NJ Steves Pit Viper Revival

[njsteve]

Yeah, that fuzzy, grey finish on the entire dash plastic is a nightmare for Gen 1 owners. I think the same era Ferraris have the same problem. It all turns to a sticky goo. I was able to stabilize mine by wiping it down with Prep-Sol. No one makes a reproduction paint to replicate the fuzzyness.

Down in Florida, the car would run insanely hot. We were in touch with the engineers at team viper at the time. Best advice was to unplug the A/C compressor and then activate the A/C - it turned the A/C button in to a full time dual electric fan on/off switch. That was good for 10 degree reduction...and it wasn't like the A/C did anything in an open car with no windows in Central Florida in August.

The recore should be done next week. They estimated around $695 to convert it to 3-core from a 2-core. He said the prices went way up due to the copper costs rising a lot. My previous recores with them (the 70 Cuda and Grampa's 71 Lincoln) were around $500 a few years ago.

[njsteve]

Got the radiator back in. It took about a month for the core to arrive so they could assemble it. Beautiful job they did. I installed it Sunday and used one of those new-fangled vacuum purge contraptions to refill the coolant. Amazing what technology can do! I kind of miss spending a week filling and refilling the coolant through a funnel into the heater hose inlet on the cowl with the car's nose one foot higher than the tail. Anyway, She's back on the road now and reading for drivin'

Of course I did have to wait for my son to get home from the gym so we could install the hood and start the car to check for leaks...I kind of forgot that I couldn't open the car doors to get in with the hood sitting on the roof, and covering the sides of the doors. (sitting on several car covers and a papa-san chair cushion for protection.)

[William]

Best be careful. Fatal crash here in WI Saturday, road conditions not a factor.

[njsteve]

Finally got the A/C recharged yesterday afternoon. My buddy came over with his vacuum pump and gauges and we got it done in a half hour or so. Nothing like having A/C in a car without windows and a vent system that only exits via three tiny vents in the center of the dash or the defroster. Very primitive and not exactly useful but it does function once again. Drove the old beast to crossfit this morning for the daily workout and got to park her in front of the gym owner's Porsche. The Viper is older than most of the people that work out there. (except the owner - he's in his 50's)

[A12pilot]

Time for a Gen V Launch, Steve!

Cheers
Dave

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by A12pilot

Time for a Gen V Launch, Steve!

Cheers
Dave

My son keeps buying those mega-millions lottery tickets. He said if he wins we are buying a Gen V Viper. We shall see! (It was nice that he said "we" and not he. So I guess that means I have to chip in for the purchase price?)

[njsteve]

More entertaining times: Last Friday I drove the Viper to crossfit and when the workout was over, I looked down at my keys and thought that someone had dropped a bracelet. Nope. It was a baby Corn Snake! So I rescued it and then got a family reunion photo and let it go in the woods.