Any SMG's Installed Yet?

[xanadu]

Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

Just wondering if there have been any known SRT-10's to be stripped of shifter stick and clutch pedal for an after-market SMG trans and two well placed steering wheel finger shift handles.

Anyone know?

scott

 

[SRTRICKY]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

SMG trans?? why would you want something like that?? I tried one in a 6 series and absolutely hated it!

 

[Austin]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

This is a joke, right? Whats next, an auto? Its a Viper, not a 2+2 touring coupe.

 

[Firewater]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

Hey, I always wanted some of those on my SRT Enzo too

 

[xanadu]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

This is a joke, right? Whats next, an auto? Its a Viper, not a 2+2 touring coupe.

Simple question. If you cannot answer the question given, then how about refraining from the bashing. I asked a simple question, which needed no bashing whatsoever.

ps, some of the most high performance autos in the world have SMG transmissions, besides a BMW coupe. Do you not want to (try to) put a Viper in the same performance class as a Ferrari? Most of Ferrari's road cars are now sold with their version of the SMG (after several years of the Tifosi saying they would never own one, now they all have to have it after all - as its very enjoyable when in a proper set up) as well as Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Bugatti, Maserati, etc. Take a ride in a Challenge Stradale, F430 if possible or a Gallardo and the SMG will be much different than BMW's.

 

[INSOMNIAC]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

This is a joke, right? Whats next, an auto? Its a Viper, not a 2+2 touring coupe.

Simple question. If you cannot answer the question given, then how about refraining from the bashing. I asked a simple question, which needed no bashing whatsoever.

ps, some of the most high performance autos in the world have SMG transmissions, besides a BMW coupe. Do you not want to (try to) put a Viper in the same performance class as a Ferrari? Most of Ferrari's road cars are now sold with their version of the SMG (after several years of the Tifosi saying they would never own one, now they all have to have it after all - as its very enjoyable when in a proper set up) as well as Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Bugatti, Maserati, etc. Take a ride in a Challenge Stradale, F430 if possible or a Gallardo and the SMG will be much different than BMW's.

What you are asking is not called SMG. Only BMW calls their crappy tranny SMG.
I bet what you are asking and what would be GREAT on a Viper is Dog Engagement Sequential (No Lift) Race Transmission. No clutch. And Quaife makes them. http://www.quaife.co.uk/catalogue/page19.htm
If I had $18,000 spare, I would get the Quaife Sequential Race Transmission in a heartbeat. A much cheaper solution is getting a Sequential Shifter but there is none in the market that will fit a Viper as of now.

 

[SRTRICKY]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

Thats what I was thinking!! Only bmw's have SMG and it *****!

 

[xanadu]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

Yes, I know that SMG letters are BMW's trademarked named version. I just assumed that most here would assimilate the words (letters) SMG with any and all "paddle shifter" type transmissions, since its probably the best known name for that type of system.

Well, I guess I'm sorry that I made it sound specific to BMW, since the trademarked name was used . However, the words are true to the type of transmission I am referring to, which is a Sequential Manual Gearbox, shifted by paddles (or in some cases buttons on the steering wheel or a traditional stick in the center console). To me, the words "paddle shifter" are just cheesy sounding.

Anyway, whatever you feel most comfortable calling it . . . paddle shifter tranny, "Manual Transmission Automation System" as Magnetti Marelli calls it, SMG as BMW has trademarked, or any of the other dozen names out there . . .

the question was, "Does anyone know if this system has been applied to a road going SRT-10 Viper yet?" That's a straight forward yes/no question.

BTW, I do know, and have for quite some time, about the Quaife Sequential version. I cannot recall for sure, but it might have been their SMG version outfitted in the most recent SRT-10 Comp coupe that a raced in the 24 Hours of LeMans (team Larbre Competition in 2001 or 2002 I think). Larbre has since taken up Ferrari 550 Maranello's (with Sequential gearboxes of course).

Also, Zeroshift looks to be an incredible concept, although they might still be in R & D; I don't know.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

F1, SMG, Paddle Shifting, E-Gear. They are all the same but I have got to tell you that would be pretty cool to have in a Viper. Also performs better with quicker times. I do not know if I would trust an aftermarket system though. I will wait for dodge to create it but then again it is a american car so it will probably never happen.

 

[gthomas]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

F1, SMG, Paddle Shifting, E-Gear. They are all the same

E-gear is not sequential as the others

 

[rac156]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

"This well-worn test car was equipped with Lamborghini e-gear, the company's own version of a Magneti Marelli electro-hydraulically shifted six-speed manual transmission."

from Motor Trend

 

[SRTdownunder]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

Holinger has a sequential box for this car and you can buy it now. It is at Heffner's and I can get you a deal on the box ($15,000 around that number). We were in the developments of making a sequnetial box which was synchronized so that it would shift as smooth as a stock box. This box is a dog box therefore is louder and more grunty into each shift. Any questions and Jason should be able to answer them for you. He has it ready to be install so anyone that is interested please contact either Jason or send me a PM.

 

[Phoenix SRT]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

Xanadu,

For some reason, most of the people who respond to threads about putting a sequential clutchless shifter on the Viper are mindlessly dead set against it. If there is any reason offered for their opposition to it, it typically is something like "what's next, an auto trans?" or "can't you work a clutch?" or some equally intelligent thing. I don't understand it. At least you received a few reasonable responses to your post.

The concept of the clutchless shifter, though executed better by some marques than others, seems perfectly acceptable in various Ferraris, Lamborghinis, BMWs, Aston Martins, and other exotics, not to mention every F1 car on the grid, as well as all sorts of other very serious race cars. My guess is the clutchless shifters are unlikely to lead to automatic transmissions in those cars any time soon. It's also my guess that Schmacher, Alonzo and the rest are fully capable of working a clutch. So why is a clutchless manual trans somehow beneath the dignity of a Viper? I just don't get it.

Okay, a poorly executed clutchless manual isn't much fun to drive. But, that is no reason to condem the entire idea. And even those clutchless manuals that are not very smooth in street driving can work very nicely when it comes to shifting on the track where smoothness is not a consideration. I know I've read this about BMW's SMG...it is hard to drive smoothly on the street, but it is very effective on the track. I've also read that the current generation SMG is much better in day to day driving than when it first came out.

Viper owners should be relentless in a call to DC for a clutchless manual. At the very least, what's the harm in offering one as an option? That way, owners could get one if they wanted it or decline it if that's what they wanted.

 

[xanadu]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

Phoenix,

Nice post.

It would be nice to see DC offer an SMG package as an option, just as Ferrari, Lamborghini, AM, and the others do. I believe the Enzo only comes with Ferrari's F1 SMG package, but all of the others models have the "option" as to which you prefer. Lamborghini too. There have been several (many, many) Ferrari owners (over at www.ferrarichat.com) who have said that they believed over the years they could never go to the clutchless manual shifter, but eventually found that they loved it once they actually gave it a chance. One of the worst things about a great working SMG system is that it makes a person want to take their "weekend" car and make it their "everyday" car. It's a wonderful option to have in traffic situations as the car becomes more enjoyable to drive. Thing is, the driver still has control over the shifts, he/she just doesn't have to work so hard in driving the car. More aesthetic IMO too. I also think it's more bizarre for GM to offer the Vette in an Auto version than in a clutchless SMG. Like you, I cannot see DC ever going the full auto route, and that's great, because the Viper will always be a sports car, but the "option" of SMG would be nice.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

F1, SMG, Paddle Shifting, E-Gear. They are all the same

E-gear is not sequential as the others

??

 

[DodgeViper01]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

Xandau:
I totally agree. They should offer this as an option. I think it would be just like what happened with the Ferrari's, slow in the beginning and then everyone would want it.

 

[SylvanSRT]

Re: Any SMG\'s Installed Yet?

SMG is a branded name like E-gear and F1 for ferrari or CambioCorsa for maserati, they are all forms of auto-manual or sequential gearboxs. Kind of like calling a tissue a Kleenex.