Generation 1 and 2 Dodge Viper RT/10 roadsters are raw, rough, impractical, uncomfortable and unforgiving.

But no one ever bought a Viper thinking they were getting a modern interpretation of the 1965 Imperial. People bought Vipers because they wanted the modern interpretation of the 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra. And on that promise the Viper roadster delivered. Like a British sports car stuffed with a howling large-displacement American engine, the Viper was unapologetically crude. There were no outside door handles, cockpit wind and rain protection was an afterthought, the car’s handling and braking twitchiness at speed might’ve given a young Dan Gurney pause, the Viper’s ride was punishing and of course it offered zero in the way of electronic braking or traction aids.

To own an original Viper, you have to ignore the car’s innumerable flaws and shoddy quality and love it for its cartoonish styling and outrageous 8-liter V-10 engine. Driving around in one of these 1990s throwbacks is guaranteed to draw looks wherever you go, and while a 488-cu.in. engine making 400 hp seems lazy today, it’s still enough to propel the 3,300-pound Viper to sub-13 second quarter-mile E.T.s.

Compared to earlier models, this 1996 Dodge Viper, for sale on Hemmings.com, gained a little more horsepower, an improved chassis and slightly better weather protection. The leg-scalding sidepipes were gone, too, replaced by rear-exiting tailpipes.

At the end of the day, if you can’t appreciate the Viper as a sports car at least appreciate it for what it represented: an attempt to inject some excitement into the Chrysler Corporation’s moribund lineup. The Viper got enthusiasts talking about Dodge again and created an American performance icon that lives on today. From the seller’s description:

1996 Dodge Viper Convertible, COLLECTORS!!! This Mint condition Viper Roadster is signed by the one and only, Caroll Shelby, all docs available. This Viper runs flawlessly, no accidents, no issues, clean title, clean carfax. Always been garaged and car covered, super clean! 93091 miles, ask about free shipping!

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