ASC Dodge Viper Diamondback Concept

[Joey D]

ASC Dodge Viper Diamondback Concept
Source: www.ultimatecarpage.com

The American company ASC (American Specialty Cars) showed its creative expertise by unveiling a supercar made even more super by the addition of a mostly carbon-fiber body.

A "snake" with an all-new skin, the ASC Viper Diamondback is super-light and super-fast. It’s fitting that ASC, which helped the Chrysler Group bring the new Dodge Viper SRT10 coupe to life, would, with the aid of McLaren Performance Technologies, show how the Viper coupe might be taken to an all-new level of “extreme.” The 615 bhp Viper Diamondback features a carbon fiber roof, deck lid, rockers, fascia inserts, body trim and a massive OmniCarbon hood that shows off ten unique trumpeted air intakes, with individual port throttles, peeking through - a McLaren Performance Technologies feature reminiscent of McLaren Can-Am engines of the past.

The hood also shows off compression-molded carbon fiber. It’s displayed beautifully, with a broad, clearcoated racing stripe down the Artic White-painted expanse, subtly outlined by “Viper Blue” and “McLaren Red” pinstripes. In all, ASC removed about 85 lbs. of weight from the vehicle - including cutting the weight of the hood by nearly half versus the production model. Taken together with the powertrain modifications by McLaren Performance Technologies, the power-to-weight ratio was increased, resulting in an estimated increase in 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds.

 

[niky]

hmm... Peugeot's plexiglass intake trumpet cover would go nicely on that.

 

[Iceman]

Should be all black imo... Too much contrast with the white and it doesn't flow with the body.

 

[Mt. Lynx]

That is nice! Although I have to agree with icemanshooter23; it would look better in black, or atleast something less contrasty (new word?).

 

[Carl.]

"You know, eet ees not just a case of physical attraction. I admire her mind too."

 

[Dave A]

Inspired by Peugeot.

 

[Sting]

(i'll clean up later)

Impressive looking concept on the Viper, at least it doesn't look over the top and I think there is nothing wrong with the contrasting colours. Any rear view pics available at all?

 

[Revheadnz]

Gorgeous! Love the intake trumpet hole and the wheels are really nice too.

 

[Encyclopedia]

Hmmm, I quite like it, but the hood trumpet thingies (sorry I don't know what they're called) look a bit too old-school to go with the rest of the car in my opinion. Also, the contrast between the black and white might be a bit too much.... I don't know...

 

[Dave A]

Just call them trumpets.

 

[194GVan]

I like it, a little old school flavor for some modern muscle. I bet that thing sounds ultra agressive.

 

[Encyclopedia]

Just call them trumpets.

 

[F1GTR]

Wow, love those trumpets. Beats any brass band.

 

[Joey D]

This might be a stupid question but why are all those trumpets bent?

 

[194GVan]

Thats how alot of them looked back in the day, thats the only explaination I can think of. Unfortunately I suck at digging up pics that old on the internet.

 

[Sting]

The Ferrari 250 GTO had the same style air intakes but looking at pictures those ones were straight.

http://www.autodrome-cannes.com/1964_ferrari_250gto_64_engine.jpg

 

[194GVan]

Yeah I should have said that, some were straight too. Heres some angled ones...

http://www.atspeedimages.com/hmsa_2005/1971_mclaren_m8e_intake_trumpets.jpg

These ones look angled for clearance purposes, but on the Viper its probably just for looks.

I just cant find any pictures of american hot rods with this kind of setup, Ive seen it before though.

 

[Sting]

After some research they are carbs, for those who don't know, pioneered by Weber:

from wikipedia

Weber carburetors were originally produced in Italy by Edoardo Weber as part of a conversion kit for 1920s Fiats. Weber pioneered the use of twin barrel carburetors with two barrels (or venturi) of different sizes, the smaller one for low speed running and the larger one optimised for high speed use.

In the 1930s Weber began producing twin barrel carburetors for motor racing where two barrels of the same size were used. These were arranged so that each cylinder of the engine has it's own carburetor barrel. These carburetors found use in Maserati and Alfa Romeo racing cars.

In time, Weber carburetors were fitted to standard production cars and factory racing applications on automotive marques such as Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Lamborghini, Lancia, Lotus, Maserati, and Porsche.

In modern times, fuel injection has replaced carburetors in both production cars and motor racing. Weber fuel system components are distributed by Magneti-Marelli After Market Products and Services.

I think there is no specific reason to having them at an angle apart from space concerns. Looking at that pic GVan posted, those are angled because they wouldn't go straight, the tops would touch one another. Thats my theory

 

[Magic069]

Hate the paint skeme. I'm just sayin.

 

[Onikaze]

On the Viper they are just angled to look neat.

The two on the ends bent inwards with the two straight up in the middle helps punch home that it's 10 Cylinders.

I'd prefer if the white was black, or at least unpainted CF.

 

[Poverty]

Looks a bit like to Z06 to me now.

 

[niky]

Looks a bit like to Z06 to me now.

Eh? How?

 

[McLaren]

I like, but it should be all black. Would really match the wheels.

 

[YSSMAN]

Shes a beauty... I can see some looks from the old Cobras comming through.

 

[Iceman]

I believe those "trumpets" are referred to as velocity stacks.

 

[Layla's Keeper]

What the injection stacks on that Viper concept are intended to replicate are old mechanical fuel injection "calliope" manifolds like those used on old Can Am cars (and many open wheel short track machines).

These intake setups are manufactured by such companies as Hilborn, Enderle, Inglese, Crower, and Kinsler. They provide wicked fuel delivery and instant throttle response without the headache of electronics.

The ***** is in setup. It's easy to goof with mechanical. That's where varying stack height comes in.

You see, calling the trumpets "velocity stacks" is very correct. In reality, cylinders don't draw in fuel/air mixture at the same rate nor with the same port velocity. As such, in order to equalize the mix and make optimum power, racers place stacks of different heights onto the injectors. A shorter stack creates less of the "ram air" effect, and slows port velocity. A longer stack, the opposite. Also, a mix of comparitively long stacks will create a higher revving engine whereas a short stack engine is tuned for a lower torque curve.

The best place to see differing takes on mechanical fuel injection setups is on an ISMA Supermodified.

Here you can see a short stack setup on Danny Soule Racing's #32 ISMA Supermodified, as driven by Nokie Fonoro. This is the car racing in 2005 at Toledo Speedway. Toledo is a torque-track because of its sweeping corners and short straights.

And here's a long stack setup on Nokie's car for Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, which is a more wide-open track.

 

[VIPFREAK]

OMFG! Someone get video of that thing so I can hear it!!!

 

[Raghavan]

Now that' sjust awesome.

 

[High-Test]

Sweet! When will other companies make more cars with Velocity Stacks out the hood?

Sould be all black though. Webers rule. Webers can make almost any motor cool.


Thanks for the information, Layla's Keeper. Does the same principle that makes Velocity Stacks increase performance also make a Tunnel Ram work?

 

[Layla's Keeper]

Well, High-Test, a tunnel ram does increase port velocity, but no more than a long runner intake manifold would. The tunnel ram intake's true advantage is truly in giving air/fuel more time between the carburetor/injectors and the combustion chambers to properly atomize and mix thoroughly but still at an increased port velocity.

You see, the more complete the mixture of fuel and air, the more efficient the combustion (which is the real advantage of computer controlled injection, the finely controlled mixture makes for more efficient engines). In a carbureted setup like a Pro Stock engine, those big Holleys are dumping tons of raw fuel and gulping tons of air into the engine, much of it forced in through the hoodscoop (ram air, natch).

This makes for lots of port velocity, and the ports are sized to match. But there's no forced induction (turbo or supercharging) to stuff and mix the fuel/air. So, what to do to increase efficiency without losing that port velocity and that vital cfm? Give the fuel and air more time to atomize and mix before the combustion chamber.

And that's what the tunnel ram does.