A V10 stanced kei-sized ute.
None of these things belong together, yet that design looks so detailed and well made that it just might work…
Can’t wait to see how that guy performs! (:
3 Likes
Thanks! Yeah, should be really interesting to see what happens 
Should be really interesting to see how yours does, too! I don’t think anyone has tried a historically-accurate “what-if?” type appearance before for an ARM!
3 Likes
Boot Scootin' Bodyworks Ford Festiva
Project Pride will have you sailing under the Police’s radar yet all those who know what’s what will be clamouring to know what you’ve got under the hood!
Here at Boot Scootin’ bodyworks we’re not used to being invited “Down Under” to modify a client’s ride, but we took up the challenge in order to give you the most unique daily driving experience possible, while ensuring the fuzz will be clueless to just how special your ride really is.
here’s the rundown: First we source a sedan bodyshell from either Japan or Iran then unstitch the sedan portion of the car. These parts will then be welded onto your car’s chassis, a sunroof installed and then the whole car will then be seam-welded, ensuring the car’s rigidity without adding in excess bracing. The car will be re-sprayed in either the original factory green hue or a colour of your choice (we’d recommend something subtle).
While the body is being prepped, a Eunos 30X (or Mazda MX-3) will donate it’s 1.8L V6, manual gearbox and brakes. This will minimise costly fabrication work, simplify your servicing logistics and provide bulk fun at a cheap price. The V6 will be freshened with new bearings, seals and gaskets while the pistons will be swapped out for more modern pistons in order to improve fuel efficiency. These parts will then be installed into the finished body.
The interior will be refreshed also. The cloth seats will be retrimmed in a modern darker Mazda fabric, the interior parts will be dyed a darker grey to match current Mazda interiors and there will be your choice of woodgrain, brushed aluminium or carbon fibre inserts to lift the interior mood. The factory steering wheel will be replace with your choice of a Nardi wood or Alcantara steering wheel. The dashboard dials will be replaced with a digita dash like this one:
It’ll be mounted where the current instrument cluster is housed
The suspension components will be replaced with custom tuned KYB gas shocks, Kings springs and Whiteline swaybars front and rear (retuned to our specifications) and Wantanabe wheels will be shod with Bridgestone tourer spec tyres.
The outside of the Festiva will remain as stock as possible, to avoid unwanted attention, but the mods and visual stance will let those in the know understand your car is something special.
The car is intended to be dailied, hence the 91RON tune on the engine, but the quality tyres and suspension tune will allow you to enjoy a trackday or two without embarrassment. The car uses less fuel than your old car too, so you’ll have more money to spend on your other interests.
Project Pride is the perfect companion for the enthusiast who loves the process of driving fast, not just the result
The best part? Project Pride (Kia Pride, geddit! 
) will only set you back $58k over an entire decade of ownership!
Email us here at sales@BSB.com or contact our local rep Steven on 0420 696969 and we’ll get the ball rolling!
4 Likes
Presenting…
BEVERLEY KUSTOMS: The Kool
Featuring: Our custom built longitudinally mounted 3.1L V8 OHV engine producing 171 HP
A Rear Wheel Drive system and air suspension
A completley overhauled front section featuring state of the art LED headlights and removeable fender flares
A 4-speed automatic gearbox providing an optimum balance between speed and smoothness
A radio, hydraulic power steering and custom climate control
But why are there tires in the back???
Because this beast also features an offroad kit specifically designed for long journeys. You get the off road tire compound (exactly the same radius as the standard compound but slightly narrower), take advantage from the air suspension by selecting the “Offroad mode” which raises the suspension automatically, giving a more comfortable feel over the harsh terrain you may encounter, a light bar on the roof and a front bashbar. We strongly reccomend removing the rear spoiler and fender flares since they could get damaged easily. Our goal with “The Kool” was to make a car that found a great balance between a easy to drive cruiser and aggresive muscle car while also having the capability to treck into the wilderness.
Btw this car goes in the occasional category
4 Likes
Just wanna give everyone a brief reminder, the challenge closes in a little under 2.5 days. I’d appreciate if people can submit early rather than a last-minute flurry.
So far, I have submissions from @Edsel @HighOctaneLove and @WangMaster_420 - there’s been an advert from @HelloHi but no submission that I can see.
5 Likes
Mons Customs
Introducing
Ford Fiesta "Countach"
Dear Mr. Crypt,
Please accept this letter as our formal offer to restomod your 1992 Ford Festiva. We understand your recent windfall, and the desire to make something awesome out of your Festiva with your new-acquired wealth. Mons Customs has, for the first time ever, opted for a complete overhaul of the Festiva. You might find some of the looks of the Festiva preserved, but even then you have to look carefully. Everything else under the skin (including the skin itself) has been replaced and upgraded. Mons Racing has once again helped to develop a custom engine and drive-train for your vehicle. If you choose our custom shop, we guarantee the best experience in your custom modded Festiva that you can imagine!
COMFORT
Mons Customs has taken all of its talent and resources to make this vehicle as comfortable as possible. On the mechanical side we swapped in a Double Wishbone front and MultiLink rear suspension, and installed a comfortable hydropneumatic system all around for the smoothest ride possible. The interior is fully rebuilt by hand and features high-grade A++++ materials all around, and includes the latest and greatest technology at your fingertips.
PRESTIGE
Rest assured that wherever you show up, the rebuilt Festiva will turn heads. The restomod rivals any modern hypercar in luxury, quality, and performance (only limited by the original chassis). You will feel like you’re driving around in a well-polished diamond, but a diamond that is on one hand a rocket, and on the other hand floats on the road like a feather drifting through puffy white clouds. Everybody will want to take a picture of you and your car!
DRIVABILITY
This car is a true track beast, and at a push of a button you can disable all driver aids and unleash the fury! However, due to the new all-wheel drive system, user-friendly 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, ESC, electric variable power steering, perfectly tuned brakes, and modern safety features, the car is extremely easy to drive and safe to handle on the road- even in city traffic when you just want to pick up some groceries. In other words, the beast is easy to tame.
PERFORMANCE
For the first time in Mons Customs history, we have opted to replace the original engine. The Festiva now features the engine block from the Lamborghini Countach. We understand the Countach is one of your favourite vehicles, and we wanted to replicate the Lambo feel in your Festiva. However, we did not just lift a block from a Lambo… no, we replicated one from scratch! So, the new power unit is a 3.9L V12 alu block replica from the Countach LP400. Mons Racing has outfitted it with a DOHC-4 head and valvetrain, it has direct fuel injection, and a twin-turbo set up. We also have added aerodynamically efficient wings and lips to your Festiva to optimize cornering on track. Oversized wheels round out the performance characteristics of the vehicle, and make sure you can put the power down and keep it down during extreme track driving.
Mr. Crypt, please find attached photorealistic renders of our vision for your Festiva and detailed specifications. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mons Customs
Under the hood
As mentioned in the letter above, the power unit of the Festiva is a replica of the Countach LP400. It is 3.9L of pure V12 fury, putting out 609 HP. Despite the power, it is a very smooth engine that purrs like a kitten. We dare say, it makes less noise than the original engine in your old Festiva.
The modern AWD system and Electric LSD make sure that wheelspin is minimized, and the ESC makes sure that the car behaves under all conditions. The 7-speed DC has full automatic mode when you just want to go for a casual drive, but has paddle shifters for when you want full control over your gearing.
Exterior
Mons Customs has completely stripped the exterior of the Festiva. The panels have been replaced with partial carbon fibre and repainted to a pleasing pearlescent blue. The features are too numerous to list, but include: high-visibility LED lights front and rear, enhanced venting, a see-through glass panel on the bonnet so you can show off the V12, sports rims, dual exhausts… Wherever you look there are new and awesome features to explore and show off to your friends!
Interior
The Mons Customs team has taken painstaking care to make the interior of your Festiva as practical as it is comfortable. We removed the second row of seats, which created extra cargo space, and room for an improved audio system that includes oversized speakers and a sub or course.
In the front, you have two comfortable sport bucket seats, and all the creature comforts that any luxury vehicle would be jealous of, including the latest in HUD technology and the best audio system available on the market today. All of this is packaged in a minimalist, sporty look.
In addition to the creature comforts, we have also thought about your safety: we include a full roll-cage. As such, the car is full track compliant. The cage is constructed in such a way as to be unobtrusive, and leaves you in a comfortable space that is easy to access and egress.
5 Likes
ENTRIES ARE CLOSED
TIER ONE: THE RULEBREAKERS
WangMaster_420 - Beverly Customs "The Kool"
FINAL VERDICT: This car gets binned for failure to clone the engine family. It also had very questionable engineering - from the tiny, inefficient and outdated V8 to the 4-speed gearbox, it just makes very little sense. Maybe the engine was the casualty of a failed clone, but I can only judge what I see.
Edsel - Lincoln Festiva
FINAL VERDICT: This car gets binned for failure to advance the model year to 2020. It’s painful, given how good everything else is. It certainly would have gone rather far, and it has an amazingly compelling narrative going. Alas, rules are rules.
TIER TWO: LEGAL, BUT NOT GREAT
HighOctaneLove - Boot Skootin' Bodyworks Ford Festiva
FINAL VERDICT: It’s not breaking any rules, but it’s also not what I am looking for. A lot of work has gone into preserving the authenticity, but I don’t care about that. The car only uses standard interior, basic safety and basic infotainment, which doesn’t line up with its promises of high-end parts. I wanted it to stand out, and to have a comfortable interior, and the car presented misses on both accounts.
HelloHi - Sunset Garage Nomad
FINAL VERDICT: This car also doesn’t break any rules, but I am binning it out of principle more than anything else. You’ve gone ahead and converted it into a ute by using 3D fixtures, and you have a base cost right around 116,400 - too high to afford the conversion penalty. Yes, yes, this meme does exist, but I really don’t think this entry matches the spirit of the rules. If you had the money to spare, I would have just slapped the 15k on there and called it a day, but even as a special vehicle… there’s not enough money.
So, to summarise: My condolences to @WangMaster_420 @Edsel @HighOctaneLove and @HelloHi . The two finalists are @ldub0775 and @cake_ape - I am working on the write-ups for the final results between them, and hope to have that done soon enough.
6 Likes
Lol this seems to be a reoccuring theme. I’m good at designing cars, but an awful engineer. Still, at least I don’t stick two live axles on anymore XD
Great challenge overall, but I do want to ask about something:
I definitely know I set the year to 2020, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to select amenities like “Electric Power Steering” and “Luxury HUD.” Is there something here I’m missing or misunderstanding?
You updated the trim year to 2020, but not the model year. The trim year opens stuff like electric steering, while the model year opens stuff like carbon fiber panels and chassis. You still had model year stuck in 1992.
2 Likes
Oh, shoot, that makes sense.
I guess that’s just a first-time error. I’m so used to challenges banning you from tampering with that figure, I failed to realize one would require I change it. That’s something I’ll have to remember for next time.
Thanks for pointing that out! (:
2 Likes
So you didn’t like my efforts at making legit looking Ford badges then? 
I realised, upon submitting, I’d built the perfect stealth daily for me, not the client. Without going into the feasibility of various drivelines too much, my personal value that sub-compact or light cars NEED a stick meant that I couldn’t forsee an engine and gearbox combo that would be worth doing. I wanted to do a DSG but my realism hook meant that there was none that were reliable enough to select from. Any other small engine felt to me like it was wasted being bolted up to a slushbox!
As for anything else? It goes against the entire premise of the ARM, but you’d be far better off buying a new car of your choice than locking yourself into a car you don’t like or have any nostalgic attachment towards! For the same outlay as my entry you could have any of the brand new EV’s available in Australia and they’d be cheaper over the decade than my entry as well, hahaha!
tl;dr: I should have posted a recommendation for an MG ZS EV, Hyundai Ioniq, Kona or a Kia Niro, not a restomodded Ford Festiva!
2 Likes
TIER 3: THE FINAL TWO
ldub0775 - Ford Festiva 2.5 Turbo RS
Looking at this, one phrase comes to mind. Race Car. This looks like the quintessential 80s-90s rally hero, with its flattened out, vented sides and swept-back spoiler, it looks like it could have leapt off the walls of teenaged bedroom of the era. The inside is a little bit anachronistic, but in a good way - electric control surfaces, an absolutely massive tablet in the middle, and plush red surfaces that match the outside… It’s just what you’d want. There isn’t quite as much money invested in the interior as some other entries, but it’s still nice. You get lightweight bucket seats, and they’ve focussed on implementing a smaller feature set well rather than padding a spec sheet. The car handles exactly as you’d like it, thanks to a dual clutch transmission, launch control, active suspension and strongly rear-biased AWD. This nice handling provides a feeling of security, as does the uber-modern safety features. Popping the hood, we see something unlike the other entries - a 2.5L, turbocharged inline 4 kicking out 260 kW. The car manages to make it up to a nice 260 km/h, with an 0-100 in 3.8 seconds. All told, it’s rather nice - especially given that it’s made as a daily driver.
cake_ape - Festiva by Mons Customs
If the Turbo RS was a car that walked right out of the early nineties, this one walked right out of the early oughts. The bottom segment of the car is made completely of carbon, dyed a rather nice blue. The same carbon has been used to form the hood, with a window allowing you to see the Lamborghini V12. The parts of the exterior not covered in carbon have been painted in a rather nice pearlescent which shimmers from blue to green, reminding me of a past ARM winner… The inside is filled with the same pearlescent and carbon, with a decent complement of dials next to the massive screen. No money has been spared on the interior, and all the amenities are amazingly well-implemented. The money spent on the interior does need to come from somewhere, and it seems to have come from the safety, assists and suspension - you get somewhat outdated safety, no launch control, and passive suspension, plus it’ll be difficult to run for much more than special cases. Under the hood, we see the fabled V12, the same specifications as the LP400, right? Well… I hate to be that guy, but no. The real car is much more oversquare than this one, with a 5mm larger bore. I know, I know it’s a nitpick, but it sorta counts against the car - especially when you’ve already moved away from authenticity with the turbo and 4V config. The turbo also spools exceptionally late, coming in at 4300 RPM.
DECIDING THE WINNER
Drum Roll Please...
ldub0775!
Ultimately, the Festiva by Mons just doesn’t sing to me in the same way. I can’t really see much in the complete package that drives it to be such a rarely-driven vehicle, besides maybe the supercar engine - which isn’t anywhere near the engine it claims to be. The outside of the Mons does look rather nice, and it does have some race car aspects like the tow hooks, but it’s nowhere near as racy as the RS. The RS looks like a classic racer, and that just sets my heart racing. It just sings to me, and that’s enough to split the difference between this pair of very competitive cars. Even without the mileage differences, even without the not-Countach engine, the Mons just doesn’t catch my imagination as much as the RS does.
“ldub: A lesson in how not to win a challenge” - ldub
Standings
First: @ldub0775
Second: @cake_ape
Third: @HelloHi
Fourth: @HighOctaneLove
Fifth: @Edsel
Sixth: @WangMaster_420
Ninja edit: Oh, and by the way - I am going to write a sort of post-mortem post, discussing the various strengths and weaknesses of this round.
5 Likes
(Manic laughter)
Wow, I didn’t expect to win here. Huge thanks to Crypt for hosting!
Hopefully ARM10 should be up within the week, and I’ll see y’all then!
6 Likes
Congratulations @ldub0775 for a well deserved win! I read the blurb that @AMuteCrypt wrote and it made me want one for myself; I’d thought my entry was my perfect Festiva, I now have a new and more exciting idea of what can be done!
Link to winning car information/advertisement
Also thanks to AMuteCrypt for hosting and providing a challenge that seemed easy enough but turned out to provide lessons to all who entered… 
1 Like
POST MORTEM: THE HIGHS AND LOW
POINT ONE: ON MORPHS
I think it goes without saying that the biggest issue with this round was the morph resets. I noticed a morph reset while making the car, but I assumed it was nothing - big mistake. Please, for the love of god, if you are hosting a challenge like this and you get morph resets, RESTART YOUR CAR. This was undoubtedly the largest issue with the round.
Having said that, there is one big advantage of all of this - the free choice of morphs. I honestly believe that the morph freedom was a good thing. Most of the cars look recognisable compared to the base model. Going out on a bit of a limb here, I think that it would be worth considering free morphs in future rounds, but mandating that the final product should be similar to the base in shapes. Up to other hosts, though.
POINT TWO: ON BODY SHAPES
I feel that allowing for different body shapes was a good move, even though neither changed car was in the top two. There was a pretty large grey area, though - Hi's entry, which accomplished the effect of a changed trim shape without actually doing it. If a future host wants to implement something like this, with free choice of style but a cost penalty, I would heavily suggest implementing a clear rule that massively altering shapes with 3D fixtures will incur this penalty - this would also balance out some of the odder entries we have seen, such as the Trabbi tank.
To elaborate on my decision to relegate Hi to third based upon this decision, I felt that I had to view it similar to the 3D downforce exploit. For those unfamiliar with it, it is possible to use 3D placement mode to place a wing far, far behind the actual car - with ludicrous examples exiting the garage environment and being hundreds of meters away. This generates ludicrous downforce on the rear wheel, and can be very useful for some challenges. It’s also banned and looked on harshly in every challenge where the host knows the trick. Fundamentally, I viewed Hi’s 3D modelling in a similar light - it’s using 3D fixtures to gain an advantage which doesn’t make sense in realistic terms. There’s no reason why a ute made with a change in body style (or a sedan made the same way) would cost money while one made with 3D fixtures shouldn’t. I acknowledge that this is a grey area in the rules, which is why I heavily suggest that any future hosts including this element should absolutely clarify this by including a rule that any major changes in shape should incur these costs.
POINT THREE: ON QUESTIONS
Broadly thinking, I think that the question system is good but definitely needs refinement. My addition to it (the non-car question) was a mistake, though. It added some nice elements, like the computers in the back of Hi's car, and some paint choices. I'd suggest just allowing questions without forcing a particular element. One of my favourite uses of the system was Edsel's take on it, presenting a variety of colours of the car and asking me to choose. The system will definitely be more useful in other rounds, where the client doesn't have a ton of posts on the forum and on discord to get familiar with.
POINT FOUR: THE CHALLENGE
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Going just a little more specific, the usage band idea was a failure, at least in my eyes. Some entries only listed it in the advert, while some did not list it at all. I don’t think it added much, beyond allowing some variation in budget. The other part of that, though - rolling servicing and fuel into budget - definitely worked out great though. It created some real consideration in engineering, and helped them have some real impacts.
As to the comments from HighOctane… Yes, a more realistic option would be to buy a new car, or to pop an electric motor into this one, but there’s plenty that’s unrealistic here. I don’t actually have 120 grand to drop on a car, and you’re right that I wouldn’t actually drop it here, but I am pretty sure that the Automation Electric Restomod Challenge isn’t coming any time soon, heh.
8 Likes
First off, huge congrats to Ldub for the win - well deserved! I am very happy to see a new face added to the ARM winners’ list. And I am also very happy to see that a few other new people joined this round.
Re the post mortem: I agree with most points, and good food for thought for ARM going forward.
- Body morphs. I think this will heavily depend on the round in question and how they are implemented, but overall worth considering every round what is the best way to deal with it.
- Body shapes. I agree with the general gist of it and how you handled them this round. Generally, having several cost tiers for the degree of modification is a good idea.
- Questions are a nice addition indeed. Definitely need to iron out some kinks still, and also have to keep in mind that it is probably not for everyone/each round. But for the right setting, it has a good future.
- Yep, this is a recurring theme - keep it simple
As for my entry, Mons Automotive has looked into what went wrong. First off, Mons Customs put the motto “BRS is dead, long live BRS” on the whiteboard… yeah, bad idea. Contrary to popular belief, the Kagu Blue has never won any challenge, so the record of losses remains untarnished. Second, Mons Racing fucked up copying a classic icon of an engine. No excuses. The teams will regroup and attack the next ARM with renewed vigor!
Congrats to Ldub on the victory! That rally car idea was certainly unique, and you pulled it off quite well! Also, as for my car: Even though it wasn’t intended as cheese to make a change in bodystyle that I thought didn’t exist for the Festiva out of 3D, now that I know there was actually a ute style for that body, I can definitely understand now why as a host, binning my car was the right choice out of principle. Such a move probably looked like an attempt to game the system, and while it wasn’t really intended to do so, it still did. While I am not generally a fan of such a large cost being applied to being more highly creative on top of just for a swap in preexisting bodies (despite the realism advantages), in this carticular decision, I think it was the right call.
1 Like
The next ARM is up!
3 Likes