After some feedback, some requirements have been adjusted and rebalanced! Please double check the requirements again if you have started building to avoid a potential bin.
Finally, a restomodding challenge that doesn’t have performance in mind as a major judging criterion. I’m sure that comfort and drivability will be major priorities, though.
And in the context of this challenge, patina refers to the array of decals placed on the base trim and chosen carefully so that they simulate rust, faded paint and mold after decades of neglect.
I am missing a mod. Is there one I need to download?
Yes, there are! The Bus uses a few mods, although I tried to be very sparing with my use of them. The ones that you might be missing: the Camper Window mod (I think the name was something like that?), perhaps the rims (can’t remember the name), or maybe the rust/moss mod (which I also forget the name of). It also uses Patchwork, but I assume you have it. Try importing it, it should be pretty immediately obvious what’s missing, then you can grab the mod off the Workshop and reimport!
Submissions are now open!
5 Likes
I recognize that the submission window has already opened and therefore I probably shouldn’t be editing the brief further, however, I realized there was something important that needed to be cleared up, thanks to a message @cake_ape sent in the Discord about the Practicality stat:
After thinking it over, I decided that it probably made a lot more sense to base Practicality on the space usage of the exterior and interior of the vehicle rather than the stat, which I had intended to use. If you go up and look at that section of the brief, that has been edited to match! However, after Cake pointed that out, I also recognized that I hadn’t done a good enough job breaking down the scoring for everything else. As such, in the Judging section, you can now see exactly what aspects of the build are relevant to each category! I’d recommend looking over the rules one last time just to make sure it is all clear. Assuming nothing else like this comes up, I intend to leave the rules as is from this point on! Anyways, happy building, and I can’t wait to see what wacky and wonderful things you all come up with!
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Bespoke Restomods is proud to present…
The Bespoke T2 Woodstock Tribute
With a livery inspired by the posters for the very first Woodstock festival, the T2 hearkens back to a simpler time, a happier time - but once you strip it away, it’s all modern. The car has been polished off, lovingly restored and rebuilt to perfect condition. Every last piece of rust and mold has been removed, the paint has been stripped off, and a new metallic green coat has been added.
The interior has been filled with premium leather and wood, and enough screens for all the grandkids. A leather soft-top has been installed, to get all the fresh air into the cabin. Seven seats have been installed, enough for a party with room to spare - but comfort has not been compromised, utilising moulded seats rather than benches. The middle seats have been configured as rear-facing, with padded tables built in, to allow for people to enjoy socialising during the drive. All of the technology on the interior has been designed with safety in mind as well, featuring advanced biometric monitoring, impact detection and automated emergency calls, alongside plenty of sensors and assistance.
The Woodstock edition is designed for mobility and dependability. With All-Wheel-Drive and a manually-lockable differential, it will take you wherever you want to go - from the beach, to the festivals, to the childrens’ houses. BRM has taken advantage of their performance knowledge to add advanced intake ducts into the logo, for further cooling, and high-performance brake ducts which provide dependable stopping power on the vented steel brakes. The original panels have been retained, but a rustproofing treatment has been applied to ensure a lasting finish free from wear and tear.
The Woodstock Tribute comes with a modern turbocharged inline six. This new engine delivers incredibly low emissions, noise and vibration, meeting the most stringent of environmental standards. BRM has paid the utmost importance to fuel efficiency, using individual throttle bodies in the direct-injection system, a twin-cam design and advanced, friction-optimised pistons. The resulting engine is so efficient that you could easily get from San Diego to San Francisco on a single fill of the T2’s stock 56L tank. It is paired with a modern 7-speed automatic transmission; the original suspension setup has been kept, but new springs, dampers and sway bars have been installed.
A basic kitchenette has been included in the rear, featuring a sink, and the ability to dispense boiling or chilled water. These features are all computer-controlled, and are protected by cutoffs which disable the systems when the car is taken out of park. Storage is provided under the sink, as well as in two easily-accessable vintage cloth chests, restored to match the rest of the interior.
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As we are now nearing 1 week left and the deadline becomes more relevant, I have created a countdown timer so it is easy to find out exactly how long is left to finish your build!
2 Likes
for an engine swap does the 3k price cap come from the material cost of the engine or price the whole car?
The $3k fee is added to the price of the whole car.
Mons Customs
Introducing the
Volkswagen T2 "Pullman"
Dear Mr. Richards,
Please accept this letter as our formal offer to restomod your iconic 1972 Volkswagen Transporter T2. We understand your love for this vehicle and all the memories you have built in it. True to Mons Customs tradition, we aim to preserve as much of the original vehicle as possible while giving it a refreshed yet authentic look and feel. If you choose our custom shop, we guarantee the best experience in your custom modded VW that you can imagine!
AUTHENTICITY
Mons Customs has opted to retain much of the original components of your VW. It sports the original paint, panels, and naturally aspirated boxer-4 engine. While much improved in many areas under the skin, and sporting a brand new totally custom hand-built interior, this car remains authentic and true to itself, and will make you feel right at home in your orange bus!
COMFORT
Mons Customs has taken all of its talent and resources to make this vehicle as comfortable as possible. On the mechanical side we swapped in a MultiLink rear suspension and installed a comfortable hydropneumatic system all around for the smoothest ride possible. The interior is fully rebuilt by hand and features high-grade materials all around, and includes the latest and greatest technology at your fingertips.
DRIVABILITY
Due to the new all-wheel drive system, user-friendly advanced automatic gearbox, ESC, electric variable power steering, perfectly tuned brakes, and modern safety features, the car is extremely easy to drive and safe to handle.
PERFORMANCE
The original engine of the car has been retained, but has been rebuilt and retuned by the Mons Racing team. The 1.7L B-4 engine now runs much smoother, quieter, and more energy efficient, while producing 2.5 times as much power as the original. Thanks to many off-road oriented components, this bus is also fully ready to take on any trails you might want to take during your cross-country treks and camping trips. You will not get stuck in the mud at Woodstock 3, that’s guaranteed!
Mr. Richards, please find attached photorealistic renders of our vision for your VW T2 and detailed specifications. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mons Customs
Under the hood
Mons Racing has rebuilt and retuned the original 1.7L boxer-4 engine of your T2 with a special attention to power and smooth operation, while keeping fuel economy in mind. The engine now provides 152 HP and 164 Nm torque, while the bus now manages 21.4 MPG (or 11.0 L/100 km). The power plant has also been repainted with the valvetrain cover painted in the same orange as the bus itself.
The engine is mated to a six-speed advanced automatic gearbox, which feeds power to all four wheels through a modern all-wheel drive system. The off-road capability of the bus is maximized through a manual locker differential, power is kept on the pavement (or dirt) with off-road tires, and the suspension has disconnecting sway bars at the push of a button. The oversized and well-vented brakes provide ample stopping power in any condition and any load.
Exterior
Mons Customs has aimed to retain as much of the original look of the T2 as possible. We opted to keep the original paint, but removed any mold and rust patches, and weather sealed the exterior to prevent further paint and panel degradation. We think that the original look of your bus, including its weathered look, is a homage to all the memories you have built in it, and it would be a sin to erase that.
There are, however, very subtle changes made to the exterior of the bus. All lighting has been swapped to modern bright LEDs, providing ample and safe illumination even on the darkest of nights on back-country roads. We have repainted the rims and sealed them as well for further weather protection.
In terms of functionality, we have installed electronic steps that extend below the doors to provide ease of access to the interior, and retract during driving. We have installed hand grips on the sides of the vehicle to provide access to the largest exterior feature: the expandable roof!
The expandable roof creates more headspace inside, so now you can stand up and move around with ease. It also lets in extra light, and extra air if the windows are opened. There is also a side vestibule that can be erected over the side of the bus, to create a nice shaded patio when you’re camped out somewhere.
Lastly, with the increased towing capacity of the bus, we have added a towing hook, so you can always carry a trailer or camper on your long trips!
Interior
The Mons Customs team has taken painstaking care to make the interior of your T2 as practical as it is comfortable. In the trunk we provide a built-in fridge at the bottom, which you can load with anything you need to keep cold on a long trip. On top of the fridge, the cargo space is ample for all your luggage needs.
In the front, you have two comfortable captain’s chairs, and all the creature comforts that any luxury vehicle would be jealous of, including the latest in HUD technology and the best audio system available on the market today. All of this is packaged in a retro-modern look:
The rear interior has three configurations:
- The driving configuration. In this configuration the passenger seats all face forward, providing comfortable seating for seven people in the bus if you want to transport friends or family:
- The party configuration. In this configuration the middle passenger seats swivel rearward to face the rear bench. The table moves into position and can be expanded. There is a hidden record player with remote control that normally is housed under the middle console and under the front seats, but in this configuration it can be brought out to play your favourite records too!
- The sleeping configuration. When you travel with your wife, you can remove the middle seats, and the rear couch extends into a comfortable bed for you to sleep on.
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Wow!
I did have something that, now, won’t be gracing this post!
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You know, you could very much still have a shot at this! Engineering is still important, and there are plenty of ways to think outside the box and get more design ideas! I’d suggest looking at furniture or interior design for some more inspiration, since this is more like a house on wheels than your average car and there’s lots of unique stuff out there! Up to you if you want to continue building, but don’t feel discouraged! There are plenty of different ways to win an ARM. 
3 Likes
Yeah, I’d hate to see people not submit/post because what someone else has posted already. There are many ways to win. I have taken a risky approach by keeping the original engine and the original paint, and using those funds to maximize the engineering. But is it worth it? Who knows… only the client can tell. It could very well pay off to take either of those cost bumps for a better engine, or for better and more unique exterior looks. The beauty of this challenge is that there are so many options and trade-offs to choose from.
TLDR, I hope to see many posts and submissions, because I want to see peoples’ various interpretations of this challenge 
4 Likes
umm, i have no interior for my van, can i still submit it?
I mean, you can, but…
… so it’s probably a good idea to have one. Also, an interior in this round is not only important for the aesthetics, but also for the perceived practicality. Since we’re working with a 2-seater van, there is only so much that can be done with the practicality statistic. So in lieu of the stat, the judging will take into account the perceived practicality based on what lay-out you build (seats, beds, kitchenettes, TVs… you get the idea. Which was explained here: Automation RestoMod Chapter 8: Revisiting Woodstock (Reviews posted!) - #12 by HelloHi
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but if i’m god-awful at interiors and struggle to make a peel p50 interior look good than wouldn’t it be better to have no interior than a terrible looking one?
The difference is academic unfortunately. If you have no interior then you won’t win, but if your interior is cack, basic or unimaginitive enough you’ll also fail to win. But if you want your car’s engineering to be judged, regardless of your overall result, then it might be worth entering but you’d be at the mercy of the OP; you may get a blurb or two but most hosts only give, at best, a sentence before applying the instabin.
So, my 2c (and my strategy), I’d just sit out this round and wait for one that’s less fixture based if I were you.
Also, maybe you could whip up something for Cult of Personality II; no interior required, your car will be given a decent write-up and you can explore lore building without the hassle of intense competition!
The alternative would be to head to the Official Automation Discord, and see if anyone in the challenges channel would be interested in collaborating with you on an interior.
2 Likes
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.