Watch the Connor Avenue Assembly Plant build the 2013 SRT Viper

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The 2013 SRT Viper is the only American performance car made in the Motor City, with the new Viper (and many before it) being built at the Connor Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit. Recently, the folks at the New York Times stopped by the Viper’s lair to watch the crew build the 2013 Viper from beginning to end and they were kind enough to film the process – putting it all into sped-up video for the motoring world to enjoy.

 

The heart and soul of the 2013 SRT Viper is the 8.4L V10 engine that sends 650 horsepower and 600lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels and that is where the production video for the new Viper begins. The first 45 seconds or so show the team quickly assembling the engine by hand (with the help of some pneumatic tools) before robots get to work putting the chassis of the car together.The engine is among the first pieces of the puzzle to be installed on the chassis while the brakes and suspension are next added to the base of the chassis. From there, we see the Viper begin to take shape as the firewall, the dashboard and the windshield frame are added followed by the massive wheels are tires – which
we get a great look at as the big meats are bolted up to create a rolling chassis.

 

Throughout the rest of the video, the 2013 SRT Viper takes shape while giving us a cool look at some features of the car while on the assembly line and around 1:32, a shot of the front end shows what has clearly become the new Viper with the large front mounted air intake scoop menacingly staring at the camera. Shortly after that shot, we see that some lucky guy gets to drive the new Viper in the plant without the body on it which must be an awfully cool experience. The people who work this position technically get to drive every new Viper built…and they get paid to do so.

 

I could go on and on about how awesome the production video of the 2013 SRT Viper from the New York Times is but I cannot say any more than you will get from watching the 3 minute and 50 second video below.

 

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com


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