Runge is a Minnesota firm that churns out distinctive vehicles utilizing the identical methods of coachbuilders of the primary half of the previous century. We’re speaking particular person physique panels all hammered and rolled into form by hand, with nothing however a wire-frame buck as a information.
Runge’s newest creation is the Veleno, which is constructed on the donor chassis of a 2004 Dodge Viper SRT10 roadster. The automotive was constructed by Runge founder Christopher Runge and his son, and took round 5,000 hours to finish.
It is featured within the newest episode of “Jay Leno’s Storage,” with Runge readily available to clarify all the small print. He was final on the present in 2018 with one of many vehicles from his Porsche-inspired Frankfurt Flyer sequence. The Veleno seems to be prefer it was impressed by Italian sports activities vehicles of the Sixties.
As Runge explains within the episode, he initially tried to modernize his methods by utilizing digital scans of the Viper chassis to assist a designer within the U.Ok. create the ultimate form for the Veleno, utilizing Runge’s authentic sketches. Nonetheless, failing that, Runge determined to do it the outdated means, by making a body for later metallic working.
Runge makes use of aluminum for its vehicles, and the metallic physique is definitely lighter than the unique fiberglass physique of the Viper by about 250 kilos. The corporate additionally created its personal wheels and the lenses for the headlights, and the inside can also be absolutely customized.
The V-10 powertrain is generally inventory, although Runge dressed up the engine by including polished components, together with new stainless-steel headers. The corporate additionally added a high-flow exhaust system, a modification that usually will increase horsepower.
Runge’s automotive is not the one Viper-based automotive referred to as a Veleno, which in Italian means “poison” or a “venom.” Swiss automotive customizer Rinspeed in 1993 constructed a customized Viper additionally referred to as the Veleno, although Rinspeed’s automotive saved many of the donor Viper’s physique.
