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Great article Phil, thanks for sharing.

History repeats itself...the horsepower war being brought to an end due to oil.

Thanks Art!

Another interesting point of view here from Bob Lutz (the spiritual father of the Viper):

http://www.thecarconnection.com/blog/?p=647

Click on the YouTube screen and you will hear things like:

   *   Prioritized out....

   *   36 mpg by 2017...

   *   Lack of sensitivity to environmental concerns....

   *   Not a prudent thing to do....

We can only hope that the new management team at Chrysler will not become hostage to P&E-C (Political & Environmental Correctness) concerns too. 

This trend seems to have taken hold at GM, but then again, GM lost their #1 position to Toyota, the self-professed "Green Car Company".

By ordering as many 2008's as possible we have a good chance to keep the Viper program going for a while. 

As long as it is profitable for their bottom line, they would be foolish to abandon the Viper.

Phil 

Excerpts from:

http://www.bigthreenews.com/industry/st-0607_muscle.htm

Click on the link for the full story.

In the past few years we have been living in a muscle-car heyday. We have more power, responsible and reliable power than ever in the history of the automobile. It's nothing to go out and find a 500+ hp Shelby Mustang, a 425hp Hemi Dodge or a 600hp Viper. They are a factory made, warranted and reliable choice right off the showroom. We have been more fortunate than we know.

In the coming years Detroit is going to be facing a new paradigm of making their cars 40% more efficient, mandated by law. They will be forced to spend more of their R&D in the areas of alternative fueled cars, small cars, hybrids, and even electrics. The money and time for muscle cars wont be there. Yes, this sounds like the same tripe we all heard in the 1970's and again the 1980's. But this time we have global pressures on oil supply that aren't going away. We have a solid if not diabolic sell job on the psyche of the world citizen that we are all killing off the earth with our selfish mechanized actions. While this may be folly at it's core, perception is reality and for the most part the sheep of the world are eating it up.

So, where does that leave us? Well to start with we suggest that if you want a factory built 500hp Shelby GT-500 or a big-block Hemi Chrysler, or even a 6.2 liter Camaro SS next year we suggest you buy it while you can. These cars are going to quietly disappear one day, just when we least expect it. Chrysler is already signaling that they may be dropping some if not all of their SRT-8 line of vehicles after the 2008 model year. No more 425hp 6.1 liter Hemi Chargers? The reason, slow sales and of course their need to keep their CAFÉ up.

The point is that the coming regulations aren't likely to kill the high performance muscle car. They are likely however to kill the factory high performance muscle car. Sad as that might seem on the surface, the changes ahead might mean big time business for our stable of aforementioned tuners who have frankly been hit with a shovel in the past few years since the factory has gotten into the game.

We can only hope that someone is able to fill the void when Detroit no longer has the moral and fiscal fortitude to crank out mega-liter 500+ horsepower machines from their plants. In the meantime, go get them while you can and take good care of them because history is about to repeat itself.

Not my idea of good news for the ViperNation.....

Phil

[not]

No News yet .....

I don't think this guy's roll will be in the product area.  I read an article on this subject this morning.  This new guy's job seems to be focused on stopping the financial bleeding by cutting overhead, re-organizing the company, checking productivity, etc. 

I spent 10 years with GM (in a previous life) and while Chrysler may be different, it's probably not by much.  Some of the issues, IMHO, are as follows:

1 - The UAW is such a bad business partner I'm surpised that our auto business has lasted this long and done as well as it has.
2 - Costs for non-productive employees, including retiree's is huge and growing.  Can any of us small business owners imagine paying someone not to work? 
3 - Nepotism is everywhere in these companies, political correctnes and politics too. 
4 - Accountants tend to be running the show where engineers and marketing guys should be.
5 - The real bright, aggressive, productive people tend to stay a few years and then move on, especially in the product and marketing areas.

My advice, buy 'em while you can get 'em.

Dan 8)

Dan is right on all counts.

My take:

Expect a milestone "take no prisoner" nasty fight with the UAW (actually a good thing)!

Good Bye job banks (where people get paid, handsomely, for doing nothing).

Business as usual will probably stop in short order at Chrysler.

The only thing that will pull Chrysler out of this mess is product, product product!!!

I have been skeptical for a while as to the long-term viability of the Viper product line, so as Dan says:

"My advice, buy 'em while you can get 'em".  Words of wisdom indeed.

I hope for the best but sadly also brace myself for the worst....

Phil

WOW ! Ya Go Away for a day or two... .. . I'm Overwhelmed,-  You Guy's ARE NERVOUS <3! ! ! BUT Very COOL!!!!!!!!!!
D C P  May not have my car ready by the 11th, So sittin around BSin in Malibu is all I will be able to do... .. . New shocks had the wrong springs rate, SO- they have been sent back to Germany, and now waiting...

        Lance & Dan,  Don't worry... .. .  <9  Gotta go NOW !  I'm on HEROES - NBC Monday's @ 9:00 P.M.
     I start at 04:30 A.M.  KISSES... .. .   DARTH.

Hey Joel,

You can ride with me (and lead the "Crusade of the Mighty Viper Warriors" from the passenger seat for a change), I will bring you back to Coogies at the end of the run so you can fetch your other vehicle there for your return home if interested.

One warning: there has been a lot of "Law Enforcement Personnel" on Mulholland Highway on week-ends recently.

Phil

Sounds great, I like the idea!

Mondays and Fridays would not work for me.

Could we find something slightly more upscale than "Pizza" or Coco's?  This is going to take place in OC and I know that there are plenty of great places with enough parking to accomodate us.

Phil 

Lance,

You have a PM.

Phil

Hey everybody,

Finally a few words from Gary Lashinsky himself:

To All My Viper Friends:

I can't tell you how much your prayers and concerns mean to me. I know Libby has kept you abreast on my recovery. I took a pretty big hit in Texas. Thank god for all the saftey built into the Viper Comp. Coupe. It saved my life. It will be a couple of monthe before I am back to near 100%, I have lots of pain and swelling from the impact of the concrete wall.

Libby is the greatest. I am blessed with her and yes, I am listeneing to her! Thank all you. The Viper/Viper Days family is important to both Libby and me and we love and appreciate all of your concerns and prayers.

For you guys out there running your stock or modified street Viper on the track, get a HANS Device, roll bar, six point harness, race seat and use them for your safety.

God Bless all of you!

Gary
#337
__________________
Gary Lashinsky

Hey Phil,

Any chance you'd want to do a before and after with the "computer reflash" at DC?  I remember you mentioning it.  Dan C would like another car to do this on that is "stock" on dyno day.  He's already doing my SRTC, but it has K & N's and headers and he says it may not be representative of the increases gained on a stock car.

Let me and DC know please.

Thanks,

Dan ^2

PS  Hey Lance, I'll be at the TCRA Event, so do you want to help co-ordiante the Cruisin' for a Cure Event?  We should have a few cars there.

Hey Dan,

Yes!

And I will call DC tomorrow too!

Phil 

Lance and the dark side..... Naaaahhhh!
Let's just say that we will turn Lance into a "Speed Demon"  <2 >3 <2 >3 <2

Lance, as usual, great job on the oil pan upgrade tutorial!

Dan, I really look forward to Willow Springs in the fall.

Vyper Phil 

Well, looking at my logged time here I realize that the Viper is not a hobby, it is an addiction....

2 days, 6 hours and 1 minutes.

Is there a support group, a 12-step program or a 12-turn racetrack to get over this?

Vypr Phil

Hey Jim,

I would agree with Dan; belt, belt tension or a belt driven accessory.

Just to be safe, I would check the power steering fluid level.

Hope to see you at "Dyno Day"!

Phil 

Hey everybody, more great news,

Gary is back at home:

It's Saturday afternoon and we are home in ORLANDO.....YEAH!!!! Gary is VERY tired, swollen, bruised and his voice is still not back, but boy is nice to be home. He has a Dr. appointment Monday morning, follow up and check on the clot. He is able to move around mostly own his own although very slowly and we did have a wheelchair in both airports that made it easier on both of us.

He & I both are very very thankful and grateful to you all for all the prayers and thoughts and sends (mostly sign language right now) and send his best to you all. We hope to make it to Viper Days for Finals, he won't be driving yet though.

He really is a great guy, and not just because he's mine, but somehow he managed before we got home to have flowers delivered for me to say How much he appreciated me...needless to say I got a little teary eyed!

I will keep you posted as needed and he will be answering some of the e-mail's sent to him in the next few days as he feels up to it.

I will never be able to tell you how much all of you and support has meant to me.....THANK YOU!!!!
Libby Lashinsky

Everybody, Thanks for your prayers and good thoughts!

Good news from Gary and Libby Lashinsky:

GREAT NEWS!!!!! They released Gary from the hospital today and we are back at the Hotel, he is extremely tired but so HAPPY to be out of the hospital. This throat/voice are still very sore and he can barely talk over a whisper, but is still trying to be "in charge"....LOL on that one right now! If all goes well tonight, we will drive back to Houston sometime tomorrow and fly home Saturday morning. He has to see his regular Dr. Monday or Tuesday and his Cardiologist ASAP just to be on the safe side and to follow up on the blood clot. His Cardiologist told us today that his recovery has been absolutely incredible and that he had fully expected him to be in ICU for a week.

I have no doubt that a lot of his recovery is due to his determination and every bit as much to all of the prayers and thoughts that you have all passed on to both of us. We can never fully express how much it has meant and does mean to us. Don't give them up for us just yet, but thanks for all of them so far. I may not post an update tomorrow, but definitely will once we get home Saturday.

THANK YOU ALL!!!!
Libby Lashinsky

Thanks for your prayers!

Here is an update from Libby Lashinsky, Gary's wife:

Gary is still in ICU, however they did remove his breathing tube today and he is doing very well with that. He can finally TALK a little now. They are still watching kidney function and major bruising situation but we are seeing improvements steadily. We are hoping to have him out of ICU in the next couple of days and into a regular room, at least that's what we are praying right now.

I also want to clairfy something that I saw posted regarding his belts. On the Pace Lap, his right shoulder belt came unhooked. I was on the radio with him and we were preparing for him to come in to have it taken care of, he radioed me back and said he had it fastened and was good to go. There is no doubt in my mind that it was securely hooked or he would have come in. To the best of my knowledge there were no further problems with the belts and in fact one of the DR.'s in the ER indicated to me Saturday evening that it was a very good thing that he had ALL of the safety equipment he had and that it "ALL DID IT'S JOB, otherwise we would not be here talking...you (me) would be visiting ANOTHER area of the hospital"

I feel very strongly that with the injuries he did have, had his HANS and belts not been secured properly his injuries would have been much much worse.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, just don't stop yet please.

Libby Lashinsky
   

Gary Lashinsky, truly a VCA VIP, had a bad crash with his Comp Coupe at Viper Days in Texas a few days ago.

On behalf of SoCal VCA and specially from our team of "track rats", our prayers and most sincere wishes for a full and speedy recovery for Gary. 

He is presently in ICU.

Our prayers also go to his wife Libby, as this is a very difficult time in her life as well.

More info about this on VCA National forum:
http://forums.viperclub.org/showthread.php?t=603665

Away from his business life, Gary's hobbies are varied and quite exciting. Not only is he a 30-year multi-engine and instrument rated pilot, he is also past national president of the Dodge "Viper Club of America." In his spare time, Gary enjoys racing his Viper Comp Coupe throughout the United States.

More Info on Gary Lashinsky:
http://www.celebrityaccess.com/news/profile.html?id=249

Vypr Phil