ARM Chapter 3: Scouting for the Perfect Restomod (HARVESTING COMPLETE)

[AMuteCrypt]

Bespoke Restomods proudly presents…

THE BRM MAX SCOUT

The world’s gone to hell in a handbasket. You need a car for post-apocalyptia.

BRM does not produce conventional cars. Famous for shoving a V10 into a VW golf and ricing it to the moon, BRM has now produced another mind-boggling design - the “Max Scout”. This car is inspired by the Mad Max series of movies, and it shows. The original scout is recognisable in form only - everything has been stripped out and rebuilt.

First, we have the power plant - a 4.3L turbo V8 producing 550 NM of torque, and 355 kW of power. With its heavy-duty internals, and performance-oriented per-cylinder direct injection fuel system, the end result is a near-bulletproof showpiece, mounted above the hood. To accomodate for this unconventional mounting system, the hood has been replaced with a split-hood design, hinging up and out to the sides instead of the front. This absolute screamer of an engine is mated to an advanced, modern automatic 4x4 transmission with a manually lockable differential, allowing it to take on any terrain.

This commitment to offroading extends to the underside and top of the car, as well. An exquisite off-road undertray protects your internals, and finely-crafted hydropneumatic suspension holds up the solid axle suspension, which has been lifted for maximal ground clearance. Thick, offroad-oriented Falcon tyres have been wrapped around 17" steel rims. All of this creates a car that is as comfortable off the road as it is on it. The “off-road accessory pack” on the roof helps too, with roof-mounted lamps, a storage rack and 2 additional fuel tanks, for those longer trips. If you need to stop, this scout has you covered with its large disk brakes.

The whole car has been updated to give a “Mad Max” aesthetic as well. Besides the engine paying homage to the original Interceptor, the car features reinforced, heavy duty hinges on the doors and rear, plus a hefty steel mesh in addition to all glass surfaces. They have also mounted two aerodydamic deflectors on the rear - again, a homage to the Interceptor. The car also has 8 side pipe exhausts - 4 on each end - with a mesh cutout helping the pipes stay secure.

The new scout also features revised head- and tail-lights, all sitting behind even more mesh. A brash new grille and an attention-grabbing badge also grace the front, while extra storage has been mounted on the back.

Perhaps most controversially of all, the panels have been completely replaced. The original rust-prone steel panels have been thrown away in favour of highly-corrosion resistent aluminium. Rather than paint over the aluminium and pretend it is original, they have opted to leave it exposed, proudly on display for all to see. The original chassis has been galvanised as well, for rust-proofing into the future. They are so confident in their work that they have offered a full guarantee against any corrosion for the rest of Brent’s life. BRM has also added a premium, modern interior, electric power steering, electronic stability control and all the latest and greatest in safety. The end result is a rather insane car - one which will cost 44 thousand dollars, and one which is probably poorly-suited to a 63 year old retiree. But who knows - maybe he will feel nostalgic for the pure insanity of the franchise. It’s certainly unique.

[HelloHi]

Just a quick friendly reminder to everyone that since February has 28 days, there are now only:

4 days left (not including today) until submissions are due!

I plan to start judging the submitted entries this weekend, so expect results to start rolling in soon after the deadline! No guarantees though…

[cake_ape]

Mons Customs

introducing the

Scout Badlands

ARM3 - Mons Customs Scout Badlands

Dear Mr. Stiles,

Please accept this letter as our formal offer to restomod your beloved International Harvester Scout. We understand your love for these vehicles and we share the sentiment. Therefore we aimed to preserve as much of the original vehicles as possible and gave them a refreshed, yet authentic look and feel. Additionally, we understand your desire to make the Scout a true offroad and overland vehicle. If you choose our custom shop, we guarantee the best adventure experience in your custom modded Scout that you can imagine!

Authenticity

It is important for classic cars to retain their value through the use of original parts. These cars can lose a lot of their value if numbers don't match. For our restomod we propose to use the chassis, panels, and engine block of the original Scout. It seems that the original paint cannot be salvaged, so the chassis and panels will be given an acid bath treatment to remove the old paint and impurities, thoroughly cleaned, and finally given a rich coat of paint - after weather treatment of course. The engine will similarly be stripped, cleaned, and rebuilt; only the block itself will remain original. As such the block and chassis numbers will match, retaining the classic value of the cars.

Performance

The original Scout was not known for overwhelming power, and we understand that the units are in poor condition. We will take the original engines and rebuild-retune them with a new DOHC head and direct injection to give suitable modern-day power, reliability, and fuel economy. The cars will be off-road focused with a true 4x4 drivetrain with manual locker, rock-crawling low-gear, and an easy to drive six-speed automatic gearbox. The rebuilt Scout will feature rugged off-road tires on sturdy 16" steel rims, have updated off-road suspension with disconnectable sway bars, and enhanced brake cooling. Additionally, modern driver aids and security features are added to aid drivability, making these cars not only great off-road, but also a dream to drive on city streets and twisty roads.

The extra mile

We went the extra mile, so that you can too! For those long off-road and overland trips we add several features, so that you can stay out longer, be comfortable doing it, and safely make it home. The scout features an external snorkel air intake, so you never get waterlogged during deep crossings. The floors have built-in drains, in case water gets inside. The interior is hand-made with all the luxury entertainment of the best-in-class luxury vehicles on the market, but is rugged enough for a daily hose-down and quick cleaning. We also include a modular back-end that will suit any and all trips into the back-country, be that single-day fair-weather drive, or a multi-week overland excursion.

Mr. Stiles, please find attached photorealistic renders of our vision for your Scout and detailed specifications. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Mons Customs

Under the hood and drive-train

Under the hood we kept the original 2.5L I4 engine from the original Scout, so that chassis and engine numbers still match. However the engine was rebuild from the ground up. It features a new DOHC4 header, new internal components, and direct injection. The end result is a healthy 218 HP at 7400 RPM and 248 Nm at 4300 RPM - enough to pull this Scout out of any sticky situation. The six-gear automatic is a pleasure to drive, while the 4x4 drivetrain with low-gear and manual locker provide true off-road capability. Despite the increased weight of the car and the off-road drivetrain, the Scout sips fuel: only 11 L/100 km

Interior

We gave the interior considerable thought and attention. We give you the latest luxury HUD technology at your fingertips and marry it to a completely hand-made interior finish for that ultra-upscale feel. Yet, this luxury is not just for show, it is functional. All surfaces are fully weather sealed and easy to clean - just take the hose and wipe it off.

Premium audio-visual entertainment is available throughout the cabin - you might want to watch a movie while lying in bed in the back. Ceiling-mounted lights provide ample lighting for even the darkest of nights in the wilderness. Fold-down beds in the rear are a comfortable space the sleep if the weather outside is truly terrible, or fold away neatly for more storage space. Alternatively, they can be converted into a bench and a table, if the occasion demands.

Exterior - the modular Scout

The exterior takes its design clues from the original Scout, but has been significantly modernized and made suitable for true overlander adventures. The rear end of the Scout is now fully modular. With the top removed, the scout is a great convertible for those sunny days in the mountains. With the top on, the Scout becomes a true all-weather beast that will withstand even the wettest or coldest conditions. The rooftop tent is removable for added fuel economy (not shown removed) - but when installed, it features a large solar panel to charge all your devices away from the grid.

The rooftop tent itself is also modular. There is a rear canopy that protects the area behind the rear doors, and can be used without the main tent. For true long trips into the back-country, the full rooftop tent can be added, which features the main tent and a ground-level vestibule (with a solid roof that can be used as a covered and raised patio for the rooftop tent). With the rooftop tent installed, the main cargo area’s beds can be folded away allowing for more supplies to be brought along for longer trips.

The electrically operated footstep allows for ease of access to the raised cabin of the Scout. The footstep automatically extends when the doors are unlocked and the car is parked, and automatically retracts as soon as the car is put in drive. The footstep lifts completely out of the way and when retracted it acts as the Scout’s rock rail - forming an integral part of the off-road undertray system.

Just some eye-candy

[HelloHi]

Well, with that, ARM3 is now officially closed!

Expect results to start coming out soon, hopefully tommorrow, but no guarantees!

[HelloHi]

Harvesting Results

I opened my inbox this morning, a little apprehensive but hopeful there would be some worthwhile proposals. After putting on my reading glasses and taking a quick sip of coffee, I was amazed to find ten thoughtfully assembled entries sitting there, ready to be opened! After looking through each car’s presentation carefully, I think I have a winner! However, I know the host has asked me to provide all the companies with feedback and results on how they did, so here they are, in order of finishing:

IT Scout “Yellow Python”

@bilobilo

When I first opened the email and presentation sent by IT for this one, I was immediately struck by the design, and it makes quite the statement! The yellow paint with red accents is bright and unique, and the octagonal inserts in the grill combined with the truck body style and a nicely modeled roll cage in the bed (although the side rollcage fixtures are quite questionable) create an aesthetic that, despite being too bold for my tastes, I still quite liked. I flipped on to the next slide of the presentation which had an assortment of important stats, curious what kind of other stuff had been done to the vehicle. A 8380cc V10 for $37,600? And it still manages 17mpg? Wow. 730hp is a little much, and a V10 is probably overkill for this car’s intended purpose, but hey! It’s a restomod! At least it would provide something to brag to my friends at the country club about, I thought… but there must be a catch. There is no way IT managed such a feat without there being corners cut. I snooped a bit more around the document, and realized exactly how. The steel panels of the car had been left untreated, for one, even though the chassis was galvanized. In a warmer, drier, less snowy place, would it be great that the authentic panels were left alone? Yes, but in this situation the car barely meets the minimum environmental resistance I asked for, and for Colorado, where the roads are salted, it simply does not work. But that isn’t even all this car skimped on. With by far the lowest offroad score here, no interior design shown anywhere and a comfort score so bad it would be more relaxing to sit on a pile of bricks, this car sadly doesn’t come anywhere close to making the cut.

BRM Max Scout

@IntoAMuteCrypt

Taking a sip of coffee, I opened the email for the next entry, clicked on the presentation attached, and when the image of the car loaded, I barely managed to keep from spitting the coffee all over my computer in shock! I stared at it for a moment, baffled as to why BRM would do such a thing to my Scout, and then went back to the email to read the explanation the restomodding firm had typed there. After reading it over, the entry made more sense, but that didn’t make me like it more. Why on earth would I want to spend $45k turning my perfectly nice looking car into something that looked like it had emerged out of an apocalypse? I could do that myself for a lot cheaper, even if I wanted to. Especially having never been interested in Mad Max or watched any of the films, this is not for me. I still decided to read further and find out what kind of engineering decisions had been made; and it was actually quite a pleasant surprise at first glance, with a good bit more offroad capability in the simulated tests than many of the other cars and the highest environmental resistance score in the group by a good margin. However, with both the engine and panels swapped, there is barely any original Scout left, absolutely murdering authenticity, and there are no shots of the interior anywhere to be found. This build is barely still the car I know and love, and it is not at all something I would want to own, so despite its’ aptitude in the rugged, snowy terrain of Colorado, this restomod is certainly not the one.

Harvester Scout by Treadkillers

@Mikonp7

As I opened the presentation, I saw a car that looked remarkably close to the original, with similar green paint and a relatively familiar, if slightly clunkier looking, fascia, with a nice light bar bumper, and confusingly for an offroad vehicle, a hood scoop. “Not much to write home about, but it isn’t really an improvement… maybe even a slight downgrade from the iconic original look,” I thought to myself. However, the hood scoop started to make a lot more sense as an included video from the company showcased the engine, a rather odd choice… an RB26 pulled from a Skyline. I scratched my head for a second, trying to figure out what the benefits might be to using a sports car engine in a truck meant for unpaved bits of trail. Confused but still optimistic, I let the video play out and show the dyno specs, among other stats. The price looked to be a bright spot- $35,700 means this is one of the most affordable cars here. Unfortunately, the video also showed that the powerband is a bit inconsistent, plus offroad capability and MPG are significantly lacking compared to other entries. Keeping leaf suspension front and rear was also a bit of an odd choice, which hurt everything from offroad capability to comfort. As I continued through the presentation, I realized that once again, there was no interior rendered in anywhere and no treatment on the steel panels! The price may be nice, but this car has some serious shortcomings that aren’t overcome by that factor alone. Sadly, this one just was significantly outshone by the other entrants… more on that later!

[bilobilo]

seems my IT scout didnt like the many many dogtape pieces i put on the body

i dont know if you got it like this, but it shouldnt look like what you got on your picture. seems like youre missing a lot of mods, or something went wrong. i have no idea. oh well not that it matters since it got binned

[mart1n2005]

Are you missing some mods? Mine looks like it’s missing at least the bull bar and roof lights from what I can see from the group photo

[cake_ape]

That certainly looks different. Although it wasn’t a requirement this time I think, usually it is required to post an “ad” of your submission on a thread. It is not only for eye candy, but often helps the host to see and make sure that the cars loaded properly and look like what they are supposed to. So even if it’s not a requirement of the competition, it is still a good idea to post a few pics.

I dig the real looks of the Yellow Python btw

[bilobilo]

thanks! and ill definently keep that in mind for next time!

[HelloHi]

Nope, although it would appear I am missing Dogtape (I have Patchwork, but not Dogtape it would appear). It has been well documented that the group photo had issues with fixtures loading (I mean, I don’t think the photo editor was ever meant to have that many cars in one place), but the other cars look fine in the individual shots. It is possible it is just my GPU or CPU running out of memory… no idea. That group photo was quite laggy, so that could be the issue. I do indeed have the mod that includes the roof lights and bull bars, don’t worry, the rest of the cars are fine! I will be downloading Dogtape, so if any other cars use it, that should be no issue!

[HelloHi]

Hmm, it would appear I already have the regular Dogtape NEGA, but I am missing the 4.24 compatible version. Well, that should be fixed now!

[cake_ape]

Just make sure that when importing the car is “green”, then everything should be fine.

[HelloHi]

Harvesting Results, Pt.2

Sparky T’s Customs Baja Scout

@Maverick74

When I saw this one pop up in my inbox, the name intrigued me, and so it was the first one I clicked on. “Baja” can mean a lot of things, so I was quite curious just how the concept would be taken; would it be a stripped out offroad racer, a Mexican-inspired truck or something else entirely? One the presentation opened, a wall of specs appeared on my screen along with the title at the top, price front and center. $32,790?! Wow, that is fantastic! Wanting to find out the answer, I naturally skipped past the rest of the specs and flipped to the next page- there it was! It reminded me of something I would take to the beach, with its creamsicle-orange paint job and no doors or roof. The look wasn’t substantially changed from the original, but the Scout sure does look good in that configuration. I’d assume there would be some sort of fabric panels available for colder days, but especially considering Colorado winters and how they can get, I had the feeling this might be a 3-season type of car, since fabric isn’t particularly insulatory. Maybe they offer a removable Jeep-style roof and doors, making it good for both warm days and cold weather? Upon starting to click through to other pages and search for that, a few pages further in I spied for a brief second an interior! I quickly clicked back, curious what had been done on that front. However, I was incredibly disappointed by what I saw: it looked like it had been salvaged from my neighbor’s 2010 Camry, and the specs table only supported that tidbit, listing a standard infotainment system and basic infotainment! Considering this wasn’t hyped up in the ad as “easy to clean”, and nothing about it seemed intentionally built to sustain extra wear and tear, this didn’t exactly improve my opinions of this car. Unfortunately, beyond drivability and pricing, there is barely anything this car excels at: the car heavily lacks in comfort (hmm… I wonder why…), and is around average everywhere else. For the price? There is another entry that manages to eclipse this car’s stats everywhere, and for even cheaper.

G’s Project Scout Adventure

@george_m997

It was a bit later in the morning by the time I looked at this one, so as I munched on toast and eggs and opened the presentation for the Project Scout Adventure, I was starting to feel like I might have made up my mind. However, upon opening this car, I was very pleasantly surprised by what I saw- something that heavily reminded of a heavily hyped recent release, the 2021 Ford Bronco, but in a very good way. The design of this car is definitely one of my favorites- not the most unique or thoroughly detailed one, but it does a great job creating a faithful and yet modern take on the original Scout design! The interior is also really good looking, with a nice, large touchscreen in the center and a utilitarian yet luxurious look I love. The design of the presentation itself I also quite like, refined yet fairly minimal, like the car. However, as I started to flip through the stats, my thoughts slowly decreased from impressed, to not particularly so. With one of the highest listed prices, $44,700, I’d expect some great stats for that price, and this car just didn’t really deliver. With quite subpar results in the offroad simulations (probably the most important category of all) and only slightly above average scores in most other categories, despite the great design, this car unfortunately just doesn’t provide a good value proposition.

Scout Hopper

(tied with Aura Scout) @SenseiB12

As attached promotional images of the car loaded, separate from the presentation, the design I saw quite pleased me! With a nice maroon color and an understated but nicely modernized look, this car has a very spiffy appearance that appeals. However, the interior in the next image thoroughly disappointed me: it looks a lot to me like they had taken a dash and rattle canned all the trim red, and there was no sign of an infotainment display, meaning it doesn’t come close to meeting its’ listed “Luxe with luxe infotainment” specs from the presentation. Yeesh. Still: an interior is better than no shots of one at all, and I am sure such a detail could be edited if the rest of the car lived up to the exterior design. Fortunately, after looking at the stats, my thoughts about the interior were mostly overshadowed: Every stat on this car is competitive, from the price (37,700, not bad!), to the environmental resistance ( to the offroad testing results (quite high, actually, a resulting score of 95.7). This car was clearly very competently engineered, and with a weaker field, it could have had a very good shot at the podium. Unfortunately for this entry, it just doesn’t push the boundaries in any way, or try anything to make it stand out. And that is the main thing holding this car back: it meets the brief well in almost every category, minus interior; but there is nothing exceptional about it.

Aura Motors International Scout

(tied with Scout Hopper) @mart1n2005

The main thing that impressed me about this car was sitting there right on the first page: $30k?! That is $15k underbudget, and around 10k less than the median price of an entry. There are a lot of things one can do with an extra $15k, and so, assuming the rest of the entry matches the competition well enough, I figured this one might have a shot at a victory. Looking at the exterior design, it doesn’t look like anything that special, the interior design looks like some screens were tacked on an old dash and the Jeep-style grille isn’t really what I want (it’s an International! No need to make it look like something it isn’t), but the design on everything is mostly good enough to be acceptable. The open roof is also quite an interesting idea, I’d assume it would have a top that could be added but once again, this does ever-so-slightly concern me as far as winter weather and insulation. The specs are indeed again quite competent- the offroad score is slightly below average, and so is the comfort, but for $30k, it is quite impressive! Many of the stats are on par with cars that cost $7 or 8 grand more, the panels are treated, and the interior is still listed as a Premium with Standard infotainment, which, while not as fancy as the Luxe interiors on most cars, is probably fine for the price and more than good enough for what I’d be doing with the car. Environmental Resistance is also quite a strong suit for this car- one of the higher scores in the competition at a score of 53.6. For this area of Colorado, that is a great thing to spend the cash on! Even the offroad score, while below average, is more than good enough for anything I’d be doing with it. This car was also well-optimized for the challenge- but unfortunately for a restomod like this, it speaks to my brain, but not really my heart. The main selling point of this car is the price, which I appreciate, but I felt like I kept on making excuses for average scores because of the price. I also feel like the design inside and out just doesn’t do enough to make the car feel special. This car is another strong entry, but in the end there are entries that outdo this car’s selling points in other ways. More on that soon!

[HelloHi]

Harvesting Results, Final Part

Scout Wrangler TREK by MTL Customs & Tuning

@karhgath

As I examined the details of this car’s presentation carefully, I wasn’t sure what to make of this build: This vehicle seriously impresses, but also underwhelms me. This car very much excels in one thing, and that is its offroad ability- with a score of 107.9 in the simulated tests, aided by a set of air springs, it is the highest by far in this competition. Being a heavily emphasized stat, that is a huge deal! Its environmental resistance, another hugely important stat, is also stellar, with the highest score outside of the aluminum-bodied BRM Max Scout. Its scores in all other engineering fields are also very competent, without any obvious flaws or issues, but this car also has the highest MSRP here at $45k even. It is a high price, but still not at all a bad value for the capability you get. However, this car also has one significant Achilles heel: styling and identity. After looking at the stats and flipping to the page with the promo pics of the car, what really struck me was how much it tries to become something it isn’t, for no real apparent reason. For starters, the name: “Wrangler Scout”. What is it: A Wrangler? A Scout? Next, the styling. Aside from the number of slats in the grille, the face is very much a Scout face with an oddly tacked- on Jeep grille, only adding to the strange illusion, and overall the design isn’t anything all that inspired, or really a large improvement on the original, just the original look with some slightly better detailing, some extra offroad bits and an odd carbon fiber rear bumper. Also: the engine. Ultimately, if I wanted a capable offroad vehicle with the AMC V8 and the iconic seven-slat grille, I could very easily go buy an old Jeep and ask for it restomodded. I asked to have my Scout restomodded, not a Jeep. I want a Scout to come back, not a Jeep. I like the look of my Scout, I like that it is unique. And ultimately, this is what kills this entry’s shot at second place, more than its’ competitors: itself. This entry slays a couple of the most important engineering criteria and still does consistently well in the rest of them. The styling is decent enough, and the interior, while definitely somewhat dated, is listed as “handmade with HUD and premium infotainment”, which sounds very comfortable and luxurious to experience. The tent on the roof is also a very nice touch, allowing me to camp easily wherever I might head. However, this restomod doesn’t speak to my heart much, it just isn’t what I asked for. Beyond a point, this vehicle is also more capable at offroading than I could ever hope to be, rendering its crazy high offroad score slightly less important, despite the insane accomplishment such a score is. This is a great engineering effort, and the team at MTL Customs and Tuning deserves to be proud of the engineering work they have accomplished, but it just isn’t quite the right car for me.

Copper Works Scout Overlander

@OME

When I opened up this presentation and examined the design for the first time, sitting right there on the first page, I had never realized I wanted a car to look like this, but honestly I am a big fan! With really nice detail work that fits the Scout look while taking it in a completely new direction, a design that stands out but still holds true to the Scout design language, and tasteful amounts of copper trim applied on places, aesthetically this vehicle really appeals! As I scrolled through the email, sipped some coffee and looked at the various scores and stats included, nothing particularly stood out, but every single score was around the average point: good enough, but nothing incredible. The price also is a fairly good deal: $37,600 for a design this good, with good specs to match, isn’t bad at all! The one place this vehicle falls a little short is the offroad score. With a 75 on the simulation, it is on the lower end. As I clicked to the next page, there was a nice shot of the interior! It looked beautifully detailed, with lots of nice caramel leather, and although the premium infotainment and seating wouldn’t suggest the world’s finest materials were used, for going overlanding or exploring some trails it is more than good enough. In the end, however, there was a car that simply outdid this one in nearly every way:

Mons Customs Scout Badlands

@cake_ape

This entry was the last to be submitted, and I had heard that it had been a little rushed, so I wasn’t expecting a ton; but, boy was I mistaken! There was a long, very well-written letter attached, which did a fantastic job of raising my expectations despite my initial trepidation. Everything about it seemed very bespoke and built with the customer’s desires in mind, which I appreciate in a restomodding firm. As I clicked on the attachment, my eyes were quite nicely surprised by a car that looked rugged, unique and yet still fairly true to the original Scout design! The tire on the hood does concern me when it comes to visibility over the hood, but I am sure that could be addressed in talking with the firm. I don’t like the overall look of the exterior nearly as much as the Project Scout Adventure or Copper Works designs, but this car had a number of other incredibly impressive tricks up its sleeve I would’ve never expected to find. As I clicked on slide 2, my jaw dropped. Not only was there a custom, nicely made tent with solar panels for electricity that could be set up on top of the car, but there were 2 beds with storage space underneath them inside the cabin! The interior design itself, also shown on the slide, was also pretty good and looked modern, although not quite to the caliber of the Project Scout Adventure’s. A dark green/medium green motif that continues throughout the cabin, as well as the metallic paint that coats the lower half of the car, and even extends to the tent, is both fairly tasteful and completely unique, even if the lighter of the two greens isn’t my favorite shade. The Handmade/Luxe interior is by far the fanciest here, creating what I can imagine will be a divinely comfortable place to spend time! It still maintains rubber floors, meaning it should also be relatively easy to keep clean, though such buttery soft leather does worry me some when it comes to how it will handle dirt. This entry also takes a very different approach on the engineering front: Mons Customs chose to take the existing four-cylinder and revamp it completely, the only entrant to try such a thing! This approach both keeps the authenticity of the engine and allows more room in the budget to be spent on other, more important things, and it paid off! You’d think a naturally aspirated 4 cylinder wouldn’t be very prestigious or particularly powerful, and you’d be right, but the spare dough was used in more important places- the Handmade interior with Luxe infotainment in particular, but also safety, suspension and parts for said engine, meaning this car still had very good prestige and the boon of a numbers-matching, original engine block! With an offroad sim score of 101, second only to the Scout Wrangler, the best drivability score, fuel economy and remarkably good environmental resistance, this car barely has any compromises to speak of. Even the cost isn’t a compromise, coming in at $42k. Ultimately, there were a number of great entries, but this one truly rose to the challenge best, making a number of unconventional decisions that ended up taking this car above and beyond the others. Congratulations to Mons Customs, and I can’t wait to enjoy my new ride out on the trails!

[HelloHi]

Epilogue

To quote Crypt after Chapter 2, "Uhh... this is slightly awkward". Major props to Cake for managing to create such an impressive entry in 2 days, congrats on your second win in a row out of both possible times entered! However, that is not all I want to celebrate. Equally impressive, if not more so, is that, especially after the number of instabins in round 2, everyone submitted a properly cloned car file that met every single required criteria! I'd like to thank everyone who entered for the creativity in approaches and the time and care put into these builds, none of these were remotely the same approach or idea, which made my decision even more difficult! I have spoken to Brent again recently, he says he is having a fantastic time enjoying his newly restomodded Scout and has really enjoyed the beauty of Colorado's trails! If I ever do get the chance to host again, I will probably do slightly less involved writeups, they took a very long time to make and send out considering I did a long paragraph for each of 10 vehicles, and I got pretty burned out after completing each set, adding an extra day or so to the last 2 sets of writeups. In the future, I would probably stick to detailed writeups for the top 3, and smaller writeups for the rest. It was really interesting doing a challenge as the host rather than an entrant, this is my first time ever hosting anything here! I enjoyed the experience, although it was quite stressful at times. Attached below are pictures of the spreadsheet for anyone curious! But first:

The top 5, in order, just in case Cake doesn't want to host, are:

1. cake_ape
   
2. OME
   
3. karhgath
   
4. SenseiB12/mart1n2005 (they tied)
   

Spreadsheet:

ARM3 Stat Sheet

[cake_ape]

Thank you for being a great host @HelloHi and for keeping the ARM series going strong. I will be happy to host the next round.

For the next Chapter in the ARM saga, I want to ask for your input. What would you like to work on most? Answer in the poll below within the next day, and your wish will be my command. I only give away which car candidates I have, not what you’d have to do with them though - that will remain a surprise!

• 30s luxo-barge gone wrong.
• 70s east-block nightmare.

The ARM4 candidates if you want to see them