April 2025
- vcotracks
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Hello Everyone,
It's been another long winter, but we're going to shake it off together starting on April 26! Not only do we have a full calendar of fun events, and will welcome more new and past members, but we've also launched a Viper Parts Initiative to benefit all Viper owners!
New Members
We're very pleased to welcome these new members and soon-to-be new friends! We look forward to meeting you all at an event soon!
Kevin & Elizabeth Melisz, Lakeview, NY, and their 2008 SRT-10 (top photo)
Robert & Janelee Grovum, Bowmanville, and their 2004 SRT-10! (lower left)
Hoordad Ghandehari & Maryam Salehi-Rad, Toronto, and their black 1994 R/T 10 (lr)
Viper Parts Initiative
I've discussed discontinued Viper parts with Dodge executives and have launched a plan to engage Viper community owners, parts vendors, service providers and manufacturers to produce these needed Viper parts. Please let me know if you might be able to help.
The Viper Parts Initiative is hosted on the Viper Club of America forums in a new section.
VCA forums are public, free for all to use and contribute, and have over 63,000+ users, They contain numerous other helpful forums, including one for each generation of Viper. Go to https://www.viperclub.org/vca/ to .register once (top right corner) and then log in to post in any existing thread, or post your own to inquire or share. VCA forum content is organized, searchable, and remains available forever, unlike with Viper Facebook pages.
April & May Coming Events - RSVP ASAP
We hold many events across Ontario and Western NY so all members will have a choice of local events and more distant events to attend. All are listed on our Event Calendar with general info and the organizer's email to RSVP to. Please review these April & May events and others coming up. Events are held subject to responses so RSVP early!
Sat April 26, ILR Car Control Performance Driving School & Lapping Day. If you've never attended one of these, there's a very good chance you need to!
Sun May 4, Buffalo Cars & Coffee, Buffalo, NY. Meet VCO WNY Area Director Stephen Colan at Western New York's largest car show!
Sat May 10, JRP/Sonax Car Care Products Seminar. Discover the products and techniques to prepare your Viper for our Viper Show Member's Choice judging!
Sat May 17, VCO Member Car Collection Tour. Walter & Chantal Baker open their garage to view their collectables, and invite you to come out in any of yours!
Sat. May 24, "Primitive Designs" Tour & Cruise. This store is full of the most exotic and interesting items creations, including huge metalworks!
Sun May 25, Cars & Coffee at Hagerty Garage + Social, Burlington. Come out and join several other members for a pleasant get-together with many beautiful cars!
Friday May 30, JRP - Speed Therapy Day at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Hone your driving skills on track with available complimentary in-car instructors!
Sat May 31st, VCO Member Car Collection Tour. Daniel Schneeweiss opens his garage and invites you to come out in any of yours. Parking limited to 1st 10 to RSVP
4th Annual VCO Viper Show & Lunch - Sat. June 14
We're going all out with Team Viper joining this hugely popular VCO Signature Event!
You must RSVP to attend the lunch which is restricted to the first 120 members! If you haven't RSVP'd yet, you should do it now as the lunch seating is quickly filling up.
Don't miss the spectacle of 80+ gleaming Vipers displayed, Member's Choice and Team Viper Choice Awards, Team Viper speaker panel & Viper signings, member support of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease Research, and club lunch meeting.
Team Viper Charity Dinner - Friday June 13th
We're holding an intimate dinner with Team Viper on the Friday evening before the show. This is a fund-raiser with proceeds to their chosen charity, the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Seating is limited with a $100 donation to charity. RSVP to Bruce at vcotracks@gmail.com
Discovering the Viper's LegacyÂ
The creation of the Viper concept car and approval to actually produce the Viper is a fascinating story, and a feat of determination and ingenuity unlikely to ever be repeated. Lightning struck when the vision, desire, leadership, timing, and the right team of engineers and designers came together...and those are the folks known as Team Viper! We'll be meeting some of them at this year's VCO Viper Show & Lunch where they'll be choosing their Team Viper Choice Award winners...but sadly, one won't be coming...Â
Roy Sjoberg, affectionately known as "Father Viper" passed away on March 30th. The Viper would never have been built without the incredible contributions of Roy Sjoberg and the hand-picked team he put together. Roy was honored as one of the Spirit of Viper "Legends", and you can read his bio at https://www.spiritofviper.com/roy-sjoberg/. When Roy heard Team Viper members were coming to judge at our VCO Viper Show he insisted on coming despite his failing health. His passing is a great loss to us all. https://www.stonefuneralhomeinc.com/obituary/Roy-SjobergJr
"7 Dodge Viper Viper Facts You May Not Know, From The Men Who Built It" is an excellent article that provides a very good overview of how the Viper came to be... https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/7-dodge-viper-facts-you-may-not-know-from-the-men-who-built-it/. It's a summary of an interview with VCO Honorary Members Herb Helbig, and Dick Winkles who you'll meet at our Viper Show & Lunch Meeting on June 14th! You can enjoy watching the entire fascinating interview at ... https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/7-dodge-viper-facts-you-may-not-know-from-the-men-who-built-it/
Club Cruise Guide
Club cruises are a popular activity. To ensure everyone's safety and enjoyment we start each cruise with a brief driver's meeting that outlines how and where we're going, the plan to keep everyone together to avoid getting lost, fuel and bathroom stops, etc. See our Club Cruising Guide at... https://www.viperclubofontario.com/club-cruising-guide
Viper Service in Windsor & Niagara
We're very pleased to learn that Viper service is available for our local members at these 2 Chrysler dealerships. We're anticipating they'll join the VCO as club sponsors soon!
Windsor Chrysler, https://www.windsorchrysler.com/
Joe Cecconi's Chrysler, Niagara Falls, NY, https://www.joececconischryslercomplex.com/
Vipers For Sale
2015 GTS. Pearl gray on demonic red interior. Under 20k kms. Fresh ceramic coat and paint protection film. Carbon tail spoiler. Original tires and never been abused. Full Service at Raceway Chrysler. Contact member Steve Rideout at 416-791-8926
A former VCO member who moved to Alberta will be selling his entire Viper collection. He purchased all new in Ontario and all are all 100% original and pristine condition. All original documentation preserved. Email Bruce for contact info at vcotracks@gmail.com
1994 Viper RT/10 red roadster, 1703 kms
2006 Viper SRT-10 coupe, race yellow with 2 black stripes, 1798 kms
2009 Viper ACR coupe, snakeskin green with 2 charcoal stripes, 916 kmsÂ
VCO Sponsor Appreciation
We'd like to recognize sponsors ILR Car Control School, JRP Online/Speed Therapy, Hagerty Garage + Social and those members who are supporting the many April & May events. Mobil 1 has generously donated many jugs of oil that will be used as draw prizes. All Sponsors & Supporters at https://www.viperclubofontario.com/copy-of-sponsors.
On behalf of your club's leadership team and sponsors, thank you all for your
continued support, and we're wishing you and your families a very Happy Easter!
Bruce Hadfield
VCO President
Viper Pride, Performance, Preservation & Camaraderie...join us for the ride of your life!