Some Assembly Required: 2002 Dodge Viper GTS

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The Viper was a high-performance sports car built by Dodge from 1992-17 (with breaks during 2007, 2010-12). It was an image car for Chrysler, capable of doing 0-60 mph in under four seconds and reaching speeds over 160 mph. This second-generation Viper from 2002 is completely disassembled but it’s unclear if the seller took it apart or it came that way. Several key items are missing (like the drivetrain), so the buyer will need to take stock of what’s there before trying to put it all back together again. Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this major project is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $16,000 (firm). Thanks, Trey A, for bringing this tip our way!

The Viper’s V10 engine measured 488 cubic inches and produced about 450 hp, depending on the model year. Driving these cars was a bit of a handful as they were not designed to be particularly civil. Over the car’s long production run, about 31,500 of them were built. For 2002, only 545 of the GTS coupes were assembled (like the seller’s car) although another 918 convertibles rolled out the door.

What remains of the seller’s car only has about 14,000 on it. For reasons unclear, everything has been taken apart, perhaps due to an accident (there are some small dents visible in the roof). It’s hard to gauge the condition of what’s there because of this, but what has been photographed looks to have been sitting outside, perhaps for the four years the seller has owned the project.

To make this a viable automobile again, the buyer will have to source an engine, transmission, and parts of the suspension. We’re told everything else is there. Besides what’s in the photos, the rest is said to be in a storage unit and in good shape. You could attempt a restoration on your own and maybe have a $100,000 car (according to Hagerty) when you’re done. Or you could take all of this home, catalog it all, and go into the Dodge Viper parts business, possibly recouping your investment.

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Comments

  1. Fahrvergnugen FahrvergnugenMember

    Do matching numbers matter on a Viper? I don’t see it pulling $100k without the correct engine and transmission. Would a newer ‘better’ crate Hemi might make up for that?

    Like 5
    • steve

      I don’t see it pulling much of anything as long as it’s in a PILE……

      Like 1
    • S ott

      Drop a RED EYE in it and let it eat

      Like 0
  2. Bob_in_TN Bob_in_TNMember

    Postings like this illustrate the charm of Barn Finds: you never know what will show up. A Viper without a drivetrain, that would make some sense; but also being disassembled, that’s really unusual. I really don’t know what to make of it.

    Like 26
    • BigBlocksRock

      It appears the owner didn’t know what to make if it either😄

      Like 24
  3. mike

    Way to much money for this mess.

    Like 16
    • Beignet at the Beach

      I sold a used hood for $11,000….parts business for sure!

      Like 3
  4. PJ

    this looks like a bucket of parts from a few wrecked cars

    Like 9
  5. SMS

    “Is completely unclear why”

    I have had those same type of projects in my garage before. “ now why did I take that thing apart?”

    Like 10
  6. Stan StanMember

    🐍 snakebit too bad. Killer cars.

    Like 5
  7. Mike

    Viper with no drivetrain? How about Frankensteining it with a totaled Tesla? And just for laughs, put a pull-start lawnmower motor in the engine bay.

    Like 17
  8. Autoworker

    Title? Vin Number? Carfax?

    Like 2
  9. Derek

    Too dear. Blank slate as a racer, tho’…

    Like 2
    • Terrry

      Provided you can find the slate

      Like 5
  10. Terrry

    This beats the Sambara VW 23-window van that was reduced to rusty panels and stored in several cardboard boxes, that BF featured..but not by much.

    Like 9
  11. George Mattar

    I work at a Dodge dealer. These piles of crap are very hard to work on. And parts are $$$$$$$$. Pass. If you want one; go on BAT, plenty for sale in one piece.

    Like 7
    • PRA4SNW

      You work for Dodge, George? They must love your opinion that all they sell is junk.

      I guess a paycheck is a paycheck…

      Like 3
      • fran

        I agree with George, they do make garbage and have for many years! I have said, “we used to say, the big three, now I say the big tw and a half!”
        I drove a Viper GTS and a 06 Ford GT, the Dart comparison to the Viper is perfect, Cheap/Junk=Viper.

        Like 1
      • PRA4SNW

        Yep, that’s what I say when I jump into my ’13 Charger with 160K miles that I bought new and have never had an issue with. “What a piece of junk!”
        Get real.

        The Challenger outsells the Mustang. The Camaro isn’t even in the conversation. Look it up.

        Like 2
  12. Frank Sumatra

    I like the “Everything should be there” statement in the ad.

    Like 12
    • Chris

      Translation: Everything is not there.

      Like 7
  13. erik j

    hope it comes with cataloged part#s and instructions! what a mess.LOL

    Like 4
  14. Mark

    Let this serve as a lesson to all of what happens when you don’t return your tools to their proper place.

    Like 8
  15. Oc

    Ran when parked lol

    Like 7
  16. fran

    EZ FIX>>>>LOL
    OK BJers go on ebay and see the Ford GT in Mossic PA.
    No further comment needed….Both are not worth fixing.

    Like 2
    • Michael

      $55,000 for that Ford GT. If you find a kidney or a liver in there you can sell that maybe? That dude had to have been killed!! Sad…..

      Like 0
  17. Lance

    Most likely a result of an accident and had/has a damaged frame. Very common for these.

    Like 2
    • douglas hunt

      Yep, just ask Kelsey Grammer

      Like 0
  18. Car39

    Viper: by IKEA

    Like 17
    • SMS

      You just made my day

      Like 3
  19. Mark

    Some assembly required looks more like needs completely reassembled.

    Like 2
  20. RallyAce

    Just what I want, a Viper from IKEA! Does it come with the assembly wrenches?

    Like 5
  21. Steve Clinton

    $16,000 (firm). Seriously?

    Like 6
  22. piper62j

    These cars never really got popular and I believe that’s why Chrysler stopped production. Very difficult to work on. Parts very expensive and very little aftermarket parts available..

    This one is gonna bite the buyer big time..

    Like 2
  23. Claudio

    In my area , a few scammers had a lot of parts from the dismantled(stolen) cars waiting around
    They probably could have built a few paperless ones

    Like 1
  24. Phipps

    That’s an enormous gamble….

    Like 1
  25. Howie Mueler

    So i guess a test drive would be out.

    Like 3
    • SMS

      I’m sure all it needs is a recharge for the AC and you are good to go

      Like 3
  26. Johnny Demonic

    Musta had a run in with the Chevy Snake Skinner ZR1.

    Like 0
  27. Steve H

    I would guess recovered by police at some chop shop. Stripped to sell parts.

    Like 4
  28. john vititoe

    Well i would like what that owner is smoking because he is Hallucinating, He should be paying someone to come and take it..

    Like 1
  29. Rick LoeraMember

    Ran when parked. Surprised that’s not in the listing. Better to buy one assembled and running. You never know what missing till you start to put that puzzle togather.

    Like 0
    • john vititoe

      I don’t see anything running without a engine or trans.

      Like 0
  30. PRA4SNW

    The seller will never get his sweat equity back out of this one. It took a LOT of work to get one in this state of disassembly.
    It’s from Bizarro World.

    Like 1
  31. Jack Leary

    Biggest piece of junk ever made next to the Aztek. An over blown Neon. I knew a guy who bought 2 of them new.

    Like 0
  32. Mark

    Tough to compare a 91k Viper and a 230k Ford GT. The Ford should dominate it in every category.

    Like 0
  33. fran

    It does not matter what the price was of the Viper or the FGT when new or now, the bottom line is both are the companies top dog. Or top of the line, their best!

    Like 0
  34. Mark

    I think it matters, the cost of the Ford requires it to be refined and head and shoulders above any domestic car built. The Ford was built to go after the Ferrari class. The Vipers is a bare bones street legal racecar full of chinsy plastic but it does well for its intended purpose (out running corvettes) and that was never built to take on Ford GT’s.

    Like 0
  35. fran

    F ix
    I t
    A gain
    T omorro

    Like 0

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