2002 Dodge Viper RT/10

Some cars are tolerated, some cherished and some idolised. This bumble-bee yellow and black 2002 Dodge Viper with aftermarket superchager installed falls somewhere in the latter category or above. Early on in its State-side life if was gifted an awsome set of upgrades - some £77,000-worth - concentrated in the engine and suspension, that would set it apart from more pedestrian examples.

With the promise of extra power to come, some of that £77k went on generally uprating the drive train; gearbox, clutch and differential, while Koni dampers would help keep the new satin-finish alloys (18in wheels up front and 19in at the rear) on the ground, with, yes, bigger, up-rated brakes behind them. Billet power steering was also added.

The famous V10 itself gained race-style headers, ‘708’ cams, a better thermostat, a baffled oil pan, and an oil catch can with breather kit. Very much at the business end, the car’s hypereutectic pistons (that appeared in the Second Generation Viper engine modifications) were swapped out along with the con rods for forged pieces, these being more suited to supercharging applications. Of course, the pièce de résistance was the Roe Racing supercharger itself, helping the V10 achieve a tarmac-cracking 742bhp.

However, it’s not so much the supercharging that sets this car apart (quite a few folk do that) its more the way its been kept, especially once it arrived in the UK. Imported in ‘05, the new English owner set about a very thorough mechanical refettling with any part that might have perished or worn looking like it was whisked out and replaced. £12,000 was spent in parts alone, but what really sets the job apart is that he also flew over an engineer (from California) to do the work. From that I think we may deduce he was pretty determined to have the car right.

Since coming off the boat in ’05, the Viper has only covered 10,000 miles, always been garaged (almost goes without saying), and has become quite well-known with the Viper community. Right now, it’s proud, it’s very loud, and it’s ready to rumble.

Well, no one’s gonna miss you comin’, that’s for sure. In its very vivid shade of Viper (racing) yellow with broad black decal GT stripes, you will notice this one from a long way off. However, your impression of the car will remain as strong - in a good way - no matter how close you get. This Dodge is in really fabulous condition. Walking round the car, you realise that, structurally, the Viper has a lot going on; scoops and ducts, complex surfaces with many intersecting planes and compound radius curves. There are quite a few different composites and materials in there too, but the paint finish remains consistently good across all surfaces, retaining a beautiful shine. The stripes too are in excellent shape front to back, with a nicely contrasting finish to the high-gloss yellow.

The corresponding complex shut lines also remain consistent around the car, and, despite some avant garde angles, all the doors and lids open without any kind of drama or reluctance, and without squeaks or shakes. Everything feels well-made and edges are nicely finished.

What blemishes there are, are very small. There are a couple of very tiny chips to the rear leading edge of the hard top (which, by they way, fits very snugly) and a very, very, very slight ‘smudge’ on the decal edges on the very deep chin spoiler - if you look hard enough for long enough. There are also a couple of very tiny chips to paint above the Viper badging on the near-side bonnet side. Those last ones will be remedied before the car is sold. Looking again at the Viper badging, the ‘Supercharged’ script is, like the mechanical booster itself, an aftermarket item, but remains totally consistent with the finish of the car.

The interior condition is certainly commensurate with that of a 27,000-mile - or less - car. The black leather and grey suede seats are in excellent condition, both in finish and structure, and their nicely-contrasting yellow stitching remains clean and very neat. The tough, high-quality grained plastics around the cabin are perhaps a little less subtle than their European counterparts, but nicely put-together nonetheless. Like the leather, they are free of scratches or scuffs and the whole cabin retains all of its colour. It is also all very clean - down in the nooks and crannies too.

The quite complex mouldings on the big doors remain firmly mounted and are likewise free of scuffs and scratches. The lower sections are carpeted and remain in good condition. The ducting between doors and body look healthy and the rubber seals, both here and around the cabin in general, look supple and fresh. Up on the top of the windscreen, there are a few scuffs around the bolt slots for the roof, though, by way of information, if you find yourself on your own, either installing or taking out the targa panel, it isn’t a heavy or tricky task to perform.

Looking back around the cabin, seams between materials are also very neat - no gaps or tears and clean screw heads where they appear. Those silver ‘Viper’ door sill covers are very tidy and the carpets they are fastened to show no signs of wear.

Looking underneath the Viper, I think it’s safe to say that the big sled has probably not been out in adverse weather conditions. Surfaces show the lightest of weathering, but nothing to raise the slightest concern. A lot of the underside is protected by undertrays, which remain smooth and damage/corrosion free. The visible brackets and box sections are likewise very solid looking, and, save for one or two finger nail-sized spots on a corner or two, are devoid of surface corrosion. Bolts and washers all attest to the cars lack of exposure to bad conditions. All look to be in top condition and easy to undo if needed. The exhausts (a performance-enhancing upgrade) appear particularly robust and the heat shielding around them (in the rear) is very much intact.

Visible suspension parts look sound and those superb powder-coated alloys really add to the car’s high-quality, powerful stance. Their bolts remain shiny and corrosion free. (And we’re loving the red callipers). You’ll also be pleased to know that the set of somewhat expensive Michelin Pilot Super Sports is quite fresh too.

As with everything else, everything in the engine bay looks very clean and in really excellent shape. However, the (colour-coded) supercharger structure somewhat dominates the engine and it is rather hard to see past it. Even so, all visible components look to be in fine form. There are no signs of corrosion, leaks or spills and everything is clean. Hoses look almost new and connect to other assemblies without any signs of splitting or perishing. (The black braided steel hoses are a nice touch).

The soundproofing under the bonnet looks fine, and the imprinted Viper head retains a good outline.

Oh, and if you’re worried, the script on the supercharger nicely matches both that on the V10’s rocker covers and those on the rest of the car. Sweet.

This car has a sizeable history file to accompany it, detailing both State-side services (including Technical Service Bulletin recalls 998 and 999 to beef up the Viper’s frame around the the steering box. ABS was added in 2001.

You will also see (US-imported) parts receipts for that very comprehensive mechanical overhaul in 2005/06, which cost some £12,000 in parts alone. Remember also that the then owner flew over a California Viper specialist to the UK to do the work. So we can probably safely say that here was a man who was pretty serious about the level of expert care it received.

Unsurprisingly, considering the low miles driven, the Viper hasn’t needed much work since. Always garaged, it remains in superb condition and a great state of tune. The dyno readouts attest to its 714bhp.

Well; this is a larger-than-life version of an already larger-than-life car; and the whole package has been very well executed and kept in superb condition. It’s always hard to evaluate the net worth of power add-ons, but sledge hammer grunt definitely has its value within the Viper community. As such we would suggest this yellow and black example should command between £46,000 and £65,000.

We would also say that, on any level and from any point of view, a supercharged Dodge Viper is just plain wrong. Owning one will surely only lead to badness and wickedness. So, and with that in mind, whether you normally collect pre-war Tatras, Sixties Ferraris, open-top Rolls-Royces, or china cats, we think you should buy it - buy it now!

Viewing is always encouraged and this particular car is situated in Bolton; to arrange an appointment, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to to ask any questions or make observations on the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.