CSR 124 - Quibbles and Facets - Finals

[yangx2]

The 1982 Innis Chief Tillamook Half-Tonner BR Sleeper Was a Bizarre Van-Truck Adopted by the Brazilians

The Innis Chief Tillamook is a long-running American truck seeing history that dates all the way back to the war. But, did you know that the controversial “All-American” South Carolina company helped manufacture truck-van hybrids in Brazil? This is the BR Sleeper - a half-pounder Chief Tillamook with a more luxurious interior, and a rear section meant for good naps and fucking Stàcéy.

What the Fuck?

Yeah, this car existed. It existed in rather low numbers too. They were exported to Brazil then modified by a brand called Copa, which where then sold once again in their modified state. While maintaining its half-ton capacity status, the Innis was more comfortable in the inside with plushier seats and a wild sound system. It also had a gigantic section in the rear meant for… that’s right. Chilling! A 3-person bench seat in the rear can convert into a sizeable sleeper bed, while curtains flanked the rear window for the comfiest sleeps after towing and hauling for a long day.

Quirks and Features

Besides the obvious body style, lots of cool nuances are found on the vehicle. The rear bed had a soft top that could be extended, much like a Jeep. The rear windows open like a house window. Hell, the entire rear could have been specced out to a house, with options to install cupboards and cabinets at the top.

Performance

The BR Sleeper like its American counterparts, used the 4.3L Dorchester Diesel I6. Since '82, it has been equipped with a new mechanical rotary pump fuel system. Horsepower wasn’t its play more than torque was, as per diesel and Innis tradition.

Was it Comfortable?

Not when it was unloaded. The Half-Tonners still rode on coil fronts and leaf rears (which is a slight upgrade from the dual leaf One-Tonners). At least the seats were nice and you could sleep in it.

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The Innis BR Sleeper was never sold in the USA, and even so, was sold in low numbers in Brazil. Although they were ugly as sin, they were functional in some way or form. Whether that be through sheer brute force when towing, comfortable cruises or good sleeps in the rear.

HAHAHA RONALDINHO SOCCER

[Leonardo9613]

As a brazilian, I don’t know if I should be offended by the ad or amazed by the fact that someone has heard of the weird old pick-up truck conversions made there, most based on the Ford F-1000 (I’ll link a couple below, just to show the weirdness and how right Yang got it)

Actual real-life Ford conversions

[Anubeia]

I’m beginning to feel quite out of my depth here.

[Xepy]

Anhultz - Tristella Dione

Diones are everywhere, and used for many many different things. But this one, its a little different. So let’s put a bit of historical context here:

It is 1984 and you are an Italian manufacturer making sports and GT cars. Fast ones. Desirable ones. Then here’s this German manufacturer throwing a supercar engine into one of their sedans. Its fast. People like it. You scoff - anyone can throw a powerful engine and make a sedan fast. Its lazy and easy to do. And someone of course says, ‘if its so easy, why don’t you do it?’

Which is why this exists. Except its Tristella and they didn’t exactly make sedans back in the 80s. So, they partner up with Anhultz and get permission to produce a few special Anhultz Dione DXs - can you blame them really, they’re everywhere and are particularly capable - and they did the works on it with their parts bin. Engine is a refreshed Tristella quadvalve 3.5l flatpane v8 mated with a 5-speed manual and differential that was absolutely not meant for a Dione, seats were replaced with four Tristella sports seats. Then they custom made a body kit and aero package on it, dropped and tuned the suspension and gave it some stripes. End product you got here, was an absolute performer. In a straight line and on the track at least.

The car was particularly expensive for what people thought it was (a Dione with a fancy bodykit), and was barely covered by any Anhultz dealers and shops for warranty and servicing due to obvious Italian engineering reasons. Which meant you had to go to a Tristella specialty shop to get any work done on them and as you can expect from an Italian powerplant and drivetrain… you will need work done on them. Which is what most folks did not expect from a Dione, more on par with what people expected of a luxury sports car. But it wasn’t a luxury sports car exactly either, and nothing like the rest of the Tristella lineup at the time. So the sales numbers dropped well off after the first year despite its high performance, with just under a thousand sold. Both Anhultz and Tristella went on their separate ways after 2 model years (produced 1985-1987). Due to the low volume numbers, end life support fell to Tristella as well.

Still, what you have now is a rather rare, Dutch-Italian supercar killing sedan. And you can buy it.

Yup

(In collaboration with @Elizipeazie obviously, for his 14th entry with the Dione. Can you spot the 14?)

[On3CherryShake]

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The ST-8 was the first ever Stella, designed from the ground up starting in 1992. Formed by some ex-employees of more well known Swedish and German manufacturers, they came together to create something worth rivaling the best from Italy, Germany, and Great Britain themselves.

Outsourcing their engine from the Japanese, the 4.7L Hokuto ‘UT’ V8 was fine tuned to produce 340 horsepower, paired with a 6-speed manual transaxle and a new dual exhaust to create a lush sound. It was bolted to a new space frame, and a timeless body made of steel and aluminium, along with fully independent suspension tuned to deliver a firm yet compliant ride. All of these elements combine to deliver an experience like no other, at much cheaper prices than that of other exotic cars.

Scagliati could never.

[Leonardo9613]

The 1997 Bonham Chaucer Brooklands Ute

In 1996, Bonham decided to bid on the Australian love for utes and converted the 2nd generation Chaucer, originally lauched in 1994 for the 1995 model year. For 1997, the Ute received the Brooklands treatment, including the brand new 3.0 VVT/L straight six engine, for speed and drifts aplenty.

Sales of the rather expensive premium Ute were a disaster, with fewer than 3000 units made in total, around 1100 of which in Brooklands spec. Between 100 and 200 units were converted to left hand drive and shipped to the USA and Germany, however, they didn’t attract many customers and most kept as demonstration or service vehicles by dealerships.

More photos

[Elizipeazie]

An additional note regarding the “14” being hidden.

If you find it, you get a virtual pat on your shoulder as a reward.
But please don’t spoil it for the host…

speaking of which:
@Chickenbiscuit
if YOU do find it, could you pwease try and weave the result into the review blurb?
(not gonna force, you, obviously, but i do wanna know if you did find it)

[nightwave]

The '92 Ibis Grackle was an attempt by the company to shake up the family market and bring one of its concept cars to production as untouched as possible. Unfortunately, the upstart company discovered there’s a reason they’re not called “production cars.” From timing issues with the tri-wiper system, to potential self–immolation of the integrated digital dashboard/radio/HVAC circuits, to the potential mailbox–snapping oversteer of the rear engine/rear wheel drive layout when pushed, to the “quirky” front/rear sliding doors, to the expensive price tag, to just the flat–out polarizing styling, the Grackle FPF (for Family Production Future) struggled for all of its two years in production. The little car that didn’t, however, managed to cultivate a very dedicated following of not only devoted fans of the look (claiming the front end “adorably ugly,”) but also the then–brand–new Emu boxer 4 engine. The only bit of the car that would be carried forward, the Emu was an all–aluminum SOHC engine with a four valve VVT design, giving the Grackle 31mpg on the US EPA test cycle.

[EnCR]

1983 AMB K180 Spetra

Story

started as a Concept back in 1974, Spetra design seen no use till the early 80's when AMB saw their competitors are getting ahead of them. Spetra is one of the unique varient of AMB K series featuring more powerful 2.8 litre V6 making around 156 HP giving this thing a quick (at the time) acceleration of 7.2 seconds. Spetra also has a special paint job with only one option being an orange/ white. Only 3568 Examples were known to exist.

Orange

[Centurion_23]

1989 Kinusoka Super-Trekker Turbo XT

Designed to incorporate the practicality of a pickup and the offroading abilities of a 4x4, the Super-Trekker XT is a factory off-road ute in a pint sized package. The XT trim was the most offroad focused trim of the Super-Trekkerand came fitted with a Trailokker™ 4WD system, larger tyres and raised offroad suspension as standard. Only 3500 XTs were made in total, 500 of which were exported to the US and 100 of those coming with the turbocharged engine.

This specific example is fitted with the turbocharged 1.4L engine producing 101hp and 150Nm of torque, and mated to a 5 speed manual propelling it to 100km/h in just 11 and a half seconds. This model has also been equipped with the optional bullbar and spotlights making it ready for anything off the beaten track.

Despite the low price of $14,200, dealers still struggled to shift units, and thus the Super-Trekker was not a popular choice among american drivers. However, popularity for it has increased recently, with them gathering somewhat of a cult following online.

More Pictures

[strop]

Ready for what will hopefully be the most lore-established entry of the lineup?

Read on:

You’ve already read this story (I mean it, I’ve written it several times): Born in 1982 in an act of mutiny, the eponymous Matteo Miglia founded his company after a year-long argument with the Žnoprešk Automobil executives over funding for a sporty “Win on Sunday Buy on Monday” rally car project. Žnoprešk already had a long and illustrious history based on accessible cars on a (tight) budget. What Matteo was asking was a bridge too far: WRC was beyond the scope of anything Žnoprešk had figured at the time.

Not to be deterred, Matteo broke away, cobbling together a V6 out of two Žnoprešk i3s, cramming it into the engine bay of a sleek wedge that would become the first Legatus. Initially slated for Group 4 competition, thanks to the delays from arguing with the bean counters, the Legatus would only be released just in time for Group 4 to become Group B, where it initially enjoyed success. In subsequent years it became clear that all the defiance in the world could not replace the sheer amount of money far beyond Matteo Miglia’s reach, but the initial splash was enough for the Legatus to proliferate across smaller codes and become a street hero, especially in the classic turbocharged turquoise blue Rallysport form with its 214hp in 785kg giving it rocket performance and razor sharp dynamics. By the time of Group B’s demise, the Legatus, in both its Rallysport and more accessible Stradale trim, had spread across the mountain passes of Europe and spilled into the streets of South-East Asia where tuner culture was well and truly heating up.

An original Legatus Rallysport in the wild. As in, I think the driver is well and truly lost.

Žnoprešk Automobil could not ignore this success. They wanted in. And so it was that the Žnoprešk Zeta was born in the early 90s: as a partial attempt to grow market share, partial offer of an olive branch to Matteo Miglia. Matteo, having subsequently blown all the money and then some from the original Legatus on the bonkers “everything space age” supercar project, the 1987 Merlo, could not refuse. But this time, whereas Žnoprešk persisted with the cheaper route of using their older in-house engine technology, Matteo brought back the advanced ideas of Japan with him, and, in true character with his never ending fascination with the digital zeitgeist, he brought in the Avant-Garde stylists Studio Biagio.

The Legatus Gen.II is the result: shared chassis with the perky, fun Zeta, but the raspy exhaust note of its own 1.8L inline 4 with ITBs, and a whole lot of space age overload. Purely digital dials and unique triangular light motifs made it a unique entry on the market. Even though the “Vivace” and the “Trofeo” trims had very similar power and weight specs to the “Stradale” and “Rallysport” trims of the original Legatus, the Gen.II was a massive advancement in driving pleasure and performance. It was the NB to the 1st Gen’s NA: the Gen.II was hailed as the most dynamic light sport car on the market.

Automation/BeamNG: Legatus II

The long play cinematic advertisement, as previously featured

The Vivace was the “touring” trim, insofar as one could tour on a budget that was more than for a Žnoprešk, but a fraction of that of a GT or super car. It came with the bolstered seats and the cassette deck, and even had ABS as standard. But true to the original philosophy, as the first Gen popularity was sparked by motorsport success, this generation was engineered specifically so it could partake, with not excessive modification, in the sports car classes on the other side of the continent. Thus, surprisingly yet not really surprisingly, the Gen.II Legatus found its greatest accolades in the GT500 class of the JGTC and subsequently, Super GT.

An unliveried GT500 prototype. After race development, the native i4 developed bang on the 500hp limit for the class

It is worth noting that Matteo Miglia insisted on keeping the first and second generation of Legatus hardtop monocoque: it was far easier to maintain body rigidity without excessive weight. An open top Legatus would not appear until the Aperta Speciale of the Gen.III in the noughties, but the trim expansion that shortly preceded the Legatus’ hiatus is another story for another time.

As for the 90s, the uneasy Žnoprešk-MM alliance proved to be as fateful as it was fruitful. The Zeta would have sold strongly by itself but the reputation was further bolstered by MM’s racing and sporting credentials. Žnoprešk had conquered the market again with its savvy investments. Meanwhile, MM was still struggling to clear the debts it accrued from its hubris, but, seeing the favour it had done Žnoprešk, it would seem that Žnoprešk saw use in keeping MM around…

Nowadays, Matteo Miglia may be pushing 70 but he still goes strong as does his company. The 4th gen of Legatus went on sale in 2017, a return to form but with even more potency. As for the predecessors, where Gen. I Legatuses are now unicorns, the Gen. II are legends among us, that can be glimpsed burbling along on the roads on a Saturday afternoon with 200k miles on their clock. They still turn heads nearly 30 years on, and those who know will nod and smile knowing that the unique joy they brought was unparalleled then and never replicated since. And the collectors worth their salt know this too: for a showroom grade example, one buyer forked out 755 grand.

If you know where to look, though, and were prepared to dispense the love this fiesty icon deserves, you could get one for much less.

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If I am mistaken about any of the historical aspects of the relationship between Žnoprešk and MM please correct me @NormanVauxhall

[DrPepper2002]

'95 Trident Sterling V10
350 BHP
Twin Turbo
All wheel drive
170mph
0-60 in 5 seconds
6 Speed Manual Gearbox
28MPG (UK)

[GetWrekt01]

Olsson-Vector Avangarde Typhon

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Is it a coupe? Is it a wagon? No. As cliche as it sounds, it's supposed to be a do it all shooting brake.

It’s the late 90s, the world is still recovering from the early 90s recession and no one wants to buy genuine sportscars because they’re either not very practical or they eat too much fuel.

The Avangarde shooting brake was supposed to be released for two things, in a partnership between Olsson and Vector motorworks. To show off the car as a tech demo to the world as to what they can do and what’s to come in the future, and to research the future buying trend from people’s general reaction to the car.

The car is RWD, yet it drives fairly decent. It’s a 5 speed manual with a helical diff yet comfortable enough for daily cruises. It goes to 60 in just above 5 seconds but also does nearly 32 MPG combined. It was designed to be perfect for highway cruising, for having a smooth powerband throughout the rev range. Yet it pulled to 62 mph in only 5.3 seconds. It was a handler too. It could go around tracks at very respectable times. And of course, compared to most other cars of the time and despite having quirky hardware, IT’S A FUCKING TANK sigh

Please note that the car was also offered with an open diff option, a 5 speed torque converter option and premium CD etc

The car not only managed to turn heads around when it first released, but the general reception of the public revealed that they were indeed interested in a do it all car. Maybe not with as premium feature packed as this particular car but an all rounder nevertheless.

5000 of these were ever built and they’ve been known for fetching prices of up to 70 grand.

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How Chaz is going to get this car for cheaper, you ask?

Can anyone say no to this?

Gallery

Made in collab with @MasterDoggo

[66mazda]

A testament of our driving spirit

1996 Kaizen VTCs 50th Anniversary

Historical context

1995

The (obviously) Japanese Kaizen Corporation has a long and proud tradition of decennial “birthday celebrations”, meant to honor workers and customers all alike.
1996 is quickly approaching. The FC series is soldering on well, being victorious on the rally and race stages. The longstanding SC series, the champion of the company, will get a redesign in a few years. And a new generation of TC, meant to help Kaizen Corp prepare for the new millennium, was released earlier this year. Of course, you can’t ignore the ACER series of high revving convertibles, or their groundbreaking, turbocharged, mid engine Ensis, their first turbocharged production road car and a worthy successor to a long line of halo cars.

Since 1946, Kaizen Corporation, part of the Kaizen group of companies, has taken pride in being a driver’s company, a desire to combine the human and technological elements of motoring. The 4 “decade-birthday” specials have included their first supercar, the launch of the Victoria racing team and series of high performance road cars,

What would the 5th time bring?

While their first production car was a 4 cylinder, Kaizen Corporation has been a company rooted in 6 cylinders (think BMW), bar lower trim versions for the FC (I4), the TC (I4), ACER (I4), racing homologation specials, and various USDM offerings (V8). The SC was exclusively powered by various inline 6s in various tunes and displacements until the Victoria version of the current generation introduced the brands first worldwide V8 production car, powered by a naturally aspirated 5.3L V8. The FC series was anchored by lower displacement, efficient, smooth, and punchy inline 6s.

Inspired by various Group B homologation specials, the chief engineer of Kaizen Corporation wanted to shoehorn the Ennis engine in the TC. The project was greenlighted, knowing that it would not only be a special occasion, but would help create a halo car that would draw buyers to the rest of the TC range.

A naturally aspirated version of the Ennis engine, stroked to 3.2 liters and cast in a new aluminum-silicon alloy, was meticulously integrated to the front of the car. It sent 255 hp to the front wheels through an all new 6 speed manual transmission (only available option) with a helical limited slip differential. Other changes include revised suspension, bigger wheels, wider tires and body, and new, more aggressive styling. This would be the top level trim of the TC series, retailing for around $40,000. With class leading roadholding, a 0-62 of less than 6 seconds and a top speed of over 155 mph, the VTCs 50th anniversary edition is a hatch that can terrorize sports cars. Successfully increasing interest in the whole TC series, the VTCs 50A not only get a slice of both the typically crazy 80s-90s Japanese performance car engineering and hot hatch power wars, but gave buyers a unique, hot hatchback that is still fast appreciating today. It would eventually be compared favorably to similar cars like the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA and the Volkswagen Golf R32.

Praised for its surprisingly sporty handling, a muscular and slick powertrain combination, and it’s raucous demeanor that set it apart from most other hot hatches, 5966 Kaizen VTCs 50th Anniversary Editions were sold, only in Japan, Europe, the United States, and Canada. JDM variants came with a 260 hp, higher compression variant of the V6 engine specifically tuned for higher octane fuel (93 aki/~98 RON). The VTCs 50th Anniversary has been quickly coming out of its depreciation curve over the last few years, and values look to only increase exponentially over the years ahead, as buyers recognize that it caters to passionate drivers and not outright numbers-beating performance. The steering is a tiny bit light, but very precise and fast. It responds immediately to your inputs, with tenacious turn on. However, a mid corner bump might cause instability, although the standard traction control helps. Brakes are responsive and stop with authority, fortified by ventilated 4 wheel ABS discs, pedal feel is quite firm and confident. The pedals are perfectly set up for heel and toe maneuvers, which bring out a sound that often emits from much more expensive and exclusive automobiles, and the bolstered seats offer plenty of support. Like the somewhat restrained exterior, the interior is quite subdued, full of black trim, but it is logically designed and ergonomic.

But what dominates this experience is the absurdly big engine under the hood, helped by a slick 6 speed manual transmission. As we accelerate out of the tight switchback, it is quite easy to select a gear that allows us to utilize its strong, linear powerband. The limited slip differential make effective use of the sports tires, scrabbling enough grip to pull is in the corner and lead us out of the corner.

The engine can be a little finicky. It could use some better throttle response (although much better than many modern engines), but in low revs, it has a very usable amount of torque, and is easy to modulate. It is somewhat mild under 3300 rpm.

Keep that foot planted and it comes to life. The V6 charges all the way up to its 7500 rpm redline as it adopts a more aggressive cam profile, and requires fast reaction time to shift properly. Do be prepared for some hints of torque steer when to step on the “go-fast” pedal.

Reliability is rather fine, but many owners were younger, and were less able to afford maintenance, a notorious characteristic of the VTCs 50th Anniversary due to its engine. Because of this, they were often neglected and changed owners many times. Many have also been modified, supported by the aftermarket industry of the Ennis, as they shared a similar engine. Bigger brakes and performance exhausts are a common modification.

More akin to 147 GTA than Golf R32, this is not a car known for outright refinement, comfort, or even composure. At the end, you’ll probably be sweating profusely, too bewildered to walk, but you are guaranteed to smile. Sure, there are comparable cars that give you more confidence and perform betters on numbers, but in the automotive world, few hot hatches offer the adrenaline, soul, commitment, and driving passion of the Kaizen VTCs 50th Anniversary

Specific car

This example is number 1256, built to USDM standards in 1996, sold new in Rochester, New York to a Rochester Institute of Technology mechanical engineering professor who was also an amateur racer and car enthusiast. He wanted a car that was somewhat easy to park, but had performance comparable to full blown sports cars. With meticulous maintenance and no modifications, it is in excellent condition, especially given the fact that New York isn’t the friendliest place for cars. This is a single owner car.

Some additional images and stats

1996 Kaizen VTCs 50th Anniversary

VEHICLE TYPE
Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door hatchback
PRICE
$39,900
ENGINE TYPE
NVU 32S5R0
Naturally aspirated DOHC 24-valve V6, ALSI block and head, multi port electronic fuel injection, 90 AKI
Displacement
3.2L, 195 cu in, 3196 cc
Power
254.5 hp @ 7000 rpm
Torque
220.8 lb-ft @ 4900 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): double wishbone/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 11.6-in vented disc/9.3-in vented disc
Tires: 235/45R-17 93Y (No speed limiter)
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 97.638 in
Length: 159.842 in
Width: 66.929 in
Height: N/A
Passenger volume: 79.458 cu ft with rear seats up
Trunk volume: 22.072 cu ft with rear seats up
Curb weight: 2908.7 lb
PERFORMANCE
Zero to 62 mph: 5.8 sec
50 to 75 mph: 3.37 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.10 sec
Standing 1 km: 25.20 sec
Braking, 62–0 mph: 111.55 ft
Roadholding, 66-ft-dia skidpad: 1.11 g
Roadholding, 656-ft-dia skidpad: 1.06 g
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined: 29.5 US mpg

NVU = New VentUre
32 = 3.2L displacement
S = Sport
5 = V6
R0 = Zero revisions (original design)

[Simmer22]

Might as well use this rather laid back challenge to relax from modding for a second.

The 1984 Halcón Salvaje GT :

The Salvaje is a small, lightweight roadster with gull wing doors designed for enthusiasts. It is powered by a 2.4 L Twin Cam V6 producing just north of 130 HP and 130 foot pounds of torque. This small engine gives the car decent economy, while still powering the car to 137 MPH, and 0-62 MPH in 7.7 seconds. The five speed manual gearbox is fairly standard for what was expected at the time, four speeds and then an overdrive gear. The pedal feel is very linear, to help with rev-matching and fit sportier driving styles.

This performance and weight does not mean that the car is completely lacking in substance. Inside the car are leather bucket seats and a sporty interior meant to help hold and assist you during cornering. There’s also a completely functional cassette player for long rides, with a full suite of rewind, skip and other controls. The two-seater also comes with the best safety equipment available for the era, including tensioning belts, airbags, safety glass, collapsible steering column and more.

The GT trim in the ad is for the GSDM (Gasmean States Domestic Market), and has the larger bumpers to prove it. The trunk lid located on top of the rear lifts up and out more like a cover than a trunk. The small Spanish flag on the passenger side of the car is representative of the country where the manufacturer, Halcón, is located.

The car shipped to market with all season tires which left something to be desired in corners, but makes the car comfortable to drive in almost all conditions, aside from a Hetvesian blizzard. The car wasn’t necessarily innovative aside from the early EFI, or spectacularly rare, with almost 25,000 made, but the gull wing doors, diminutive frame, and playfulness of the chassis gave it a cult following for the rest of the decade, before being nudged out of the spotlight by faster, fancier cars. But, this means if anything does break on a relatively reliable car, the parts are far easier to come by than an exotic.

More Images

[donutsnail]

The 1978 Boulder L150 StepSide "Road Train"

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Produced for just one model year in 1978, the Boulder L150 Road Train was introduced as the new flagship of Boulder’s “Adult Toy” line: flashy, highly spec’d trucks and vans more oriented to recreational and personal use than the rest of Boulder’s utilitarian lineup.

What made the Road Train special in this lineup is what was under the hood. Or more importantly, what wasn’t: emissions controls. The Road Train exploited a loophole exempting vehicles classified as trucks above a specific GVWR from the tight emissions regulations strangling the power outputs of American cars at the time. With the loophole closed in 1979, the model was replaced after just one year by the Highway Star trim, which contained all of the same features but was considerably down on power.

Special Equpment

Free from emissions controls, it’s Gen II 420-69 Turból big block (420 cubic inch, 6.9 liter) V8 produced a massive 272 hp and 345 lbft of torque. It propelled the truck from 0-60 in 7.7 seconds, through the quarter mile in 16.15 seconds, and to a top speed of 129 mph. Sending the power to the wheels were a close ratio 3 speed auto and a 3.93 Lok-Grip rear axle. The Road Train was designed with more than straight line speed in mind, though. Compared to the regular L150, it featured upgraded springs and shocks, a lowered ride height, and a heavy-duty front sway bar. It was given an upgraded, quicker-ratio steering box. Large front power disc brakes came with all models, and even rear discs were available as an option. It was equipped with wide, HR60 high performance radial tires on 15" steel wheels. To go with it’s performance, the Road Train was given a very opulent interior and wild styling details, including a full red and orange graphics package, non-functional hood scoop, chrome bullbar with foglamps, chin spoiler with functional brake cooling ducts, and for StepSide models, a two-tone orange and tan bed. The Road Train was only offered with one color scheme, but more color schemes, as well as a more demure graphics package, were available on the Highway Star that replaced it.

[Tzuyu_main]

HELL YEAH PARTNER NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL A REAL TRUCK!

Sent from my iPad

[GassTiresandOil]

Durendal: The formerly Australian, now American, upscale counterpart to Armor Motors.

Through the 1980’s they made some pretty interesting vehicles. Most iconically, the 1989 Durendal Spirit X Wagon. Like another notable off-road wagon, it featured a 6-cylinder engine with plenty of torque to spin all four wheels. The Spirit, however, utilized an AWD system for better comfort, along with upscale interior trim. It’s styling was decidedly '80’s.

As quirky as the Spirit was, the rarest (and least known) version was the SCX, which featured a V8 instead of the standard 6. It was only available in white over grey or red over grey. This particular example has been well cared for, with one repaint and the driver’s seat has been reupholstered.

[CorsicaUnknown]

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Overdone? Yeah.

Gallery

Announced in 1994, the Kadett Beatbuggy was designed to attract young buyers looking for a distinctive and “cool” vehicle, something which would look like nothing else on the roads. As a result, the convertible features a three-tone look, large plastic cladding around the fenders and distinctive design cues featured throughout. These design features do also deceive the looks; despite the cladding and name, the Beatbuggy was never intended to be an off-roader. Only FWD, no diff locks, no low range mode.

Underneath, it’s a Beat. The suspension, engine, gearbox and virtually everything else under the skin was retained from the original model, which means this model is equipped with a 1.8 liter inline-4 and a 4-speed auto. That also allowed to costs to be kept down - something that was useful once you looked at the roof.
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The convertible top rolls down electrically on the side bars, ending up on top of the rear hatch. This results in the hatch itself opening up from top.
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These paint net edits are some of the most embarrassing things I’ve ever done.

[Ryan93]

Bermag Kanin Rally

by Ryan93 and @MGR '99

Sometimes its better to say nothing

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