Does This $1,500 Dodge Ram Really Have a Viper V10 Under the Hood?

By Brett Foote - March 4, 2026

This Viper V10 powered Dodge Ram could be a legit find of a lifetime or perhaps even a fake one designed to generate engagement.

As most Mopar fans undoubtedly remember, Dodge shocked the world back in the mid-2000s when it debuted the Ram SRT-10, a sporty version of the full-size pickup packing the same 8.3-liter V10 as the Viper. In that guise, the V10 churned out a cool 500 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque, and it could even be had with the Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission. Today, the Dodge Ram SRT-10 remains incredibly cool, but this cheap, used, regular old Ram is also seemingly packing Viper V10 power.

Recently, Sherpa Offroad posted a short reel on Facebook showing off this Dodge Ram, which was reportedly discovered by a guy who was just out looking for a cheap used truck of some sort. The Ram looks quite weathered on the outside, missing its front grille and even sporting some mold on the paint, but when he popped the hood, he was a bit shocked to see what lied in the engine bay of this truck, which he purchased for a mere $1,500.

That is seemingly the Viper’s V10, glaring back at him with its very familiar, bright red top end. Those are the only details our host provides, however – it’s unclear where, exactly, this video came from, nor if it’s actually legitimate – or just another social media prank or stunt aimed at garnering engagement. It’s certainly possible that somebody did swap a Viper V10 into a regular old Dodge Ram, but there are also reasons to be skeptical.

If this isn’t some fake story conjured up to generate interest online, it’s worth noting that Dodge did offer the Ram with a V10, outside of the SRT-10. In fact, from 1994-2003, one could buy a version of that pickup with the 8.0-liter Magnum V10, at least, in heavier-duty 2500 and 3500 guise. Thus, it’s possible that this one was merely dressed up to look like a Viper V10, and underneath, perhaps it isn’t.

What we do know is this isn’t an SRT-10, at least, unless someone went to the trouble of replacing all of its unique bodywork and badging with parts from a regular Dodge Ram, which seems highly unlikely. If we had to bet, we imagine that it’s a project truck that wasn’t quite finished, but we’re still skeptical when it comes to the whole “holy grail” used truck purchase story.