Editor’s note: This is the 24th in a 30-day series featuring cars from the Tammy Allen Collection to be sold October 13-15 at Barrett-Jackson’s 2016 Las Vegas Auction.
The Dodge Viper RT/10 first appeared in 1989 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and was quickly put into production for the 1992 model year.
The Viper was the result of a mission to create a new American-made 2-seater sports car that featured traditional and iconic designs and was capable of zero to 100 mph and back to zero in under 15 seconds. This was made possible with an aluminum-block V10 engine created with assistance from Lamborghini, a Chrysler subsidiary at the time, based on the cast-iron block V10 engine available in their line of pickups.
As modern as the first generation Dodge Viper was in many respects, it was also primitive, featuring a pair of clear, flexible, zip-up, fabric trimmed plastic windows could be put in place where glass would normally appear, and it also lacked outside door handles, requiring you to reach inside to open the doors, in order to climb into the cockpit. All the seemingly commonplace creature comforts were eliminated in order to keep weight to a minimum.
In 2003 the Viper was given a redesign and the chassis was upgraded to be even lighter and stiffer while the engine enlarged to an 8.3-liter displacement.
A 2007 model year Viper was never released as 2006 models were extended and 2008 model year cars were readied.
Vipers produced for the 2008 model year could be differentiated from the previous models by the addition of large hood vents and the engine was enlarged to 8.4 liters. Variable valve timing helped horsepower rise to 600. Other changes included a new transmission, the exhaust system was reconfigured to lower interior temperatures, and the electrical system was revised.
Offered from the Tammy Allen collection without reserve at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction, this 2008 Dodge Viper appears in as-new condition and features a 510 cubic inch V10 engine with aluminum block and heads mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.
This 2008 Dodge Viper SRT/10 and the rest of the Tammy Allen Collection will be crossing the block at no reserve as part of Barrett-Jackson’s ninth annual Las Vegas Auction, October 13-15 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. For more information, visit www.Barrett-Jackson.com/Bid or call 480-421-6694. Absentee bidding options powered by Proxibid are also available.