No instabins here for a lack of interior! As Cake mentioned, interiors are not required. If your engineering is great, you could still do well, but interiors will be heavily considered as the Bus’ interior is a large part of its’ functionality and the vehicle concept.
Is effectively counteracted by:
Which means that all someone else has to do is make a pretty interior and the entries w/out those interiors are knocked out of the race. In this round this is to be expected since the OP premise is more based on visual form over Automation statistics. As AMuteCrypt has already stated, getting another designer in to model the interior is the best choice for interior-weak entrants who want to win.
Instabins are for cars that break rules, not cars missing optional things. If someone enters an abomination of a vehicle that still is compliant with all the rules, it will get a proper roast, not a one-liner! 
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Got it; I’ll be careful to restrict my usage of that term to rulebreakers from now on, hahaha!
(A bit over) 1 day remains!
If you have a Bus ready to submit, now is the time!As another example of this, we can look all the way back to ARM1. My entry was seriously deficient aesthetically, and scored the minimum there. My interior wasn’t scored much better, and I was exceedingly expensive. Despite all that, I still won the challenge overall, as my other stats were strong enough. It’s still possible to do well with some deficiencies here and there.
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Which is why I’m a little worried right now, you and your engineering skills 
Hope to see a few more entries in the last 24 hours!
god my bus’s exterior looks so good tho. i’ll submit it and upload it to another thing in roughly a year or so when i can make a decent interior
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The all-new Heatwave from Mayori Restomods completely overhauls the T2 camper, from it’s paint to it’s engine, everything on the camper is either brand new or lovingly restored by our expert team of restorers.
We’ve swapped out the old, outdated Flat 4 and replaced it with a smoother, beefier H4 and an all new exhaust system helps ensure that the hippy lifestyle can be maintained. Producing over 163 horsepower, you’re not likely to be outrunning supercars anytime soon but hey, at least you won’t be embarassingly outclassed by some student’s Nissan Sunny anymore.
The Heatwave features an advanced automatic gearbox system allowing for ease of gearchange in any situation, and the 6 gear ratios allow all that beautiful engine’s power to be used.
The AWD system in the Heatwave is really quite unique. It uses AI and smart sensors to work in tandem with the suspension to work out exactly the correct combination of power and torque that should be used in a certain situation to ensure for a smooth, comfortable ride.
The Heatwave features solid disks front and rear, a significant improvement over the drums of the original.
The interior retains the bench seat of the original, but it now has a luxury interior and a HUD equivalent to that of a Tesla, but it is easy to use and simple.
Featuring all the latest safety features the Heatwave is safer than a Ford Pinto… though thats not exactly difficult.
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also its like 5am for me excuse the shite writing
Sparky T’s Customs T2 Transporter
Hello Mr. Richards,
We understand that you are looking to restore your old VW bus. Here is our proposal. We understand that you would like to keep as much of the character of your old van while giving it a bit of an update. So we here at Sparky T’s Customs have tried to give it an old school vibe with a mix of modern convinces.
For the outward appearances, we kept it simple. We shined up the van’s original color, giving it back a bit of it’s luster. We also added a upper white two tone to help give it a little more pop. A roof rack with a couple of surfboards, Crager style five spoke wheels, and a period spare wheel cover all work together to give it that genuine Californian vibe.
Keeping with our mix of old and new, we have given it a bit of a twist mechanically. The tired old boxer four has been replaced with a flat six from a Chevy Corvair. This was a very common swap back in the day so it seems appropriate for this application. But to help it along, we’ve mated it to a modern six speed automatic. The brakes and suspension have also been given a through going through to improve performance and comfort.
As for the interior, that is were the real beauty of this machine is! Up front, we have fitted it with a custom dash in style of modern times. Equipped with a touchscreen infotainment system, dual airbags, power adjustable seats, cup holders and storage compartments, climate and cruise control, it is all one would expect from a modern automobile. But in the back, it’s like taking a trip back in time. There’s blue and red carpeting or wood paneling custom laid on nearly every surface.
A pillow laden bed with mood lighting perches above the engine compartment. Above that, a hand-made headliner with twinkling LEDs give the impression of a star filled twilight. You can keep refreshments in the onboard mini fridge while you watch your favorite old movies on the retro CRT television. A record player allows you to chill out to your favorite LPs. We’ve even included a few for you to enjoy! And of course, what boogie van would be complete without a lava lamp? We hope it is to your liking!
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ARM8 is now closed! Results will be up ASAP!
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The Reviews!
Having corresponded with the fine folks at these restomodding companies and answered some questions of theirs, I was pretty psyched to check out the proposals dropped in my inbox! As my mail loaded up, the anticipation, man, it was killin’ me! Four responses sat in my inbox, ready to be checked out. After looking over these remarkably well-detailed renders and finding out some more details, here were my thoughts:
Mayori Heatwave
Upon loading the render, I was really impressed, man! The radiant orange and yellow of the paint with the white decals was absolutely far out, and the lovely convertible top and luggage space on the roof, along with the custom bike rack, were thoughtful touches I appreciate! The Fuchs rims also look awesome on this Bus, and so I was jazzed to see what the rest of the build brought! A closer look was really where it fell apart, though. There was no cabin rendered, and upon flipping over to the spec page, I realized the engine information seemed to be corrupted. The exterior looked promising, but sadly there simply isn’t enough to go on for such a large decision.
(Binned for not cloning the engine properly, only the variant was cloned! Please watch the cloning video posted with each ARM to avoid things like this happening in the future)
With that entry out, there were three left to consider. While all three were great, really well-detailed entries, I still had to choose one. And so, in order of elimination:
Sparky T’s Customs T2 Transporter
The aesthetics of this one made me feel happy in a super nostalgic way! The Bus repainted in a fresh coat of the original color, while not as special as the original patina, made me happy in my own way, seeing the Bus looking shiny and new again. The spare tire with the peace sign cover was also a great touch! The wheels belong more on an American classic than this Bus, though. Looking at the interior, man, it felt like the early Seventies all over again! The lava lamp, the records, the shag carpet, all the really well-done little touches- it brought me back! Rose colored glasses are an awesome thing. However, when I flipped to the specs, that was what gave me pause. I reviewed the specs with my grandson, who likes cars, and he said, “Isn’t a 6 speed automatic, like, something from a 2012 car?” After using Yahoo to look up some more of the components from the last 20 years, it became clear this car simply wasn’t as updated or well-engineered as the rest in quite a few important areas. Overall, this car just didn’t seem anywhere near as drivable as the other cars over long distances, making it a worse choice for the long drives I hope to be able to take, despite the cushy shag carpeting from floor to ceiling. Another curious choice was the engine swap. While Corvair engine swaps were very popular back in the day, the power output is still unimpressive, man, and a carb in 2021? Seriously? 130hp is by far the lowest here, and from a swapped engine, it’s somewhat dismal, still barely adequate for the highway in 2021 especially with RWD. I appreciate all the nostalgia this build brought to the table, however nostalgia simply isn’t everything. This feels closer to a period-style restoration in many ways, though it updated a number of things, like safety and a modern dash. The other entries simply did a better job still capturing the psychedelic tint and groovy times of the ‘60s while updating it with a 21st century flair, and without the reality of a Bus that can barely climb a hill.
Bespoke T2 Woodstock Tribute
@IntoAMuteCrypt
My first impressions, upon opening up this one, were fairly mixed, to be honest. I love the Woodstock art on the side! The metallic green paint is fine, although not as groovy as I’d hope for, but the headlights look like they have seen some things, the taillights don’t really fit the car and the venting in the badge is a little odd. Unfortunately, the renders of the cabin made me want to stop looking altogether. The mauve color is ugly to begin with, but metallic green and mauve go together horribly, especially when you see them together on the metallic green touches on the mauve custom suitcases. However, there’s a lot to like, the front area of the cabin is nice, with a nice, modern dash and a reasonable, but modern number of screens. I love the convertible top to get those lovely UV rays, and the included sink is a nice touch. The level of detail is decent, but unfortunately, I just can’t get over the colors, man. Fortunately, the engineering is really what makes up for a lot on this one! It has the most power here, at a nice 230hp from a turbocharged inline six, and it has all-wheel-drive, meaning it would be capable regardless of where I took it! This car is also a lot more drivable than the previous entries, making it great for long trips. The icing on the cake is the 36mpg it gets! I might not care too much about fuel economy, but it’s always nice to look out for the environment, man. Sadly, the interior is where I’ll have to spend all the miles in this Bus, and this one is a place I’d have to wear a blindfold in whenever I head to the rear, so this one definitely isn’t the one.
Volkswagen T2 “Pullman” by Mons Customs
I was stoked to see, when I opened this entry, the old patina staring back at me, but with everything around it refreshed! All those memories preserved, with fresh original parts all around it, just makes me so happy. With the interior renders, the good vibes just keep coming! The use of yellow might be a little liberal, but the black accents help a lot. It’s a really nice combination of old and new, with the very hip black and yellow paneling, big, modern speakers and a record player for my great catalog of tunes! I also love the thought and detail that went into this one. Mons even went to the trouble of rendering three different configurations for the interior, complete with a camper bed so my wife and I can sleep in a proper bed without looking for a hotel on overnight trips! The engineering doesn’t let this car down either, even surpassing the Bespoke in many areas! Mons kept the original boxer 4 and paint, meaning they had a lot of money left to spend on other parts of the car, and it paid off, man! The interior and suspension is really where the funds went, and it resulted in a car that is absurdly plush for long trips (30 points of comfort above the next closest car!), even though the automatic still only has six speeds. They even added all-wheel-drive, meaning that the car can make the most of the admittedly-low 150hp, and go off the beaten path easily. This proposal is a winner, man! I can’t wait to take this Bus for its’ first spin in 15 years, and add some more memories to this Bus’ history!
Interior photos!
Congratulations to @cake_ape on yet another well-deserved victory!
Here is the succession order, should he decide not to host ARM 9:
2nd- IntoAMuteCrypt
3rd- Maverick74
Also, kudos to everyone who entered for creating some of the most detailed, well-made cars I’ve seen entered for an ARM!
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Ahh, this was a fun one!. Thanks for hosting Hi, and great write-up as always!
I am currently unable to host for a few weeks, so I’m happy to pass this on to Crypt.
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Grats! Could not make it in time unfortunately, did not get enough time when I cam back from vacation, but ready and looking forward to the next chapter!
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Congratulations cake_ape! That interior truly was amazing on your entry. Well deserved win.
And thanks for hosting this one HelloHi. It was fun to push my abilities for interior design!
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I definitely have a round in mind, it should be posted fairly quickly - it’s my backup though, as the car I had been working on isn’t really suited to ARM at the moment. Hoping to have the car made and posted by Friday, watch this space.
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well done @cake_ape, very deserved.
i realised after i had no access to my pc that i had forgotten to clone my engine properly. Ah well.
A better version should be posted on my car thread soon!
Take care, and well done to the winners!
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