Among the many cars that I lusted after as a young car enthusiast, the Viper ranked near the top of the list. The automotive industry had just emerged from the 1980s – a period in which many of the most common vehicles in production were known for being boxy and boring. The Viper’s sexy lines stole the eyes and hearts of many, and it has remained on the map as a desirable collectible even today.
The Pick of the Day is a low-mileage 1997 Dodge Viper GTS listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Mechanicsville, Maryland. (Click the link to view the listing)
“A real head turner,” the listing begins. “This 1997 Viper GTS is packed with upgrades including the sought-after John Hennessey twin-turbo 850-horsepower upgrade package at over $55,000.” The seller continues, “Just two owners, garage-kept, and a low 3,921 original miles make this car a collector’s dream.”
Wow – only 3,900 miles on a nearly 27-year-old sports car! Someone clearly exercised restraint with the urge to drive this beast. Aside from the performance modifications, its curb appeal has been enhanced via a set of staggered 19-inch (front) and 20-inch (rear) BBC wheels shod in Pirelli Z-rated tires.
The first retail deliveries of the two-seat Viper sports car began taking place in January 1992. It retailed for $52,000 at the time. Dubbed the “SR1,” the first generation was produced through 1995. At its core, it was designed as an all-out sports car, and amenities were sparse: The first cars had no exterior-mounted door handles, no air conditioning, and a canvas roof with zip-in access. The crowning achievement of this car was its powertrain, which centered around a 400-horsepower 8.0-liter V10. The only available transmission at the time was a BorgWarner T56 six-speed manual.
The SRII version debuted in 1996 with a few noteworthy changes. One of them had to do with the routing of the exhaust: The previous side-exit pipes were relocated to a single-exit rear outlet. Power was increased to 415 horsepower (stock, of course) thanks to the reduced backpressure. New equipment included aluminum suspension components and an available removable hardtop.
Today’s feature car is a liftback fixed-roof coupe from 1997 with no need for that extra hardtop. It is finished in stunning “GTS Blue Pearl” with white accenting stripes. The seller says, “Car has never touched wet pavement, and exterior paint is in immaculate condition.”
This performance-upgraded car is without a doubt a “true iconic American sports car.”
The listing concludes with, “Wouldn’t it look great in your garage?” There certainly are very few sub-5,000-mile Vipers still around these days. The asking price for this national treasure is $139,000.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
