You have to love a guy who is in his eighties and still driving a black-on-black Dodge Viper RT/10. That’s the case here with this low mileage early model that is offered up for sale by the original owner. The Viper RT/10 is in near flawless condition save for some moderate curb rash and scrapes under the front bumper. The Viper is a seriously underappreciated car in the collector marketplace right now, especially in first-generation form, but this one is holding its own at the moment. Bidding has reached $50,175 here on eBay with no reserve left to clear. The Viper is located in Troy, Michigan.
We often see the earlier Vipers wearing the classic red-on-gray color combination, so the black-on-black scheme is a nice change of pace. Black paint isn’t very forgiving, so the fact that it still looks wet as heck here indicates it’s been looked after cosmetically. The curb rash on the wheels is surprising, but there’s also an element of appreciation for the fact that it was actually used. Sure, curb rash is a bummer, but the seller clearly took it out every once in a while and maybe ever parked it along a curb for a nighttime dinner engagement. Whatever the story is, curb rash can be fixed and we always like to see evidence of a driver’s car actually being driven.
The Viper is a smoking deal right now not only for the impressive performance it offers right out of the box but also because it’s a fairly tame car to maintain compared to its supercar peers. The Viper and Acura NSX are reasonably affordable to live with compared to its competition from Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche, and the ample aftermarket support means you’re never too far from a solution if you do run into a mechanical fault. Plus, you can still take it to the local dealer for oil changes! The Viper presents just as well under the hood as it does on the exterior, with no evidence of alterations or neglect.
Just one photo of the interior is included, and that’s really all you need. Vipers were incredibly spartan inside for a car that wasn’t exactly cheap to buy when new, but that’s also part of the charm of owning a super car like this. Vipers were crude, and proudly so, and some of those qualities disappeared with the later models. If I were ever to own one, a first-generation RT/10 is absolutely where I’d park my money, but I’d want one in hunter green or yellow with the gray leather interior. This Viper is going for all the money, as it should with such low miles and great colors. Which generation is your favorite?
I usually take “black on black” to mean black exterior on black interior. But I’m not seeing it here. I even scoured the eBay ad but all I can see is “black on gray”. Why can’t I see it, Jeff?
Black on black always meant black body and roof not interior to my understanding.
You’re right! Black on black is body and top. Triple black is Body, Top and Interior.
Roy Sjoberg was the Chief Engineer on the Viper project, before there was a Viper. I corresponded with him (and spoke to him on the phone) in 1989.
He indicated that this car was to be the best of hot rod and exotic sports, with the emphasis on 427 Cobras.
His preferred color combination (and mine as well) was Red on Black.
Apparently, the bean counters had a lot of grey material left over, or else they thought that the car made a bold enough statement, without the contrast-y Red/Black combo. Red / Grey it was.
In our conversation, I mentioned the need for any new development to have adequate engine cooling. My words were something like, “I am so tired of big-engined muscle cars, that overheat at the drop of a hat (I live in Phoenix). I want a car that will sit and idle until it runs out of gas before it overheats.”
He said that they were paying special attention to that, and that maybe not until it runs out of gas, but heat management will be attended to.
He sent me a wonderful letter commemorating our conversation, and I still have it.
The owner is in his 80’s. Only a day left.
For the auction, or for the owner?