I was originally going to require wheelbase offset to remain unchanged, but I will now allow adjustments of up to 2 in either direction (+2 or -2) for both front and rear.
I almost forgot to mention this: Submissions are now open!
The rules are set. Good luck and have fun!
Also, in case you missed it, hereâs the download link for the base car thatâs the topic of this ARM:
ARM24-yourname-pleaseclone_-_SVP_Bearclaw_V8_5_7_GT.car (89.2 KB)
Oh, and donât forget to clone the model and family simultaneously using the steps shown in the OP above!
1987 SVP Bearclaw Platinum
by MTL Customs & Tuning
OOC: Letâs get the ball rolling!
Greetings Mr. Davis,
Please find the following proposal to restore your prized 1987 Bearclaw.
The Concept
Here at MTL C&T we were really surprised at the state of the donor car, a very well maintained SVP Bearclaw and we understand you are looking for more out of it. Well, you contacted the right crew!
Such an well known car needs to stay true to its root and we would love to pay our respect. We know you like the car, you acquired it, so weâre not here to reinvent the wheel - weâre here to package it in a new shell and spruce up performance all around.
Keep it simple, but classy. We hope you will like what we propose.
The Engine
The engine will be mostly untouched. We will keep the same iron cast block, but we plan to upgrade it to a 4-valve cammer. This 5.L beast could then reach 7500 rpm and extract 500hp out the B5A1 V8! Again, nothing fancy in there - we simply modernize it and upgrade the injection system and exhaust.
The result will be a powerful but still tame V8, considering the ouput it will generate. A true sleeper in your hand, but not an uncontrollable race car or tuner setup.
This should be enough to allow a top speed of nearly 205 mph, as well as a sub-4 seconds acceleration from 0 to 60. Youâll never get stuck behind when the greenlight pops.
The Handling
In tandem with that kind of power, we will provide exceptional handling for such an iconic beast, with a perfect 50/50 balance. We plan to maintain the simple springs but upgrade to semi-active dampers and sway bars, we also should overhaul the front and rear suspension with wishbone front and multilink rear.
The gearbox will not be modified, keeping the 5 gears, and will coupled with the original geared LSD. Wheels and brakes are beefed up, with wider rear wheels for that extra grip and acceleration. Undertray will be improved for flow as well, adding simple aerodynamic upgrades all over.
Finally, the hydraulic steering will be upgraded, and ESC added. All in all, with a more robust suspension, the cornering ability should skyrocket with over 1.20g in tight corner and over 1.30g on wide turns!!
We hope you are planning to have fun with it!
The Styling
The original interior will be retained in spirit but reupholstered completely and upgraded to more sporty lightweight components.
A state of the art infotainment system with a new climate control system will be installed.
Also, you are not gonna use this to lug around a full soccer team right? because we remove the rear seats to fit a powerful sound system in the back. Do not worry, we plan to retain a CD player in there for nostalgia.
As a bonus, the rear trunk has been significantly enlarged so that you can fit anything you want on your travels.
Comfortable race seats and steering wheel, plus hydraulic brakes finish the upgrade. No roll cage in there, this is sleeper not track car.
On the outside, we will install a tasteful widebody kit - you wonât look like you are out of a japanese anime or tuner garage, but it will turn heads and we hope, will turn heads with a two tone black and platinum finish.
With a bit of dremel work, new matrix headlight housing will be added in front, while rear taillights will be upgraded to more performant housing while retainig the original look.
Side rear louvers are added to complete the look, as well as a sunroof and a brand new, more aggressive hood with quick release.
We know we said it is not a track car⌠but if you ever need to take it somewhere, front and rear towing options are present.
Overall, while it retains the original styling touches, it will be truly unique on the road, and looks just plain menacing.
We are eagerly awaiting a response from you and hope this proposal pleases you,
The MTL Customs & Tuning Team
5 Likes
Hey abg, just a quick question on this, we talked about practicality before, but does that include secondary stats like env res? Also, I assume SVC will be higher on the restomodded car, so I assume this is not be counted. How about fuel econ? Would be nice to get a clear list of what stats must not be lower before I submit my car.
Fuel economy is of minor importance now, given that our client already has a more economical daily driver. Also, environmental resistance and service costs will be exempt from statistical comparison, given that he wonât be using the restomodded Bearclaw too often.
2 Likes
Toyota Corolla
^ The div above this is the first background, and the primary border. The background doesnât move due to the âbackground-attachment: fixedâ tag. The background loops vertically if your image is short or your device is tall enough, so this allows for patterns (see: portalkatâs AGC20)
Feel free to change the image to whatever suits your fancy.
^ The div above this is the second background, and secondary border. it also defines the text color and font family.
2020 LDM Fury
The Bearclaw finally caught up with the times
a
OOC: Ok, so this is my first attempt at an ARM so I didnt go too crazy to ensure as I was more focused on staying within the rules. If I didnt miss anything and calculated the budget correctly, this should cost about $39,000 due to the engine swap (gave it an engine from one of my Riker cars hehe) and suspension swap.
Please give me tips on where I can improve (both with participation and submitting as I still feel a little lost)
.car file: ARM24-LamborghiniDude6_-_LDM_Fury.car (104.3 KB)
4 Likes
THE BEARCLAW BY LMJ DESIGN
In this case, we have kept the sleek shape of the original car, but worked with the details, taking the best from the tuner culture from the late 90s and early 00s, as well as some cues from classic muscle- and sports cars, but still keeping it up to date and clean.
The front bumper is a rework of the original, keeping the style but giving it a more aggressive look. The headlights was swapped for aftermarket projector units, featuring LED DRLs and turn signals. For the grille, we took some inspiration from the C210 Skyline, while the hood now features a cowl induction scoop. The monowiper is a throwback to the tuning culture back in the days. The wheels are now a classic 5 spoke design, but in 19" for a more modern look. The mirrors were swapped for more modern units, with built in turn signals, the door handles to modern flush type ones. The rear is now a homage to the Ferrari F512M, but with a tinted glass covering the rear panel and the round LED taillights. We also fitted a panoramic glass roof, both for the looks and to give an airy feeling inside the cabin. Last but not least, we finished it off in the classic shade of Saffron Yellow pearl, from the first gen Volvo C70, with trim and roof in a nicely contrasting black metallic.
For more power, but modern fuel economy and reliability, we installed a Ford 2.3 Ecoboost in more or less stock condition, with a 6 speed manual. The rear axle is now a multilink unit. Brakes were upgraded, as well as the aero. We reupholstered the interior in better materials and added a modern infotainment system. A variable EPS and adaptive damping improves both comfort and driving dynamics, while ESC is added for safety and driveability. We also achieved a nearly perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
Of course everything will be completely overhauled, to tolerances the SVP factory had no chance of matching over 30 years ago.
The price for this is $30 300, an investment well worth it if you ask us.
3 Likes
Less than 12 hours left!
I have received .car files from @Ch_Flash , @AMuteCrypt, and @karhgath.
In addition to this, I have also received ads (but no .car files) from @Knugcab, @LamborghiniDude6 and @moroza.
If you have an entry ready but have not sent it, please do so before the deadline.
@ldub0775 and IntoAMuteCrypt presentâŚ
The SVP Bearcat 510 GT.
A proper muscle car deserves a proper muscle engine, and we gave it one. A throaty, take-no-prisoners, 510 CID naturally-aspirated V8, larger than any engine put in a commercial car. The custom 510 Special mixes performance and economy, putting out over 1 hp/cid while just about matching the original carâs fuel economy.
Nothing is untouched. Nothing is as it was. Everything has changed⌠And itâs all for the better. Pop-up headlights, sleek aero, itâs an experience made for two.
5 Likes
Just added the .car file to my ad
You should send it via forum DM, but considering that the deadline is not very far away, Iâll let it slide this time around.
1 Like
Iâll keep that in mind for my next entries
BEARCLAW UTE
accessible insanity, the sunset garage way.
Features.
Bearclaw 5.7 V8 reworked to 350hp
4.6s 0-60
Custom fabricated ute bed
Active suspension
Leather lined cabin with 10 speaker surround sound
Yours for $28.200 AMU
4.6s 0-60
Custom fabricated ute bed
Active suspension
Leather lined cabin with 10 speaker surround sound
Yours for $28.200 AMU
4 Likes
ARM24 Reviews and Results
Above: All seven submissions for ARM24 gathered together, along with the donor car for reference.
One day, Keith was cleaning his Bearclaw, in preparation for a restomod job that would unlock its true potential, when he discovered a few emails related to Bearclaw restomodding proposals in his inbox. There were seven in all, and he decided to examine them after finishing his cleaning job. His verdicts were as follows:
LDM Fury by @LamborghiniDude6 - (Not eligible due to retaining original model year of 1980, and for not following naming scheme for engine family. That aside, it would have missed out on the podium due to having less comfort than the donor car, and having too little space between the redline and power peak, among other shortcomings.)
LG SVP Bearclaw GTTX by @Ch_Flash - âOne of the raddest-looking entries of the lot, with styling touches that hark back to the late 80s/early 90s - and in a good way. Itâs an upgrade in every sense, even though it weighs a lot more and retains the stock gearbox (albeit with new gearing) and suspension geometry. For $39,900 after options, you get a lot of power from the rebuilt twin-turbo V8, now cranking out 625 bhp, and sporting all-alloy quad-cam 32-valve heads, with better reliability to boot. I would have preferred an extra cog in the 'box, and different suspension tuning (to avoid bottoming out and reduce understeer), as well as something more advanced than an early-2000s CD player for entertainment, but this serves as a good baseline with which to start.â
SVP Bearclaw Platinum by MTL Customs and Tuning by @karhgath - âAnother wild styling job, courtesy of that wild bodykit (complete with bolt-on fender flares), backed up by more advanced mechanicals, especially a dual-wishbone front end and multilink rear. This one costs $38,600 all-up after options, and justifies it more easily than the previous proposal, thanks to a normally aspirated 32-valve version (albeit SOHC per bank this time, not DOHC per bank as in the LG GTTX) of the original V8, developing a heady 510 horsepower - less than the GTTX, but still fast enough for my needs, and more easily exploitable to boot. Overall, a great choice, and currently the leader of the pack.â
SVP Bearclaw Ute by Sunset Garage by @HelloHi - âNow hereâs something you donât see every day - a Bearclaw thatâs been turned into a ute. Itâs much cheaper than the others Iâve seen so far, with an as-tested price of $27,200, but thatâs because apart from the ute conversion, the restomodding hasnât gone far enough. The engine is a dual-overhead cam per bank design with only two valves per cylinder (albeit with VVL), but thanks to sheer displacement, it makes a solid 354 bhp - which is saner than the last two proposals, but still good enough to be competitive. However, the tires are narrower than Iâd like, although the luxury interior and infotainment system (complete with HUD) are a nice touch. Overall, although I like the idea of a Bearclaw ute, the reality is that I wouldnât want to own one, given that the Golf GTI I currently own is already practical enough for my needs.â
SVP Bearclaw 510 GT by @AMuteCrypt and @ldub0775 - âThe most understated proposal on the outside, which is great for those who want a sleeper - itâs not as easily distinguishable from the stock car at first glance, except for pop-up headlights (which seem unnecessary in my view, given that the main lights below them are more than adequate). At 8.4 liters, its quad-cam 32v V8 engine is the biggest of the bunch, and it pumps out a tire-shredding 535 bhp. But as an all-iron unit, it adds a lot of weight, and its sheer size leads to high service costs. The 2-seat luxury interior is just what I want, and at $35,800, it undercuts the GTTX and Platinum by a sizable margin. However, Iâd still want to spend a bit more to get an even more capable car than this.â
Bearclaw by LMJ Design by @Knugcab - âIt looks nice in orange, and at $30,300, it should be good value for money. Upon closer inspection, however, it isnât - instead of a V8, thereâs now a 2.3L Ford EcoBoost I4 under the hood, making 310 bhp, but even the best boosted fours are no match for a good V8 in terms of curb appeal. More worryingly, it loses too much power in the upper rev range, and is prone to oversteer, thanks to awkward suspension tuning (the rear is generally stiffer than the front, when it shouldnât be) and insufficient tire stagger (the front and rear tires are of identical width, when the latter should be wider than the former). Quite frankly, I find this proposal rather underwhelming.â
NorĂ°verk GS8 by @moroza - âOn the outside, its matte-black exterior with blue highlights makes it look quite menacing; on the inside, thereâs no back seat, but thereâs a proper premium interior with infotainment to match (although a HUD would have been nice). Thanks to fitment of a twin-turbo setup with loads of boost, itâs the most powerful car here, with 1,341 bhp from the stock block and heads. Even with AWD, however, it struggles to make use of its immense thrust - the torque split is too rear-biased, and the clutched LSD is archaic compared to a viscous, geared or electronic unit. Worse, all that power comes with a lot of lag - the boost doesnât ramp up until 3200 rpm, and the torque peak at 4400 rpm sounds nice until you consider that itâs only 2000 rpm before the redline. I like the idea of a thousand-horsepower Bearclaw, but only as a Funny Car built for the drag strip and nothing else - for $40,000, Iâd expect a more balanced mix of abilities from my restomod than this.â
Final Verdict
After a brief deliberation, Keith settled on the Bearclaw Platinum by MTL Customs and Tuning. It may have been among the more expensive proposals, but it was justified due to its well-balanced set of abilities, which have all been improved massively over the stock car. It took a few weeks for the conversion to be completed, but it was worth it - and Keith couldnât be happier.
Final ranking
1st: @karhgath
2nd: @Ch_Flash
3rd: @HelloHi
4th: @AMuteCrypt and @ldub0775
5th: @moroza
6th: @Knugcab
Many thanks to all who participated - I hope you enjoyed this ARM as much as you did!
8 Likes
Well I tried 
Iâll get it next time
Oh, I was really happy how it turned out, glad you enjoyed it abg!
I unfortunately have to skip hosting the next one as I wonât be able to work on a base car for about 3 weeks.
Hey, thanks for hosting and 2nd!, As I hosted ARM23, I leave this to the the next.