just want to take a moment to heap as much praise as humanly possible on this Forum, SlowHatch (Alex) and ViperExchange (Bernie, Graciela, Morgan, Andy n' anybody else in the VE organization).

Last October I set out on the path to get a BonaFide SuperCar and the 2008 Viper quickly became my first/best choice.
A number of SuperCar gurus recommended getting a 2006 GenIII, but my research and my wallet said the 2008 GenIV was very doable.

Saw the original AutoTrader Ad for this car and followed the bread crumbs to the Reader Ad and then to this Forum.
It didn't take long for me to realize that SlowHatch had put together a very special car AND maintained it impeccably.
I think he should start his own High Performance Auto company.. "SlowHatch SuperCars" or something like that.

I had a plan.. and lucky for me..real lucky for me.. SlowHatch was willing to work with the proposed timeline.

Never bought a car remotely before, but having so much information about the car and ViperExchange on this Forum gave me a TON of confidence.

Working with SlowHatch and having ViperExchange facilitate the deal, made it all a complete breeze.
There was never a single ounce of any B.S. n' I'm here to attest to the character and reputations of everyone mentioned above.
Good people.

So THANK YOU! THANK You! Thank You..

[mattssg]

Everything about the car has already been painstakenly documented by SlowHatch HERE & Here.

I have nothing to add just yet.. but I will. Thus the video.
Captured the exhaust note through the GoPro pretty good.

She's an absolute monster.

More words later.

Congrats on that car you have the sickest lineup I've ever seen.

[1HOTV10]

Congratulations Michael!

Send me a pm and we can talk

Glenn

[slowhatch]

Car couldn't have gone to a better home. I cant tell you how happy it makes me to see you happy with it!

That car has been absolute rock for me, and I'm sure she will be the same for you. Thanks for the kind words, you were a pleasure to deal with.

[Viper Girl]

Hey Michael!

It happened! you got Sneaky Snake! Congrats looking forward to meeting you on a SoCal Cruise!

[viperBase1]

Thanks Glenn. PM'd you.

It happened! you got Sneaky Snake! Congrats looking forward to meeting you on a SoCal Cruise!

Thanks Viper Girl! Looking forward to cruising with you too.
But I gotta come up with a new primary name for my car.

ssMidName2.jpg

[PaulP]

Alex remember how many brods you told me you hooked up with in that car! Legend !

Car couldn't have gone to a better home. I cant tell you how happy it makes me to see you happy with it!

That car has been absolute rock for me, and I'm sure she will be the same for you. Thanks for the kind words, you were a pleasure to deal with.

[Vprbite]

Some good people around here. Glad to hear it went well for you.

Enjoy and drive safely.

[viperBase1]

Some good people around here. Glad to hear it went well for you.
Enjoy and drive safely.

Thanks Vprbite.
Yea I'm gonna be following your lead on a couple points.

#1 Corsa Catbacks:
I have your post about 'em bookmarked, so huge thanks for that.
The part about "I am a musician so..." really hit home. (N' hey that's me on the 12-String Slide guitar at the beginning of the video. )


#2 Autoform TA Style Spoiler:
I think it's a real nice touch. Certainly works on your car, will definitely work with the Orange & Black theme on my car.
I think it gives you something to draw the eye towards as you look down the lines of the car.

[slowhatch]

Alex remember how many brods you told me you hooked up with in that car! Legend !

LOL get the hell out of here Paul! You trying to get me in trouble with the old lady, shes been around as long as the car has!

Thanks Vprbite.
Yea I'm gonna be following your lead on a couple points.

#1 Corsa Catbacks:
I'm absolutely DIGGING the notes from the full Belanger system right now.
N' so is everybody else that gets within 30 feet of the car (even the CEO at work..yea drove it in yesterday ).
I have your post about 'em bookmarked, so huge thanks for that.
The part about "I am a musician so..." really hit home. (N' hey that's me on the 12-String Slide guitar at the beginning of the video. )

I stopped in front of a neighbors house and revved the engine => set off the alarm in a car parked in the drive way.
So California legal or not, I think it's a bit too loud. N' the drone is significant at certain RPM's. But the sound is so deep and awesome!!


#2 Autoform TA Style Spoiler:
I think it's a real nice touch. Certainly works on your car, will definitely work with the Orange & Black theme on my car.
I think it gives you something to draw the eye towards as you look down the lines of the car.

Yeah the Belanger definitely drones at certain rpm, you will be happy with the Corsa, its very quiet at cruising speed.

Very interested to see how the spoiler will look!

[PaulP]

Hahahaha

LOL get the hell out of here Paul! You trying to get me in trouble with the old lady, shes been around as long as the car has!

[Vprbite]

Thanks Vprbite.
Yea I'm gonna be following your lead on a couple points.

#1 Corsa Catbacks:
I'm absolutely DIGGING the notes from the full Belanger system right now.
N' so is everybody else that gets within 30 feet of the car (even the CEO at work..yea drove it in yesterday ).
I have your post about 'em bookmarked, so huge thanks for that.
The part about "I am a musician so..." really hit home. (N' hey that's me on the 12-String Slide guitar at the beginning of the video. )

I stopped in front of a neighbors house and revved the engine => set off the alarm in a car parked in the drive way.
So California legal or not, I think it's a bit too loud. N' the drone is significant at certain RPM's. But the sound is so deep and awesome!!


#2 Autoform TA Style Spoiler:
I think it's a real nice touch. Certainly works on your car, will definitely work with the Orange & Black theme on my car.
I think it gives you something to draw the eye towards as you look down the lines of the car.

I'm glad I could be of help. I personally think corsa is THE way to go. I love the Belanger headers and high flows but corsa assures me of no drone and that nice note. I've even gotten conpliments from one of our track rats in the club here. It was Jon B who originally advised me to that and I took his word on it, boy was he right. And I'll say we drove to and from New Orleans and my GF and I were able to talk, listen to music, whatever. Drone would be a killer on long drives and corsa is the answer, IMO

Also, I love my TA spoiler (thank you, Autoform Steve) and have been getting more pics taken of my car since putting it on I notice. It really pops. I highly recommend you paint your rear diffuser flat/satin black too. It will look great no matter what and if you do the spoiler it will really tie in nicely together. Let me know if you need pics from rear.


Thanks for the compliments. You got yourself a nice car, enjoy her safely and she'll reward you back. Fail to respect her though, and he'll hath no fury

[viperBase1]

Alex remember how many brods you told me you hooked up with in that car! Legend!

LOL get the hell out of here Paul! You trying to get me in trouble with the old lady, shes been around as long as the car has!

Mixed feelings about this info. Slowhatch.

Fail to respect her though, and hell hath no fury

Thanks! I've heard this from a number of people and I'm listening.

N' Slowhatch gave me the 5 Point Plan of How Not to Die While Driving a Viper.

1. Don't EVER drive it in the rain.
2. Never have any steering angle when you go full throttle.
3. Don't ever get on it on asphalt.
4. Do not shift hard on 1-2 shifts.
5. Always drive easy for 10 minutes before getting on it (let the tires warm up)

I'm gonna reserve "Full throttle" for HPDE on the Track.
A 2-3 shift at 4k RPM is gonna hold me over for a very long time.

I don't wanna hurt the car. I don't wanna hurt anyone else around the car.
N' and I don't wanna die.

[ACtechOPS]

Should look something like this, courtesy 98intrigue.
6nw9kj.jpg

[viperBase1]

Should look something like this, courtesy 98intrigue.
6nw9kj.jpg

NICE!! I knew it'd work.

[viperBase1]

Time to get ready for the California Smog Certification.

Slowhatch provided the stock PCM with the car (thank you very much), so just finished swapping it back in.
That battery cover was a little bitch.. looks like Doug Shelby might have a solution for that too.

After the swap... Car fired Right UP and NO Lights on the dash! Odo wasn't zero'd out either. Awesome!!

What a diff!
EVERYTHING is smoother. The idle. The sound.. still F'ing awesome..just smoother. 50% less droning. Significantly more quiet..but still Bad-Ass.

I have to confess, with the ACR-X PCM I was having a little difficulty making a smooth 1-2 shift .AND. I was white-knuckling the steering wheel (is that normal for driving a real ACR?)
That's all fixed now. Overall much smoother and more comfortable to drive.


I'll drive it a few more cycles and then check things with my OBD-II tester. It's kind of an old OBD-II..from about 1999. But just ordered a new bluetooth OBD-II unit from Amazon.

Any OBD-II Viper pointers would be appreciated.
Like what side of the dash is OBD-II port located on?
Which software app.? etc...

What a profound diff that ACR-X PCM makes.


<><><> On a completely different note <><><>
On the road, this car garners nothing but respect.
Every gear head that pulls up on me and and hears that Belanger low end power rumble and starts checking it out ..is seriously humbled.

[Steve M]

OBD-II port is in line with the clutch pedal, right about where your shin would hit.

[Vprbite]

You can do full throttle. Just roll it, don't punch it.

And 1/2 shifts have always been fine for me. But again, don't punch it. As I said, respect it. I don't think you need to fear it. It's new so be patient and in no time you'll be comfortable.

Side note...anyone on the fence about the TA spoiler, I say do it. I'm yet to even have someone be luke warm about it. I think it look great. As I said my diffuser is satin black, like 98 intrigues up there, so it ties in with that nicely

[viperBase1]

The obligatory gas up photo.
Not pictured but was getting mobbed by folks appreciating the car.
gasUp_small.jpg

[Stealth78]

Love this car, congrats again! Kind of surprised to hear you like it better on the stock PCM. Also surprised you have no lights on??? I forget, does this car have any cats?

[viperBase1]

Love this car, congrats again!

Me too! It's awesome. Thanks.

Kind of surprised to hear you like it better on the stock PCM.

For me right now, smoother is better. While we're getting to know each other on the street, smoother is better.

It's pretty much a freakin' race car! It has SO much power in gears 1 - 4, I've barely touched the new ACR 5th gear.
It's tuff to go for 5th when you're white knuckling the steering wheel and fogging up the windshield!

Another gift from the stock PCM is a little kick-back when revving down.
Sounds kinda like a Lambo..only WAY deeper. YES!!
But it didn't do that with the ACR-X PCM.

Better news is, the Police don't seem to mind the volume at all. There's been no reaction from them whatsoever..so far.

Also surprised you have no lights on??? I forget, does this car have any cats?

Yea me too.
I was possibly expecting a rough first start and a dash light or two for at least a couple of drive cycles.
But nuthin'. She fired right up and kept on hummin'.

N' last night one of the fine folks from AC Performance hooked it up to a handheld OBD-II reader and said everything checked out.


I'll be exploring the car with my own OBD-II testers this weekend. Got a new fangled blue-tooth unit from Amazon that'll interface to an Android or laptop.
Will be evaluating the different software packages available. (New thread about those later.)

HOWEVER, she does need a little attention to become legal in California from an Emissions Testing perspective.
But I think that deserves a new thread..not enough focused info. about it on the Forum (IMO).

[Steve M]

It will take a few drive cycles, but you'll end up getting a code with the stock PCM, likely for catalyst efficiency. I have high flows on the stock exhaust manifolds, and I think the code showed up after about the 3rd or 4th time driving the car.