#UNIQUEMOVIECARS

[mensfactory]

Dodge Viper-based Defender prop car from “Viper”

Set in the "near future" as envisioned in the early 1990s, "Viper" was about a federal task force based in fictional Metro City, California, that fought crime using an armored vehicle called the Defender that masqueraded as a Dodge Viper. The show first aired in early 1994 on NBC and continued in syndication between 1996 and 1999.

The Defender was designed by Chrysler, and built on a stretched 1993 Dodge Viper RT/10 chassis by Unique Movie Cars in Las Vegas. A 360-cubic-inch Chrysler V-8 replaced the Viper V-10, driving the rear wheels through a Chrysler 727 3-speed automatic transmission. The suspension, steering, and brakes are thought to be carryover Viper hardware, according to the auction listing.

The driver faces three round instruments, including a 180-mph speedometer, a 7,000-rpm tachometer, and a fake crosshair sight, with three simulated screens off to the side showing static images of fictional vehicle diagnostics. The two seats are upholstered in gray leather, but the car lacks seat belts and climate control. You can get fresh air by removing the windows, though, which are attached by Velcro.

Photo via Bring a Trailer