Forgot the reminder yesterday about one week being left, so I do it today instead, a little less than a week now, so still some time…
I have one complete entry this far, from @ThatEpicBob .
48 HOUR REMINDER
Now it is really time to get your entries together. I still only have one entry and I hope I will get at least some more…
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2020 LG 49 ARVA P21
The P21 from Lightning Garage. It is carefully restyled with a lowered roofline, it have a completly remade leather interior with the latest elecronics. The original engine is swapped for a small modern V8.
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MONS CUSTOMS
Introducing the
“Natasha” ARVA P21 Nachalnyk
Dear Mr. Nachalnyk,
Please accept this letter as our formal offer to restomod your '49 Arva P21 Nachalnyk. It was a challenge we gladly took on - let the proposal speak for itself:
Engineering
For your car we chose to replace the old and ailing powerplant, and install one of our own. The new engine is a smooth inline-6 with just enough power to instill confidence, but not so much as to overpower the car. We mated the engine to a new AWD system and a sophisticated automatic gearbox, so this car will be a breeze to drive anywhere you might want to go. For even more comfort and handling, we installed the latest in power assists and driving aids too, and tuned the suspension for a perfectly comfortable and stable ride!
Exterior
The immediately obvious change to the P21 is the two-tone paint job, with a rich metallic dark green in the lower half, and a metallic grey for the canopy, giving the allure of a classic convertible while retaining the comfort and rigidity of the full cage. We blacked out all old chrome bits with our own special black chrome. On the side of the car you’ll see some body panel moulding to accentuate the sleek lines of the car. We also brought all lights up to modern standards, including a triple rear light cluster based on the design of the original. Last but not least, the retro-modern looking wheels round out the design.
Interior
The inside of the car received equal attention to detail as the outside. We ripped out the old bench seats, and installed four comfortable loungers. Of course only the best luxury materials and padding is used throughout, and all controls are of the highest modern HUD standards. In the centre console you will find two touchscreen controls as well. Don’t be fooled by the gear lever! It is a simple rotating dial on top to select your preferred automatic gears - it is simply there for nostalgic reasons to harken back to the old times…
In summary, we hope that you agree that this is the perfect restomod of your belowed P21, and hope to hear from you soon!
Sincerely,
Mons Customs
10 Likes
CLOSED!
I have full subs from:
@Riley
@ThatEpicBob
@cake_ape
@Ch_Flash
I have given some leeway for an ad from:
@moroza
INSTABINS
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My heart. Please.
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I am even better than Pontiac when it comes to “building excitement”. 
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Same.
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AESTHETICS
Davyd had now recieved e-mails from five restomod companies. After sorting out one using an exhaust manifold that wasn't deemed street legal even in post revolution Archana, only four remained.
ARVA P21 Nachalnyk ZRD
OK, the negatives first, at a first glance. A fake supercharger is a bit on the tacky side, and something I could have done without. Also, the flames. I don’t have anything against flame paintjobs per se, but in this case, they look a bit on the tacky side like the supercharger. A bit too much like if it was decals bought at the local gas station. Overall, paired with the style of wheels and the two tone paintjob, this look a bit like if it had been built as a concept car to promote the Road Burners line of toy cars. Not that I would necessarily call that a negative thing per se, but yeah, maybe not 100% what I was looking for.
What I really like, however, is how they reshaped the rear end. It reminds me of the ZZ Top Cadzzilla, a car that impressed me a lot in the 90s, but gives a more up to date appearance with its sleek LED graphics. The fenderskirts helps even more to give it a heavy, lead slead look that looks nothing like the stubby original, and yet somehow stays true to the shape. I also like how they incorporated more sleek versions of things like the door handles and the…well, the single brake light on the original, but probably it serves like a third brake light now.
Also, the front end stays true to the original, but with improvements like some halo DRLs that makes it look sinister, and sleek turn signals recessed into the front bumper. Many people would probably say that the hood vents are a bit on the chunky side, but I like them.
I only have nice things to say about the interior. It is minimalist without becoming boring or feeling cold, keeping the green colour but redoing it in leather and carpeting is a nice nod to the original, and one thing I really like is the sleek center console.
ARVA P21+N
The looks of this one can mostly be described in one word - stunning! The miles deep candy blue paintjob along with the tinted glass and “black chrome” finish on the details gives it a sinister look, the same could be said about the new headlamp rims that now surround classic Lucas 3-bar lights. The recessed door handles disappearing into the side trim is a nice, almost art deco touch. Is the new, square pattern grille more beautiful than the original, horizontal bars? Can’t say for sure, but it does not look out of place on the car.
The chopped roof and the fenderskirts, along with the lowered suspension gives it a fat leadsled look, and the classic spoked wheels (but in modern dimensions) further contributes to that look. Integrating a shark fin antenna in the ridge on the roof is nothing but a genius move. The sidepipes? Well, they aren’t out of the place on this car. Classic bullet mirrors also feels like the right choice, and the taillights kind of resembles the originals, but sits more flush.
If one should complain about something on the outside, it is maybe that the aerodynamic devices takes away some of the “classic” look - but with a top speed of almost 300 km/h it is understood that the 40s shape may need some help to not get airborne.
On the inside it has received a classic Grant steering wheel, a different but still period correct dashboards, black carpeting, black leather bucket seats all around with red seatbelts as a little accent in colour. It seems to be high quality work, and tastefully done with great attention to detail, not really anything to complain about here either.
LG ARVA P21
@Ch_Flash
Normally I like Lightning Garage’s cars but this isn’t one of them to be honest. My main gripe is the redesign of the front end - it literally looks like if it is sucking on a lemon now. I honestly don’t know about this exact shade of blue either - it’s subtle and tasteful, but at the same time I think that it is a bit boring. I also get the impression that the wheels are a tad on the big side in the arches. Also, it has a roof chop like the P21+N, but in this case the entire roof seems to be replaced with one from the last facelift in the early 60s where the split windows and ridge on the roof both had disappeared. That’s a drawback in this case, the 60s models are a lot less appreciated and sought after, for this exact reason.
But it still has some details I do appreciate. The light ramp in the rear, for example, and the integration of the rear tailpipes. The subtle arches on the fenders are a neat little detail too, as well as the hood- and fender vents.
I have seen worse, for sure, but styling wise Lightning Garage doesn’t really reach the levels of the other cars here.
The interior? Well, seems to be a nice craftsmanship here, but at the same time I think that there is kind of a clash between old and new here, while it has nothing special to offer. Overall, this reflects this car rather well, I think. The styling of the other entries has more harmony, more thought put into their details.
MONS CUSTOMS ARVA P21 “NATASHA”
@cake_ape
To start with, I think that the green and silver combo makes the car look a bit top heavy. Maybe it would have been better off in just green, or just silver. Or if Mons had performed a roof chop like on the LG and P21+N.
I am not completely sure when it comes to the front either. That bumper looks a bit too much like something lifted from an 80s car for my taste. Other than that it has mainly retained its original look, albeit with blackened out chrome trim (not sure if it matches all that well together with the green), and halo headlights.
The reshaping of the sides feels a bit over the top, much work for a doubtful result. The wheels are rather cool, though, even if I still prefer the spoked ones on the P21+N, and like the LG entry, I feel like they could have used a little less rubber, the wheel wells looks a bit full now.
I like the taillights (as long as I can get the Fiat Brava out of my head, lol), but maybe they should have stopped there without adding the extra trim pieces since I am not too sure about them.
All this complaining, though? Do I actually think that the Mons proposal is an ugly car? Nah, the overall impression of it is still OK, but there are some things that I guess could have been done differently.
I must say then that i like the inside a lot better. An interesting reinterpretation of the original, with modern materials and technology. The stock dash have received modern instruments and is upholstered in leather, there are now four bucket seats in perforated leather, and the car now features lots of modern technology on the inside. Still in green, though, as a nod to the original.
TO BE CONTINUED…
8 Likes
The taillights were a last-minute revision when the WIP turned out to look a lot like the Mons. Pure coincidence, but I didn’t want it to look like plagiarism. Here was the original:
Never did show the interior. I threw it together after staying awake way too long, and couldn’t remember what it looked like. The belts are supposed to be a copper orange shade.
3 Likes
Sorry for being a bit late on this. It was really hard to choose a winner since two cars ended up being very close, but in very different ways. After thinking things over, I have decided on a winner now, so only the writeup is missing, should not take too many days.
FINAL JUDGING
Aesthetics was of course an important part of this, but beauty is nothing without brains, they say. After a little break, Davyd decided to look a little more in depth on the specs of the cars, also, doing a simulated test drive of them all, that at least should give a little hint about how they would behave on the road...
ARVA P21 Nachalnyk ZRD
The engine in this car is nothing but a beast, a naturally aspirated 8.3 litre V10 with 527 hp. That makes the car the fastest accelerating one - but it also means that the fuel economy is at an abysmal 21.6 litres per 100 km, and that have passed acceptable amounts by far, especially when comparing to the other proposals. It is mated to an 8 speed advanced auto and a multi link rear axle with a viscous diff. It now has 4 wheel disc brakes - maybe a bit surprising to have non-vented single piston units up front, but if it works, it works. The power steering is of the variable electric type, and it has ESC, as well as semi active dampening and sway bars, which all in all makes it an easy car to drive, and yet fast and fun. The safety has gotten a rather massive upgrade, more than any other entry.
At least judging by the simulation, it could not be said that there are any major flaws in this car, when it comes to driving. It should probably be rather comfortable with its 4 seater premium interior and premium HUD infotainment, even though the suspension setup is firm, and It has very gentle driving characteristics considering its performance, brakes have good balance and not too much problems with fading, it is also the cheapest of them all to buy at $26000. But there are no free lunches, and the fuel economy (which was already mentioned) can not be justified, neither can the high service costs of $2581.3.
ARVA P21+N
One out of two builds that barely makes into the budget limits. With “only” 400 hp out of its 4.4 litre V12, acceleration suffers a bit compared to the ZRD, on the other hand it has its speed limiter at a less restrictive 300 km/h, compared to the ZRDs 249 km/h. Like the ZRD it now has a multilink rear suspension, in this case with a helical diff, and the gearbox is a 6 speed manual. It has vented disc brakes all around, as well as ABS, as its only driving aid added. Another area where it is simpler than the ZRD is the steering - a regular hydraulic power R&P. Also, the safety equipment has hardly been updated compared to the original, and the infotainment system is a bit simpler than in the ZRD.
Driving it in the simulation, it feels a bit less like a modern car than the ZRD, for the better and for the worse - you’re less insulated from your surroundings, and it feels “sportier” - just not as easy to drive or comfortable. But the handling is rather similar to the ZRD, gentle, and pulls just under 1 G. The brakes are better balanced and the fading is non-existant here.
Also, even if it is one of the most expensive proposals, it is surprisingly sparse on the fuel drops at 9.6 litres per 100 km. At $1360, service costs are almost half the ones of the ZRD too.
LG ARVA P21
This vehicle is powered by a 305 hp, 4 litre, SOHC 16 valve V8, with VVT and a rather noticeable implementation of VVL. It lacks a little bit in performance comparing to the two previous entries, but not enough to disturb. On the other hand, while a 10.9 litre per 100 km fuel consumption isn’t necessarily bad, it is still a bit disappointing when the P21+N could do with over a litre less, despite its more powerful engine. The rear suspension is now a double wishbone unit, but only with an open differential. A 6 speed automated manual is not the most obvious choice of transmission, but it works if it works, I guess.
Like the P21+N, it lacks variable steering, but it is converted to R&P with hydraulic power assist, and it has both ESC and launch control. It also has vented discs all around, and while the safety equipment isn’t as extensively updated as in the ZRD, it’s still a noticeable bump there. The price is sane at $26400, so are the service costs at $1400.8.
The upgrade in comfort should be noticeable compared to the original, while having a slightly practicality premium by keeping the bench seats, but driving it in the simulation revealed a car that was feeling a bit more “bland” up to a point, than the ZRD or P21+N. Up to a point, since this car has problems with terminal oversteering. Also, the brake balance felt very much off, with overpowered rear brakes, albeit with no fading problems. But to sum it up, this car really wasn’t without its flaws.
MONS CUSTOMS ARVA P21 “NATASHA”
This car has the smallest engine of them all, only a 2.5 litre inline six. 216 hp is of course not bad, but of course it still means that the performance isn’t really up to the others. Fact is, it is even a bit slow by the standards of today, but of course it is an improvement over the original, though this more serves the role as a cool cruiser than something you blow the doors off sports cars with. With a 24 valve layout and VVL, the engine is fully modern and it also shows in the fuel economy that is the best of all the cars - 9.5 litres per 100 km - but it is honestly speaking not that impressive when the V12 P21+N manages 9.6.
Connected to a 5 speed advanced auto, that’s not really anything amazing by the standards of today but it does its job well. The main driveline upgrade is instead the addition of a helical AWD system. The rear axle is changed to a multilink unit. It has vented discs up front and solid ones in the rear, electric variable steering and ESC. Safety wise, it sports similar upgrades to the Lightning Garage entry.
It is absolutely not a corner carver compared to the other entries, the simulation said, and combined with the front-biased AWD system, (relatively) low power output and automatic transmission, this is maybe not the most exciting car in the world to take out on a twisty mountain road. Instead, it is hilariously easy, relaxing and effortless to drive. The AWD also means that it is the only car in the quartet that can tackle bad roads, like, at all. Also, the comfort should be fantastic with its 4 seater luxury interior, luxury HUD infotainment system and comfort tuned suspension. That also means that the whole budget is eaten up, but at $1317.10 the service costs are sane.
FINAL RESULTS
4.- @Ch_Flash
A car that unfortunately not only had some engineering flaws, like terminal oversteering, it also had rather mediocre stats, spare for practicality where it did shine. To top that off, the aesthetics were not really what I felt the client was looking for, and I was not keen about them myself either, despite usually loving your designs. Oh, well, you can’t please everyone every time.
3.- @Riley
A car that had quite good stats overall. Hot wheels aesthetics - well, you did them great and I can see how you were thinking, I just didn’t feel that they were totally what the client was looking for. However, the terrible fuel economy and service costs just wasn’t worth it this time, making this a clear third place, if it had been a little more economical, judging would have been even harder.
2.- @cake_ape
Most stats were great - spare for sportiness and performance. That especially goes for the driveability stat - where you moved the goalposts somewhere where the other cars could not reach them, but it was also the only car that had something resembling offroad performance. The main gripe is that I feel that the aesthetics were a bit out of scope this time.
1.- @moroza
The only car more or less nailing the aesthetics part! Sportiest and one of the fastest entries, but worst driveability, safety and comfort. It is still the winner, and it wasn’t the easiest decision this time. The fourth and third place was obvious, but your car and Cake’s were great in totally different ways. I was all the time leaning towards your car as the winner, but Cake’s was too good to just throw away. Running them through a spreadsheet looking to see how they improved compared to the original, counted for the weighting of stats, they were more or less equally improved - but in very different ways.
Finally, maybe as a joke, I said to myself that “Moroza’s car is obviously better at being a street rod, but worse at being a Corolla” - but that made things very obvious TBH - what was the brief and which car got closest to it? ARM is after all not a challenge that should focus only on “brrr green numbers go up” - and I know that you’re not working that way, Cake, so it should not be taken personally, but you probably know what I mean. Speaking of “green numbers go up”, both cars had some amounts of stuff that could have been seen as minmaxing/cheese in a CSR or similar. Moroza by using a bit of negative quality and keeping some things basic to be able to squeeze more stuff in. Cake by moving the goalposts on some stats far enough to afford to lose on others. But since this is ARM I don’t care - it is after all about tailoring a car for a specific customer, which means some things could be sacrificed to improve others.
So, congratulations, Moroza, on your first ever ARM win!
8 Likes
For the most part, I wasn’t chasing numbers; I specced the car as I would want it myself. The game may give drivability points for the alphabet soup of electronic nannies in modern cars, but I personally eschew it IRL and set up this car accordingly. That it saved money better spent on the important stuff - chassis and engine - was a bonus, with the ongoing hope that Davyd was indeed looking for a capable and reasonable hotrod, not a Corolla.
Negative quality = we used some junkyard parts, ok?
The Hot Wheels’ rear is hot, but how that monstrous engine - nearly double the DCMW crate engine in mine - somehow leaves it over half a second slower to 100 is baffling.
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Well, appears like it worked well, right?
Indeed. ARM30 will be up within a couple of weeks.
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Thanks again for hosting @Knugcab and congrats to @moroza for your first ARM win - well deserved! You’re right Knugcab, I went on a bit of a numbers-chasing expedition, exactly because I struggled so much with the aesthetics on this one. I kinda went down the blind alley of body moulding and then got stuck. I could not touch moroza’s aesthetics, that thing is just superb. So yea, my only hope was stats, but as you say, that is not all ARM is about 
.
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