Victor Silva’s 3D-Printed Mini Viper 

Victor Silva’s love for cars started long before he ever got behind the wheel. Growing up near Brazil’s Interlagos racetrack, the roar of Formula 1 engines and the legacy of Ayrton Senna made cars feel like something more than just machines—they were alive. His grandmother noticed his early curiosity for how things worked and encouraged it, often buying him car magazines during quiet trips to the bookstore. “That kind of quiet support really stayed with me,” he says. 

Most of the vehicles Silva saw as a child were small European models—Fiats, Peugeots, VWs. But in one magazine, he spotted the Dodge Viper. Bold, unapologetic, and designed with soul – to Victor, the Viper was everything those other cars weren’t. It became his dream car, a passion he carried into adulthood through toy models, video games, and a quiet hope he might one day drive one. 

That dream became real in 2022. Silva and his wife Jill drove to Chicago to check out a low-mileage Viper listing. “I expected reason would win,” he laughs. But the moment he saw it, something shifted. “The Viper wasn’t built to solve problems. It was built around a feeling.” Despite its quirks—side pipes that burn your leg, a roof that barely counts—the Viper came home with them to Oklahoma. 

That love inspired another project: building a replica Viper for his son, Theo, using 3D printing. A self-taught maker, Silva began with free tools like Photopea, Tinkercad, and Blender. With each layer of filament, he shaped not just a toy, but a bond. “Theo became my unofficial quality control. If a part was weak, he’d break it. And that showed me where to improve.” 

Nine months later, the mini Viper was complete. By then, Theo had almost outgrown it—but that didn’t dampen the joy. “The real magic was seeing how he interacted with it—obsessed with the trunk, spinning the steering wheel for hours. He brought it to life in ways I hadn’t imagined.” 

Through this project, Silva discovered that perseverance mattered more than perfection. “Things will go wrong. The real challenge is to stay curious and enjoy the process, even when it’s messy.” That mindset, he says, is the true gift he hopes to pass on—more than any finished product. 

He’s already started designing the next version—a remote-controlled “RC/12” (a 1:12 scale remote-controlled car) tailored to Theo’s current play style. And while Silva has no plans to turn this into a business, he dreams of sharing the experience: “Imagine a website where families can build a car together, part by part, side by side. It’s that time together, the building, the learning, that really stays with you. And that’s the part I’d love to see more of in the world.” 

With Jill’s support—often bringing her own design ideas to life through 3D printing—this hobby has become a creative outlet for the whole family. “We don’t always solve problems the same way, but that’s what makes us better together.” 

Silva’s advice? “Start small. Build what you can today. And be the quiet supporter, like my grandma was. That encouragement—just the space to try—can mean everything.” 

See Victor’s build process and Theo’s custom ride in action on Instagram: @theosviper.