Depends on if I can make it work inside the budget or not…
Also: someone didn’t clone before working on their car. Or they’d still have the original to reference 
Yes, I know I forgot but that can still be done afterwards. 
Regarding interiors, I suppose the stock one is made to be shown with hidden chassis and that a new interior could be done with that in mind without getting any penalties? Since I doubt the accelerator pedal is supposed to be inside the transmission tunnel?
Ah, yes, absolutely. If it imports without the chassis hidden, it should be. You can make it visible and build around it, but the original car should have it hidden.
24 hour warning for y’all. Get your entries in before it’s too late!
COLLIS CELER SAFETY CAR BY LMJ DESIGN
The Celer is after 30 years becoming a classic. Our choice was to not mess too much with the exterior. We did, however, tidy it up a bit, flared the arches to fit wheels capable of handling the higher speeds, gave it some racing touches like a side vent and a louvered hood, and of course, as was the customer’s wish, a highly visible paintjob. Very subtle spoilers helps giving downforce.
The Celer was a capable gran turismo of its day, but we did some tweaks. Keeping an inline six under the hood was a no brainer, but it is now a turbocharged IP 6BR engine, tuned to 384 hp. Rack and pinion steering increases the feedback through the track. A brake upgrade with huge vented discs all around was a must.
The interior was upgraded to modern safety standards and tidied up a bit - it was, after all, quite beautiful in its original iteration (OOC: Or maybe I didn’t have the time to do more than this, lol).
At LMJ Design, we are thankful for the honour to have been asked to make a proposal for such a prestigeous and important vehicle as this one.
2 Likes
Ok, so the Ellisbury open beta just dropped. With the ARM deadline just 5.5 hours away, I am (perhaps obviously) keeping this on the stable version, so for those still looking to submit, please keep your games on the stable version until you’ve submitted. I’ll judge these cars on stable, THEN I will switch to the open beta for future challenges.
Sparky Tognetti's Auto Body and Repair Collis Calamity
Hello dear track organizers, attached you will find my proposal for your new track safety car. I’ve tried to keep the original feel of the Celer while also giving it the sleek, dazzling veneer of the 1980’s. Looking at what is becoming popular in the world of hot rodding, I’ve decided to go for a Pro Street look for the Collis. The detailing has been toned down for a monochrome look, the head and tail lights have been modernized and frenched into the bodywork, and color accented tri-spoke 16" wheels have been fitted.
Under the hood, the original two litre straight six has been retained, but reworked. A new alloy cylinder head with variable valve lift technology has been fitted, allowing for better breathing characteristics. This has been mated with multi-point fuel injection with individual throttle bodies for better response and performance. And lastly a single stage turbocharger pumps 14.5psi of boost into the cylinders. This all totals to a mill that cranks out 360 horsepower and 306 foot pounds of torque while screaming to 7500 rpms!
The rest of the car has also been upgraded to handle this power. Modern rubber, four wheel multi-piston disc brakes, a fully enclosed under tray, and adjustable air bag suspension to name a few. This allows the Calamity to hit 60 in five seconds, the quarter mile in 13, and reach a top speed of 188 miles per hour!
As for the interior, I’ve covered that as well. The rear seats seemed unnecessary for a track car, so they have been removed. A modern dashboard, door cards, steering wheel, and seats allow for a more comfortable and safe ride. And as you have requested, a CD player and light bar have been included.
The estimated cost for this build is 39,800 AMU. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this proposal and hope you pick the ride that best fits your needs!
-Sincerely, Sparky Tognetti
4 Likes
The challenge is now closed for submissions. I received four submissions so results should come pretty soon. Stay tuned
@Maverick74 @Knugcab @Ch_Flash @Ludvig
Reviews Pt. 1
…somewhere, in a fictional country…
…on a rainy Monday morning…
Lawrence sat down at his office desk in high spirits. Looking out the window he could see that the construction on the raceway was coming along nicely - making the deadline for the 30th anniversary race would not be a problem. Ever since the jubilee race was announced, there has been a festive mood around the office and people seemed extra motivated.
Despite the rare dreary weather, this promised to be a fun day for Lawrence. Today he will be the first to see the proposals for next year’s safety car. With great anticipation he looked at the four large envelopes his secretary brought in earlier in the morning, and started looking for his engraved silver letter opener.
First impressions
After opening each of the envelopes, Lawrence took a quick glance at each proposal to get a feel for what he was dealing with. To his delight, each proposal seemed to be quite different from the other. From the base colours of the cars to their engineering, there was a lot of diversity in this small line-up. He could immediately see that this will not be an easy choice. Each car had some important strengths, but he could also see that they were each also flawed in their own ways. He’ll have to weigh the pros and cons carefully. He fired up his brand new Commodore PC 60-III and started taking some notes. He was dreading it, but he also made use of Quattro Pro, the latest in spreadsheet software technology recently installed on most company computers.
Aesthetics
- Lightning Garage.
This car comes in a very nice dark blueish-purple flake paint that suits the build well. It is not exactly high-vis, so cannot give full points for that. The front fascia of the car was changed subtly: more modern light fixtures take the place of the original recessed units, the front grille is replaced by a similar looking replica, but it has a subtly different shape and the grille bars now run horizontally vs the Celer’s characteristic vertical bars. The chrome bumper is painted over with the purple paint, but the nudge bars are left chrome. The required auxiliary light is a tacked on rectangular unit. The hood features two extra vents on either side. Overall, the changes are quite tastefully done, and the car only loses minor authenticity points here.
The side of the car also receives minor changes. The fender flares look aggressive and sporty, but aren’t over-cooked and add to the overall aesthetics. The chrome around the original side vent is removed, leaving only the central bar, which suits the more modern look quite well. The door handle is golden - the only golden accents on the car aside from a few leftover screws on the front fascia, which makes them look out of place. The rims are modern, yet suit the car well.
Looking at the rear, some of the taillights have been reworked, but retain their original aesthetic. Here too much of the original chrome has been removed, lending the car a more modern look. The curved spoiler is very tastefully incorporated into the design. The square exhaust tips are a minor change from the original, and not necessarily one that suits the overall design in this case.
This car is commended for a creative implementation of the rooftop safety car light bar and the extra set of red lights mounted to the roll cage in the rear window. Visibility will not be an issue.
The decals on the car are a mixed bunch. The “Official Safety Car” decals on the side of the car and the beacon, and the “Fictional & Legendary Racetrack” both on the side and windshield are brilliant. The large “30” on the hood and rear quarter - although it is easily understandable why they are there - could also be confused with a racing number, and are not desirable. The “flame squiggle” or whatever that sticker is on the rear of the car is outright offensive and doesn’t suit the build and purpose of the car at all.
The interior of the car is subtly updated. The original dash is retained, but the wood panelling is covered by blue leather and certain panels are replaced by lightweight carbon fibre. A modern dash with digital gauges is mounted into the centre of the dash, so the original gauges in front of the driver are retained. It is not quite clear where the radio and communications equipment will be housed. The steering wheel is replaced with a very futuristic unit. Similarly, the seats are hyper-modern. The roll-cage and provided fire extinguisher is very nice.
Quick notes: The subtle, but important changes to the front fascia were probably not worth it. The rear spoiler is fantastic. Colour and decals are a mixed bag. The interior has some nice touches, but also some anachronistic touches. Overall, changes are minor and subtle. Looks a bit like a souped-up police car from the movies.
- Helas Customs.
This car is immediately striking with a beautiful two (three?) tone paint job. The gold and blue play off each other really well and the gold paint is bright enough to have some of the desired high-vis characteristic. The red stripes hearken back to the original Celer’s colour and add a nice accent to the car. The front auxiliary lights match the overall aesthetic of the mostly untouched original aesthetic of the car, which is much appreciated. In fact, this car changes very little about the original car - it adds to it with a quite aggressive aero package. The modern front spoiler i s nicely integrated into the old design with a retro-looking vent/grille separating the old and the new. On the side the fender flares are more subtle, yet are highlighted by a chrome strip, adding to the car’s original chrome details. The side skirt equally adds a more sporty look to the car. The rear diffuser, however, is perhaps a little too much in its current iteration, and doesn’t quite suit the car. It indeed feels less integrated into the design; rather it feels forced and tacked-on. The lack of cutout or space for the exhaust is also cause for concern - is this a fire danger perhaps? The large rear wing is perhaps a divisive choice too. It is not outright offensive, but does it suite the car? Its upright is rather thick and bulky, yet the wing seems thin and flimsy. It certainly feels very after-market. So while the front and sides of the car are very tastefully done, the rear is more controversial.
The rooftop beacons are well crafted and integrate well into the overall design. The single and simple “Safety car” decal on the doors of the car are tastefully implemented and are clear without being intrusive. Lastly, the chosen rims are modern and suit this car quite well.
The interior of this car looks at first glance quite stock. The original wood-panel dash is retained, even the old radio is still present. The main gauges in the dash are replaced however with a digital display unit. The centre console now houses a large box saying that it is a radio, but also functions as the air heater control. The front seats are replaced by hyper-modern race bucket seats, and the rear seats are retained.
Quick notes: Kept most authentic elements intact, and only added to the car rather than changed. Front and side are great, rear is questionable. The interior is a mixed bag: good attempt at modernizing the old dash and incorporating a radio, but the seats are anachronistic, and a lack of roll-bar is detrimental. Looks a bit like a jet fighter meets zamboni.
OOC: I will add that I super appreciate the nod to the Letaran flag with your colour scheme. On a personal level I want to say it was noted and super well done! But as much as I love it, in fairness to those who are not intimately familiar with all LHC lore, I need to keep ARM and LHC at arms length when it comes to scoring. There was a reason why Letara/Lerance Raceway were not directly mentioned in the brief, as I could not assume prior knowledge for all potential participants. So I could not take your car’s hint to LHC into account for scoring.
- LMJ Design.
This car really pops with its bright yellow paint! When it comes to high-vis, a car cannot get any more conspicuous and prominent than this. The colour might not suit the car that well, but it certainly will be noticed at the front of the pack, which is ultimately the main purpose of this car. LMJ made numerous changes to the bodywork of the car. Starting at the front, the secondary reflector is replaced by a vent, and a new sleek light is installed under the repainted and thinned bumper; the nudge bar is removed. There are numerous vents on the hood. There are new small vents in between the old c-pillar vents, and a large vent is in front of the rear wheel arches. There are even small vents built into the trunk lid under the small spoiler. Indeed, this car has so many vents and holes that it feels more like Swiss cheese.
Other changes include aerodynamic mirrors that suit the car well. The car has minor fender flares, just enough to be noticeable, but functional nevertheless. The exhaust tips are replaced with smaller rectangular ones integrated into the body work in line with the repainted and thinned bumpers.
The blackout racing rims certainly suit this car well as they add to the overall bumblebee colour scheme. The decals are quite tasteful with the large “Safety” decal on the trunk and rear quarter of the car, the double racing stripes, and smaller font for the venue and event. One gripe is that the racing stripes do not cover the front brake vents, leaving an awkward gap in the continuous stripe. And perhaps the front of the stripes could have been finished a bit more elegantly, but that is a minor gripe.
The rooftop beacon light has all requisite light modes, but it would have benefited from being symmetric. Having the red light in the middle is fine, but yellow on one side and green on the other seems a little odd.
Looking at the inside, it seems like LMJ didn’t put much effort into modernizing the interior. It is mostly stock with the exception of era-appropriate sports seats and a roll-cage. There is no hint as to where the radio and other safety car related electronics would go.
Quick Notes: Not the most pretty paint, but very high-vis as requested. Too many vents, but mostly coherent design front to back, even if not the most pleasing to the eye. Lack of interior design is a let-down. Looks a bit like a surprised yet angry bee.
- Sparky Tognetti.
Last but not least is the largely pink design by Sparky Tognetti. The base colour of this car is certainly eye-catching in hot pink, but perhaps it is not the most suitable as a safety car. The pink covers many old chrome surfaces too: bumpers and nudge bars are all painted pink. The car does have a lively livery with a thick white stripe down the side, and lines and swoops made from grey, teal, orange, and gold. A similar pattern is repeated on the hood of the car. While it certainly looks good, it would have been great to know the meaning behind the colour choices (if there is any). Does the gold-orange-teal pattern perhaps represent the yellow-red-green lights? The text decals on the side of the door certainly get the message across what this car is, but the font somehow does not suit the car nor the design.
This car made some significant changes to the looks of the original. Gone are the original round headlights and are replaced by modern rectangular units. They look surprisingly very good, but are certainly not authentic. The hood receives a large scoop. Further on the front there is a very stylish and well-integrated front splitter and rectangular auxiliary lights, which make much sense with the replaced headlights. The mirrors are replaced with sleek modern units. The chrome around the side vent is retained, but the centre chrome bar is removed. Perhaps removing or painting the whole chrome surround would have been a good idea, as the chrome does clash with the paint job. The fender flares are quite subtle on this car. Some elements have been removed or made almost invisible. The gas cap is replaced with a sleek modern door and the vents on the C-pillar are gone. This is all fine, but the door handle is gone too - are drivers supposed to enter through the window? Looking at the roof, the beacon is well crafted and will do a great job for safety car purposes.
Moving to the rear of the car is a little bit of a disappointment. The only major change here is the replacement of the original round tail light cluster with a squinty modern unit that unfortunately does not suit the car. Other than that, very little seems to have been changed. But looking lower the overly wide rear tires are very apparent.
Moving to the inside, the modernization theme continues. This car completely rips out the original interior, and replaces it with a modern black plastic unit. Indeed, the whole interior is replaced: dash, centre console, shifter, parking brake lever, door cards, seats - everything. There is even a modern CD player installed in the dash. Although not authentic, this is certainly something drivers would feel instantly comfortable in. One questions remains with this car too: where does the safety car radio go?
Quick notes: The most radical re-design of the car. Pink is questionable, but the stripes are fantastic. Front looks great, but the rear is ugly. Interior is fully modernized. Looks like a cotton-candy drag racer.
After compiling his notes, Lawrence hit <save> for the thousandth time and leaned back in his chair. Glancing out the window he noticed that the rain had stopped and the sun was peeking out between the clouds. He needed to clear his head for a bit, so decided to take a walk around the lake in the infield of the track.
To be continued…
4 Likes
@Maverick74 @Knugcab @Ch_Flash @Ludvig
Reviews Pt. 2
…somewhere, in a fictional country…
…on a sunny Monday afternoon…
After his walk Lawrence sat down behind his desk refreshed and ready to work on his spreadsheet. The proposals each contained a lot of useful information about the cars, but he still had to compile it into a useful format for himself. He had this special gift: as he looked at rows and columns of numbers, he could envision the cars as they drove around the circuit - he could anticipate how they would behave, how they would feel to a driver. This is why they hired him, this was his true calling. After a sip of coffee, he went straight to work.
Engineering and performance
- Lightning Garage.
To start under the hood, this car keeps the original Celer engine, but replaces the head with a four-valve ally unit with built-in VVT technology. The fuel system is upgraded to an MPEFI system with individual throttle bodies, and air is rammed into the engine through a single twin-scroll turbo. The overall power output of the unit is 320 Hp. There is noticeable turbo lag. This is the only car in the line-up opting for the 98-RON gasoline, but for some reason the engine is tuned for 98.8 RON, making it unreliable due to frequent knocking.
The car promises to be very easy to handle, yet has excellent sporty cornering characteristics. Its brakes are powerful and reliably stop the car at 33.6 m without fade. Top speed is the lowest of the four at 258 km/h. Acceleration is also lacking: 5.8 s 0-100 km/h and 17.1 s 0-200 km/h. Despite a lack of straight-line speed, its handling makes up for this as the car is the second fastest in simulated track runs, clocking in at 6:40.48 around the race track.
Drivers are kept in relative comfort in sports seats, and are aided in their driving by power steering, ABS, and traction control. The steel tires and open diff are notable for being sub-par options in this line-up.
Quick notes: Slow in a straight line, but good cornering performance. Poor reliability. The fuel tuning issue is a let-down. Overall a very good all-rounder.
- Helas Customs.
Under the hood this car keeps the original Celer powerplant, including the original head - so there will be fewer issues showing this one off with the lid open. The engineers did manage to squeeze in a VVT system, and they also added a single twin-scroll turbo to the engine, so the engine bay is not exactly stock. Add to that the modern MPEFI system with individual throttle bodies, and not much surrounding the original engine is stock anymore. This car manages 313 HP, but power delivery is much smoother and predicatable, with minimal turbo lag.
The car should be nearly as easy to handle as the Lightning Garage proposal, but with a slightly more pedestrian suspension tune it cannot keep up in the corners quite as well. What it lacks in cornering, it can almost make up with straight-line speed: 4.8 s 0-100 km/h and 16.3 s 0-200, and a top speed electronically limited to 270 km/h. Stopping power is nearly as impressive at 35.0 m without any fade. So with different strengths and weaknesses, it is no surprise that track times are very similar: 6:44.54 around the track.
This is the only car that kept the original’s second row of seats and the interior is of the heavier and more comfortable luxury kind (which belies the sports bucket seats in the promo pictures received). Despite the better safety package in the car, it is rated marginally the least safe - perhaps due to the inclusion of the second row. In terms of driver aids, the car is without power steering, but has ABS. The magnesium wheels are nice, but perhaps a little pricey for what they offer in weight savings.
Quick notes: Not quite as fast, but on par with the Lightning Garage proposal. Better reliability. The luxury interior with second row was perhaps not necessary. Still good all-rounder.
- LMJ Design.
This is the only car the replaced the original engine with a new power plant: a 3L I6 alloy block with matching alloy DOHC4 head, but with VVT technology only in the intake valve side. The larger engine is aspirated through twin turbos. Its MPEFI system is a single throttle body design compared to the individual throttle bodies of the others. The larger engine makes this the most powerful car of the four, with 385 HP. With the milder tune it also has a relatively smooth power delivery with minimal turbo lag in the lower power band.
This car is set-up for track use. It is by quite a margin the hardest to keep under control and is (marginally) the least comfortable. However, it makes up for this deficit with pure performance: the shortest braking distance of 33.3 m without noticeable fade, excellent cornering speed and stability, 4.4 s 0-100 km/h and 13.7 s 0-200 km/h. It doesn’t have the outright highest top speed, but 277 km/h should be plenty on any straight on the track. Speaking of which, it should complete a lap in 6:29.23, trouncing the other cars.
Looking at the driver’s side, it is really set up to be a track car: sports interior with two seats and no driver assists.
Quick notes: The most powerful and by far the fastest around the track. Hardest to handle of all. Sensible choices all-round to make it a good track car.
- Sparky Tognetti.
This car’s engine is very similar to the Lightning Garage proposal: original block and replacement alloy head with VVT, single twin-scroll turbo, MPEFI with individual throttle bodies. Some divergence is in the internals and the type of fuel used. But the minor changes in tuning make a big difference: this car makes 360 HP with a smaller turbo lag than the Lightning Garage - but worse than the other two.
The issue is how the car doesn’t manage to use its power. It is not very easy to handle and is slow in all scenarios that count around the track: the 43.4 m stopping distance is poor compared to the competition, and cornering with this car is nearly impossible due to a lack of grip (medium tires and disparate radius wheels like a dragster) and a suspension set-up favouring severe understeer at any speed. The car is just unbalanced. The one thing it has going for it is straight-line speed. Its acceleration 0-100 is decent at 5.0 s, and good 0-200 at 14.8 s. The top speed is very good topping out at 302.2 km/h - but it probably would’ve saved a lot of cost without affecting overall performance to limit the top speed at a more reasonable speed. Its predicted track time is 7:13.92.
Looking at the other engineering choices, it becomes apparent that this was not built to be a track car at all. Sure, it only has two seats, but they are of the luxury kind. The driver is aided by ABS. This is the only car with a fully clad bottom, making it faster in a straight line, but also costlier. And delving deeper under the skin, other interesting choices become apparent: this car has air suspension and adaptive dampers. These, combined with the medium tires, it is easily the most comfortable car - but also quite unreliable.
Quick notes: Very comfortable. Relatively fast in a straight line, but falters hard around any corner. Not very reliable.
After compiling the data and gathering his thoughts Lawrence summarizes his findings…
The Lightning Garage proposal is perhaps the best all-rounder of the bunch. It has good looks with a few minor faux-pas; certainly a car that would not be the shame of any photo-op. The interior is quite well crafted, but is missing some key pieces - but adds others. The engineering is pretty solid; only the fuel tuning is a major error.
The Helas Customs has the best looking paint job of all and the best front-end, but the rear is a bit of a let-down. The interior is also well crafted and at least shows the race control radio, but also lacks some key components, such as a roll cage. Engineering wise it is OK, but there are some questionable choices, such as the luxury interior and second row of seats.
The LMJ Design is not quite as good looking as the other two, but the Celer is still very recognizable. The high-vis paint - divisive as it is - is exactly the type of paint that was asked for. The interior design is quite lacking. Sure it adds key elements such as the sports seats and roll cage, but otherwise it has not been touched. Engineering wise the car is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to performance, but it is also the hardest to handle and is the least comfortable.
The Sparky Tognetti may have a slightly divisive design. It changes the Celer’s iconic looks the most, making it almost unrecognizable. Some parts are nicely detailed, while other parts seem rushed. The completely redone interior is nice, but could’ve used a bit more attention to detail. In terms of performance - this is a dragster or perhaps a muscle car. Not a car made for the curvy track. But, the drivers will be very comfortable sitting in it while they wait for the next safety car period.
Looking at his notes, Lawrence wishes that he could combine elements from all four cars into a final contract. Imagine that: a car with LMJ Design’s performance, Sparky Tognetti’s comfort, Helas Customs’ front design and paint, and Lightning Garage’s rear end and all-round ability? It would make for hell of a car! But here, only one can get the contract; only one can be the winner.
Final verdict:
The winner of ARM26 is LMJ Design!
Congrats @Knugcab! You have your first well deserved victory in ARM!
Runners up are (for hosting purposes):
2: @Ludvig
3: @Ch_Flash
4: @Maverick74
Thank you all for participating, it was another fun one! I’m happy to be back in ARM, and see y’all in the next round! 
6 Likes
Thanks! I must say that this was a kind of hard ARM to pull off, maybe because of lack of knowledge in the subject, and also, somewhat restricted time (on my side, deadline was fine). I would have liked to do more, mainly about the interior, and I really didn’t expect to win, so it was kind of a surprise.
Also, I am taking up hosting. I have a kind of special idea I think is going to be fun. But car is only halfway finished, and since the state of the OB and its stability still might be a bit vague, don’t expect ARM27 to be up tomorrow. But expect it in a not too distant future!
8 Likes
OK, I have roughly laid out a plan.
First, I’ll have to wait for @moroza to answer if the 1990 Archana challenge will be held in OB or stable to decide when I will do the switch. Meanwhile, I will finish the interior, since there are fixtures that will make a nearly authentic looking interior possible in this case, and I guess more people could be interested in customizing an existing interior than having to build one from scratch. When I am on OB, I will finish engineering on the vehicle. Then I will put ARM up with a little longer deadline than usual, so everyone will have time to do the switch, and maybe to iron out some bugs. In case a stats changing update will drop, resubs will be allowed, in case it drops the last week, deadline will be extended by a week. If an update changes the stats of the original car is of less interest since it has to be rebuilt anyway.
Any objections or suggestions?
2 Likes
Thanks for the update Knugcab! What you say re OB issues and timeline makes sense. This I would dispute however:
In my experience it’s not so much whether there is an existing interior or not. It’s more about general engagement - how invested do people feel in the round and/or their build. We got the most elaborate interiors in some rounds when the host didn’t provide one (e.g. the Caddy round or the Scout round come to mind), whereas I got hardly any work done on any interior in the previous round when I provided a detailed one. So I think it’s more about the brief and how well it resonates with the crowd, rather than an interior being present in the host car. That said, personally I prefer to see a nice one provided by the host, so carry on
I look forward to the next round!
1 Like
Well, since I have some extra time I thought I could as well do an interior, and I think that this round might be one when fiddling with the interior is also fun. That, and I realized that most of the fixtures for making an interior somewhat close to the original is actually available, so, there will be one present to fiddle with or leave as it is…
Anyway, Moroza said we are staying on stable, so I will look into this when I have finished the cars for that challenge. Just want to keep you updated that I will really host this even if it won’t happen immediately.
FWIW, I’ven’t forgotten about Interior Design Challenge 2, which will begin with one or more at least partial interiors provided.
I agree, and it was done purely for my own pleasure (and yours)
Ran out of time and ideas with the rear and interior. In hindsight a roll cage certainly makes a lot of sense in a safety car 
Congrats @Knugcab , regarding interiors if you can make a believable one it’s quite helpful for participants, especially if less experienced/patient. But if it’s fine as-is, some may not find it necessary to “restore”. Perhaps the previous owner did some tasteless interior upgrades that need to be purged?
1 Like
Well, to put it this way, my view on interiors in ARM is generally a small bonus for a good one, no deduction for a bad one, since I know interior requirements tend to scare people away. However, an already existing one might tempt someone to fiddle with it at least a bit, that otherwise wouldn’t have done anything at all.
Now, it was as much a try to see if I could replicate an existing interior somewhat close (I think so, since friends I have shown it to recognized it instantly), and believe me, there will be room for doing stuff even if you like what I have thrown in. Yes, this might contain hints. 
Up and running!