NJ Steves Project Pit Viper...

[njsteve]

The boy has been wanting to work on something as a project so I decided to finally get the Viper down off the jackstands today. It's nice to see that he is actually interested in cars - and he got it more from playing those crazy, auto-related Xbox games all these years, than from my hobby.

So we got the thing started - of course the battery that I thought was brand new didn't work...well it was brand new back in 2006 and is now bulging and wont hold any charge. So it's time to get a new battery.

We did take her out for a spin. He was all smiles.

He has never taken a ride in the car in all the years it's been here - and he's a teenager now! I stopped racing it when his older sister was born in '95.

So I guess this qualifies as his first &quot;barn find.&quot; [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[njsteve]

I spent the day cleaning the garage, starting the cars and moving them all out. The Grampa's car (1971 Lincoln), the Gramma's car (1975 Firebird), and the Viper. Hooked the battery cable up at the junction box and the Viper started right up! Amazing. Haven't driven it in over year.

Me and the boy then took the car out for a ride and to return the truck jack stands I borrowed from my buddy. I was using them under the SD455 to get the bottom cleaned. It took me ten minutes to get the four jackstands wrapped up in towels and into the trunk. It was like playing a three dimensional game of Tetris. That is one small trunk!

I forgot how angry, loud and obnoxious this car is to drive. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

We went out and stopped for some Italian ice. (no cupholders) Then we cruised around a little and drove through Dodge dealership where they had a brand new (but unsold) 2015 black and silver Viper sitting on the lot. Marked down from $109,999 to only $99,999. What a bargain! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img] They announced that they are killing off the Viper next year in 2017. Who knows what they will do in the future for a halo car, since the Heck-Kitty outpowers the V10 by 70 horses or so.

While dropping the jackstands off at my buddy's garage a guy pulls in and asks if I want to sell the Viper. My son yells &quot;HELL NO, IT'S MINE&quot;

That made me quite proud. He's officially a car-guy now.

He gets his learner's permit this Fall. I told him he has to learn how to drive a manual transmission first - luckily our 2001 Trans Am has the same T56 transmission.

Be afraid...be very afraid. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/no.gif[/img]