Craigslist Viper V10 Engine Has Mysterious Origin
A simple mistake on a part order led to a Dodge dealership unexpectedly receiving a $10,000 Viper engine. We have a lot of questions.
It recently came to our attention that there was a 1996 Dodge Viper V10 engine for sale in Riverside, CA. After reviewing the description for the Craiglist ad, we were amazed by the supposed origins of this particular engine.
According to the current owner of the engine, known as John, this engine has been sitting completely unused since 1996. That’s 25 years without ever being run or even installed in an engine bay.
So here’s the story. John worked at a Dodge dealership back in 1996. One day, they needed to order touch-up paint for a particular customer’s Viper. Accidentally during the parts order for the paint, a typo resulted in a single-digit being off.
The result was the dealership receiving a surprisingly hefty package outside their parts department: a brand new Dodge Viper V10 engine. Let’s take a second to think about this.
A seriously expensive typo leads to legend
Did the parts department worker really have the ability to push a $10,000 parts order without verification from any supervisor? Especially considering the original order should have been most likely under $100?
Hard to say. However, we can be certain that somebody got chewed out for this mistake, no doubt. Especially considering the fact that the engine could not be returned.
According to John, he was familiar with the man who would come to purchase the engine, who had the dream to install the V10 in his 1989 Dodge Shelby Dakota. What a hell of a vehicle that would have been.
Unfortunately, the engine did not end up fitting and he decided instead to put it on display in his garage. If a Viper with a blown engine for sale ever came to his knowledge, he was ready for the swap.
That time sadly never came and he would pass away about two years ago. John, the current owner, would purchase the engine from his estate. The original purchase date of March 27, 1996, is still painted on the side of the block.
It has never had the oil changed and still retains the original filter. The engine has no issue turning over by hand. Definitely one of the wildest origin stories we have heard in a while.
A moment forever captured in a photograph
To further prove the engine’s origin, a photo is displayed that shows the parts worker who originally made the error of ordering the engine. In the photo, he is holding the touch-up paint in his hand posed with the shipping container for the Viper V10.
Stories don’t get much better than that, do they? He sure looked happy in the picture and we are sure he never heard the end of it. In need of a brand new Viper V10? Well, if you want one with a hell of a history, look no further.
