Happy Thursday Wednesday everyone, hope you are ready for an extra special Muscle Car of the Week. First things first, I realize that this car never in fact existed. Despite that fact however, I still think it makes a damn good installment because had it been made, the Viper would have been one hell of a monster. The concept car is based on the work of Rafael Reston, who did a lot of research on styling and construction of cars back then in order to make what you see here. Hit the jump for more on what I think would have made up the Dodge Viper back in 1967.

It is quite clear that the Viper would have been made to compete with the likes of the mighty Chevrolet Corvette or the Shelby Cobra (next week’s post). Accordingly, I can only base power and performance estimates off of those likely competitors, but let’s wait a little bit for that. The styling of the concept is perfectly in line with how other two-seat muscle cars looked. You got the driver sitting almost directly on the rear axle and looking out over a long sloping hood.

As far as construction and engineering is concerned, the car would have most likely been constructed out of steel unlike the fiberglass Vette. The Viper would have undoubtedly been expensive as were its contemporaries. Probably option laden, too. Some additional options would have been leather seats, wood grained steering wheel, rally gauge cluster, AM/FM radio, air conditioning and power windows and locks. In my opinion the wheels that Reston rendered for the concept are fairly accurate as to what would have been offered from Dodge at this time because of the upper-crust status of the car.

Now for my favorite part, engine options! Like the Corvette, the Viper would have been offered with several engine options ranging from big blocks to bigger blocks. The base engine would have most likely been the 383 Commando V8 putting out 335 horses. Some of you may question why they wouldn’t drop a 340 6-pack between the fenders for some small block power and I remind those people that this was the year 1967 and the 340 had not yet been developed. I supposed the engineers could have worked out a set-up to directly compete with the high horse 327 that was offered in the Corvette but who knows?

Next on up the performance line would be the always-ready-to-run beefy 440 V8 putting out 375 horsepower. Add in a six pack o’Webers for some real fun. The biggest and baddest engine option available on the Viper would have definitely been the legendary 426 cubic inch Hemi cranking out an understated 425 ponies. When equipped with the dual-quad elephant motor the lightweight Viper would have flown down the 1/4 in the mid to low 13’s and shot from a standstill to 60 mph in under six seconds, easy. The only two transmissions that would have been offered would have been the solid A833 4-speed and the grenade proof 727 Torqueflite 3-speed automatic. A set of 4.10 steep rear gears would have definitely been optional with some ratios such as 3.23 available as well.

Since Chrysler already had a redesigned Charger and Road Runner/Super Bee on their plate for 1968, it’s uncertain how much they would have, could have put into the Viper. Although I think it would have boosted Dodge’s reputation throughout the performance world. I wish I had access to a time machine so I could give the renderings by Rafael Reston back to some Mopar folk in the 1960s because the Viper because man, this baby would have turned some heads. Stay tuned next week folks.