Audubon Chrysler in Henderson, Kentucky, is well known for its signage. For decades, drivers on Highway 41 have passed the dealership and its 42-foot-tall sign that’s crowned with an actual 1994 . While some residents may have thought all these years the Viper was a wrecked example saved from the crusher by an intrepid owner with a crazy idea, they’d be wrong. The Viper is real and was placed atop the sign in 1996 with just 12 miles on its odometer.
Citizens of Henderson have had to go without their “Viper in the Sky,” though, since November 6, 2024, when it was taken down for reconditioning. It had only been removed from its perch once before, and that was 15 years ago for the same reason. A decade and a half in the elements had worn the paint down, and local birds turned the engine bay into an avian condo.
The car’s time at the spa is now complete, and it was reinstalled atop the pole again on June 27, 2025. The owner whose idea it was to turn a brand-new Viper into an ad for his car dealership is Larry Bennet, and his grandson reports it was his idea to restore the car and display it in the dealership for a few months before putting it back.
What? Why? How?
There were only two things about Larry Bennet’s Viper that were non-stock when it was mounted on the pole back in 1996. The first was that parts of the interior were removed and stored, including the seats. The second is that the original OEM wheels were replaced with a set of larger chrome ones from the aftermarket. Other than that, it was stock except for a plate that was bolted to the subframe. The plate was then bolted to the pole, which is only 10 inches wide, according to The Autopian.
There are more than a few of us on the TopSpeed team who count the original, first-generation Viper as one of our favorite vehicles of all time.
Whether the Viper actually runs after 28 years in the air is a mystery. Margaret Herrmann, Internet Sales Manager at Audubon Chrysler, told Road & Track, “At this time, there are no plans to get it running since it will be remounted on the sign pole.”
That said, the Viper’s reconditioning appears to have been a resounding success, based on pictures posted to social media. The car received a new paint job that included going down to the primer and reapplying a few coats of that famous Viper Red. The interior also looks factory-fresh, while the engine bay is now spotless, with zero evidence of its prior tenants. The dealership also made the decision to refit the Viper with its original factory wheels, which we think is the right choice.
TopSpeed’s Take
There are more than a few of us on the TopSpeed team who count the original, first-generation Viper as one of our favorite vehicles of all time. That makes us torn regarding the treatment of this 1994 example, which has been pressed into service doing something for which it was not intended. On the one hand, it’s an ingenious marketing idea that has no doubt fulfilled that purpose and then some for the last 30 years, bringing attention to the dealership and smiles to the faces of those who drive by it. On the other hand, it’s one more Viper not being driven and enjoyed.
We’ll give a pass to Bennet and his Viper, though, because it’s still possible that one day it may come down for good and be made roadworthy again. Everything’s there to make that dream a reality, and what a story this Viper has to tell if the dealership ever decides to sell it. Seeing as Audubon Chrysler is still a family business, we doubt that will come to pass anytime soon, but there’s always hope.
Read the full article here