Interesting history on my '95!

[Rare Snake]

Hi everyone!

I just want to share a story. I figured if anyone would find this as crazy as I do, it would be the Viper community.

In November of 2010 I bought the most exciting car I'll ever own, an Emerald Pearl Green 1995 RT/10. It was tucked in the corner of a small used car dealership in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I knew just by looking at it, it had some unique stuff done to it, the dead giveaway being the 18" CCW Classic Wheels, with 345's on the rear. The trunk was full of amps, there was a subwoofer on the passenger's side floor, and two more in the center between the seats. It was a very clean custom install, all Alpine, and probably quite expensive to do. When I looked closer, I found nitrous lines which ran to a hidden compartment in the trunk for the huge bottle.

Being my first experience with a Viper, it felt incredibly powerful for a 400hp car, and I assumed the lumpy cam lope and aggressive exhaust were factory. Once I started driving it and going to local shows, my wife and I realized it was a bit unusual. Many people came up to me asking where I had found it, and that they hadn't seen it for many years. There were lots of stories of a big "drug bust" and lots of guys remembered going for rides, and how "spirited" the owner was, for lack of a better word. It was kind of weird, people were very curious about it. The only thing I knew for sure was that the Winnipeg dealership had bought the car from a police auction, and that it was seized in a raid around 2004.

So of course, I was a bit curious, and I started digging around not long after I got it. I found the car was sold new in Nova Scotia, Canada, and made it's way over the years to Montreal, Quebec, where it was sold to the Manitoba owner who passed away in 2005. That was about all I knew, and that there was in fact a rather large drug bust.

Fast forward a few years, and through volunteering for another local car club, I had the chance to get it on a dyno at a local speed shop. Needless to say, we were all a bit surprised (except the shop owner) when the car threw down 450hp and 486tq, even though it sputtered a bit. I had never driven it hard, and it blew lots of carbon out of the exhaust. Now it runs great! As it turns out, the shop owner had seen the car AND worked on the nitrous system in the early 2000's. All he knew was that the car was sent somewhere to get the engine professionally built, and the 150 shot was added after. He never knew where or what was done, and that is still unknown today. But it was cool that another person actually knew the car well enough to recognize it.

So back to present time, just yesterday I came across a massive article online about the investigation of a "crystal meth kingpin", which described the entire ordeal in vivid detail, calling it "possibly the biggest bust of its kind in North America". A "green 1995 sports car" was mentioned a couple of times too, and another nearby article (a court document) actually had the VIN...the very same VIN as my car!

Needless to say, I was pretty floored to find proof and lay rest to all the rumors surrounding my awesome car. It still doesn't bother me. I kind of knew it had a story when I bought it, but I just had no idea how deep it went. In just a few years, this car has become a big part of my life, and I would be lost without it. I'll never forget the day bought it and signed my name on that bill of sale. I could barely stop my hands from shaking, I couldn't believe I was actually buying a Viper!

If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I know I can be a bit long winded lol! Here's a video of the car, from a cruise night a couple of summers ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpvtSmj0RBg

Dason

[BlknBlu]

Very cool story, maybe from the article you can trace the car back to the owner even if he is in jail or get a family member to assist.

Congrats

Bruce

[BadAndy]

My '94 was previously owned by an Insurance Salesman. Breaking "Sad"

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

Interesting possibilities for a vanity plate: KINGPIN; SIEZED; . . . . . . . . ?

[BlackSnake99]

Just don't ask questions about the brick of white powder under the driver seat.

[Rare Snake]

The owner died of heart failure before he could get sentenced, and the charges were stayed. I think that means everything was pretty much dropped, even though he'd already lost the car.

[Rare Snake]

Interesting possibilities for a vanity plate: KINGPIN; SIEZED; . . . . . . . . ?

Not a bad idea!

[Timnineside]

Great story, sketchy, but great!

If the drugs did concern you just think it could be worse. It could have been Rosie O'Donnell's old RT.

-Tim

[The_Greg]

I often wonder what the previous owners did with my car. There were two. Who where they, why did they like the Viper? Why did they like THIS viper enough to buy it? What are they doing now? Why did they sell it? (second owner supposedly sold due to upcoming child)

I also have sold one car in my lifetime and wonder where that car is. What is it doing?

Very cool that you know quite a bit about yours! Its also cool that it wasn't scrapped as they sometimes do to drug related cars.

[Thawk97]

Just so long as the Family doesn't come looking for his car back....

[viperr]

That is a great story. It is always nice to have some provenance with a car. Yours was definitely an interesting story.

[Ohiotj]

Cool story. I am the second owner of my 93. The first owner and I stay in touch and he likes to hear stories of his old car.

If you do find any "extras" in there you better turn it over to the police.

[Canadian venom]

It's cool that you could trace back a part of the history of your car

[Bugman Jeff]

Just so long as the Family doesn't come looking for his car back....

This It's part of the reason I painted my Harley(in addition to not liking the color). Two weeks after I got it, the seller was busted in a huge DEA/ATF raid. It's a fairly distinctive bike and had a Bandidos sticker covering the speedometer. I didn't want to be riding around and have somebody recognize it.

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

The owner died of heart failure before he could get sentenced, and the charges were stayed. I think that means everything was pretty much dropped, even though he'd already lost the car.

Yeah RIGHT! The real-owner of the drugs or money probably gave him a heart-attack!

{Or losing the Viper broke his heart!?}

[Bill Pemberton]

Or you could go with METHODD --- odd story how you got the Meth Viper, ha!

DRG4SPD -- drug for speed

You are going to have a blast coming up with a vanity plate to tell your wild story!!

[plumcrazy]

cool story

[Viper98912]

That's pretty sweet.

Now start taking off all the panels, see if you find any mod-money.

[Phun70]

I'm with viper98912!!! There's gotta be a supercharger bank roll in there somewhere!!!