ISSUE 9, NOVEMBER 2021
Hello Everyone,
It's definitely looks like winter outside, with all the Vipers hopefully tucked away safe and sound. Your VCO directors and many members are hard at work planning a fun and truly extraordinary 2022 season that will exceed anything we've done before! We have many completely new events that we'll be sharing with you as dates get worked out, and of course, our 2nd Annual Signature Ontario Viper Event, ONVE. 2022 - Niagara Falls & Surrounding Area!
New Members
It's always our great pleasure to welcome new and returning members, and to introduce them to you at our events. Please welcome...
Victor & Wendy Drobiasko (Mississauga)
Henry & Debbie Fuchs (Burlington)
Chris & Barb Kierstead (Peterborough)
Rick Simpson & Karen (Strathroy)
New Director
We're very pleased to welcomed Jeff Kormos to our Board of Directors. Jeff joined the VCO in 2019, has been spotted at many events in his bright yellow Gen V Viper, and is one of our 2021 Participation Event Award winners! Jeff is energetic and passionate about our club, loves both social and track events, and will be helping to rev up excitement for our members in Southwestern Ontario on the outskirts of the GTA. We thank Jeff for stepping up to help, and know he's going to do a great job for our members!
2022 Event Calendar
Earlier this month our directors held a Zoom meeting to start planning for 2022. We had roughly 60 social event suggestions submitted by 24 enthusiastic members and directors! In addition to those social events, we'll also have many track schools and lapping day opportunities to choose from. Every member from Ottawa to Windsor will be thrilled with the selection of both local, regional and distant events!
New for 2022... a VCO social event being held at the new 50,000 sq ft Hagerty Garage + Social facility in Burlington. This is a car enthusiast's dream garage, equipped with 50 seat theatre, bar, restaurant, meeting room, and many fabulous cars stored indoors and on display. Jay T. is planning this event, Dave Gorelle is inviting some of his Ford GT friends, and the Ferrari Club is interested in joining us as well! May 15th...let's get all the Vipers out to this event for amazing photos!
Many other new for 2022 events, and some of your past favorites, will be announced in coming issues!
We have started to fill in our 2022 Event Calendar with dates that have been determined, many of which are currently track events with established dates. We will be adding our many social event dates as they are determined.
2022 Events Calendar on the Events page... https://www.viperclubofontario.com/events
Viper Club of Ontario has Grown - Up Over 90%!
Your club experienced phenomenal growth in 2021 thanks to the efforts of leadership going back to this same time last year when we announced our bold calendar of 25 events for 2021 that stretched from Windsor in the west to Kingston and beyond in the east. We budgeted the use of cash reserves to at least partially fund every event, we created an ambitious track program, our incredible sponsors stepped up, our membership renewed, many past club friends joined again, and we appealed to our many new club friends everywhere. Your energy is fantastic, your enthusiasm is contagious, and your willingness to help us offer an unsurpassed club experience is, well, unsurpassed!
We look forward to 2022, and to soon being the 2nd largest Viper Club In the world!
VOA Update
VOA’s leadership is in the process of trying to cut costs that led to its financial crisis, and we hope to see a plan for its future some time in the new year. The VOA took out a US Gov’t relief loan in order to reorganize and pay debts. Ontario is currently the only region of 37 that has not received its 50% share of member’s dues, and our claim is no longer being disputed. I’m very sorry that the VOA emailed all of our VCO members last week. My communications with the VOA's executive will always be conducted in private.
2022 Membership Renewals are now open!
Your membership renewal dues are used to fund our many Ontario club events, along with those of our generous sponsors. This year, for the first time, you have two renewal options, and we encourage you to now renew according to your preference. If you have any questions please contact Bruce at vcotracks@gmail.com or Jay T at vcomembership@hotmail.com.
1. New VCO Direct - $125 Cdn, paid directly to the VCO. It's easy, it's great value, and 100% of your dues provide our club with strong and reliable funding for our very extensive Ontario Events Calendar.. You can automatically renew with a simply e-transfer to vcotracks@gmail.com, or mail cheque to:
Viper Club of Ontario,
c/o Bruce Hadfield,
PO Box 282,
Cannington, On, L0E 1E0.
2. VOA Renewal. You can renew and pay your dues to the Viper Owners Association, $150 USD for Standard membership with a digital magazine, or $195 USD for a Mamba membership with a printed magazine. We have not resolved the issue of collecting our region's 50% share of dues that are intended to support our many Ontario club events. www.driveviper.com
Interesting Reading
-2004 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve: Concept We Forgot submitted by Jay T. https://www.motor1.com/news/258494/chrysler-me-four-twelve-concept-we-forgot/
-MotorCities National Heritage Area link where Dodge, Olds, Ford's history is posted https://www.facebook.com/motorcities/
Timely Tip - Winter care for your battery, submitted by Garrett
It’s that time of year again, time to put our Vipers away and one of the questions that I get asked all the time is about battery storage. All Vipers, regardless of the year, have slow power drains from factory accessories. The alarm and memory settings for the radio, seats and climate control system can quickly drain a new battery in a matter of months. If your battery is older or you have added aftermarket accessories, the problem could be compounded, and the battery could drain in just a few weeks.
All batteries are filled with a mixture of water and acid. When fully charged, the sulphate from the acid stays in and is part of the liquid. The sulphate provides anti-freezing properties to the mixture. As a battery drains, the sulphate sticks the battery plates leaving only the water behind. A dead battery can freeze and be permanently damaged.
Most of our members use an intelligent charger or battery maintainer. This type of charger can be hooked up to the battery while in storage, and it will charge or maintain the battery voltage as needed.
Some examples of common high-quality chargers include the battery tender plus or the Ctech 12 volt charger. Both are available locally, and as of this writing, the battery tender plus is on sale at Canadian tire for $65.00
Both chargers will shut off if you hook them up incorrectly or if anything is wrong with the battery. If you are buying a battery charger, make sure it has this technology. If not, it could shorten the life of the battery or damage your car.
Viper battery or charger hook up locations:
2013 to 2017 viper battery location is in the trunk under a false floor, you can hood up the battery cables directly to the battery
2003 to 2010 the battery on these Vipers are a little harder to get to. It is better to use the jump post under the hood. For the black ground, you can use the nut circled or any metal part of the engine.
1994 to 2002 Just like the generation of Viper above the battery is not easy to access. It would be better to use the jump post under the hood. In 1996 the positive post was incorporated in an underhood fuse box. The positive post is still very close to the location of the original gen 1 post.
Now you are all set to keep your battery in great shape over the winter.
All the best,
Garrett Nalepka
2021 VCO Sponsors
Please support our generous sponsors for all your automobile purchase, parts, modification, and service needs, and professional financial services! Contact info & details on our Sponsors page.
Ontario Chrysler, Mississauga Raceway Chrysler, Toronto
Islington Chrysler, Toronto Wellington Motors, Chrysler Guelph Kingston Honda and Acura, Kingston Gold Motor Garage, Saint George
Johnson Research & Performance, Miss. RSP Motorsports, Komoka (London)
Dettmer Tire, Guelph S&W LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants
Drive safe everyone, make sure your vehicles are ready for our challenging winter conditions, and we'll see you all next month in our December VCO Times!
On behalf of your directors,
Bruce Hadfield