We’re in an age in which automakers have made off-road versions of their iconic sports cars. Remember the lifted Porsche 911 Dakar? Have you passed a Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato covered in dirt? Dodge didn’t do that with its Viper RT/10 back in the ’90s, but automotive engineer Matt Brown (aka SuperfastMatt on YouTube) gave his V10-powered roadster a very 21st-century overhaul and took it through the California desert.
Turning a powerful rear-wheel-drive car that was meant to go fast only on pavement into an off-roader took some . . . adjustments. For starters, Brown tilted the 8.0-liter V10 and six-speed manual gearbox down to better line up with the driveshaft. To ensure he didn’t get stranded on the trail from Jawbone Canyon to the southern end of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Brown installed a spare tire carrier at the rear.
As you can imagine, those fundamental changes have caused several issues, including leaks and rattles. The Viper’s massive hood made plenty of its own unpleasant noises over the rough terrain. (And the addition of a cup holder and speakers for a Walmart-sourced head unit after Brown’s adventure led to the interior being gutted.)
Brown’s journey wasn’t all bad, though. The fact that his radically modified Viper got him to his destination at all is one hell of an accomplishment. To see a first-gen Viper go against against its own nature and Mother Nature, watch the video below.