Pony Car Mania (PCM) Challenge

[xsneakyxsimx]

(Formerly Pink Pony Car Club) (Formerly My Little Pony Car)

Late 1964, and FordFjord has been making a killing with their MustangMustard, garnering mass appeal among the youthful demographic. Now there are rumours that other manufacturers will be coming out with their own take on the compact sedan with a sporty body, and now you have to do the same to. You are tasked with preparing a competing Gasmean (i.e US) domestic model to be released for the 1967 model year that has to be sexy, sporty, and most of all, cheap!

RULES

The Cars Must:

• be on the stable version of Automation
• be model, trim, and variant year 1967. Engine family can be older
• be no more than 2.8 m wheelbase rounded. (2.84 exactly)
• be either a 2 or 3 door (coupe, sedan, and hatchback preferred). Can be a convertible but a solid roof is preferred
• be road legal (i.e Headlights and Tail Lights, Wipers, Muffler, etc). These are for USDM/GDM
• have a minimum of 2+2 seating arrangement
• have a solid rear axle (can be leaf or coil spring)
• have an all iron OHV V8 or I6 (block and heads) SOHC allowed with a $1000 price increase
• use the default techpool (+5)
• use either ladder or monocoque chassis
• use Crossply tires
• use Leaded 98 RON/93 AKI edit: and use only Carburetors
• not exceed 400 CI (~6,600 cc) in engine capacity (if it says 400 CI in the engine designer, good. 401, bad)
• not have any “Race” Parts on them (No Semi Slicks, No Race Intake or Exhaust)
• not exceed an Approximate Cost of AM$22,000
• not use any of the bodies from the Legacy Car Bodies Mod
• not use ATS to change the wheelbase length. All other ATS settings are allowed

Breaking any of these will result in being binned: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

PRIORITIES

3 Star:

• Appearance
  Since a fair number of the buyers will be younger, there is likely to be a higher emphasis on what is in vouge and looks the part for this segment. (Also, I personally would prefer more period correct looks.)

• Performance
  These cars are made to appeal to the younger audiences that are into the current car culture, fuel economy and emissions be damned. (0 - 62 MPH and 1/4 Mile times will be mainly looked at, 1 Mile times and skidpad numbers will be used as any tie-breakers)

2 Star:

• Drivability
  Even though the majority of the buyers will be enthused about performance cars, many of them will be on the lower side of driving experience, so something that will be easier to handle and less likely to go off the road is preferred.

• Sportiness/Comfort
  This demographic may have some compromises with how sporty or comfy their new performance cars are, but they would like a good blend of both best

1 Star:

• Practicality
  Even though these cars will be mainly bought for the performance capabilities, they are also still going to need to have enough space for crusin’, carpoolin’ and any other major life events that will be bestowed on the owner, for better or worse

• Safety
  Killing this newly burgeoning market is likely not going to do well when the company wants to build lifelong customers

INSPIRATIONS

Chevolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird

Ford Mustang/Mercury Cougar

Plymouth Barracuda

AMC Javelin/AMX

SUBMISSIONS

Submissions are to be done via Discourse DMs, and I am happy to allow resubmission. I will use the most recently sent file unless otherwise stated.

Please label your cars appropriately, using “PCM - username” for the model and family name. Trim and Variant names are not restricted

DEADLINES

Rule discussion as this is posted

Submission deadline TBD

FINAL NOTES

Some of these rules might seem a bit restrictive to some, but I would like to have a couple of extra restrictions to be based on what I have been looking up with regards to the ‘pony car’ market. These aren’t hard and fast rules for real life pony cars (there were Mustangs and 'Cudas that had engines up to 427 and 440 CI around this time respectively), but this what the majority of real world examples would have. And yes, I did copy some of the descriptions from one of my other challenges for the priorities, cause I’m lazy.

I’m not going to make this a super quick challenge either, just something in the background that people can work on if they feel like it, with no pressure about having as many entries as possible. It is going to be a little bit of a niche comp, and there wasn’t a lot of real world examples versus a straight up sports car, but that’s part of the fun of Automation is the ‘what if’ factor.

[abg7]

The displacement cap makes sense given that larger engines could be ordered, but at a cost (and not always from the factory). And I’m sure this is a variant capacity cap, not a family capacity cap.

Also, with the next QFC yet to begin, this challenge would basically be a QFC in all but name… But I have one suggestion about a possible rule change. Namely, carburetors should be mandatory for realism’s sake - and they mustn’t be of the DCOE variety.

And there should be a minimum wheelbase limit of 2.65m as well - again for realism.

Other suggestions I would consider include a minimum tire profile of 60, and possibly a requirement for rear drum brakes.

I’d also make the use of steel wheels mandatory (given that magnesium and alloy wheels were not as commonly available as they would be in later decades), and limit front and rear downforce levels to a maximum 0 kg at both ends, as well as requiring gearboxes to have up to 4 forward speeds at most.

[xsneakyxsimx]

@abg7

The displacement cap makes sense given that larger engines could be ordered, but at a cost (and not always from the factory). And I’m sure this is a variant capacity cap, not a family capacity cap

Yep, as long as the variant of the engine reads 400 CI or less, it will be good.

@abg7

Namely, carburetors should be mandatory for realism’s sake.

Already edited in the rule set

@abg7

should be a minimum wheelbase limit of 2.65m

Technically the AMX had a 2.4m wheelbase, so no minimums thus far. I’ll gauge it under my ‘looks period correct’ ruling, same with most other grievances.

Currently I have no schedule for this to be completed, so it should give people plenty of time to do as much or as little research on the niche as they’d like. Nor would I expect people to give this comp additional attention over the more established and long standing ones.

[xsneakyxsimx]

For anyone who is still interested, this challenge does still exist and I am happy to start taking any entries for this one. Still currently no deadline for submissions.

[mart1n2005]

Any chance of allowing inline 6 engines like the Pontiac Firebird sprint? If so it’s all cast iron with sohc 2 valve I believe.

[Aruna]

Would also be nice to see the restriction on engine capacity lifted to the higher 440ci/7.2L so funny huge engine pony cars can be done

[Kreator]

resisting the urge to use the Badger again

[AKA_NOBUDDY]

[xsneakyxsimx]

@mart1n2005

Any chance of allowing inline 6 engines like the Pontiac Firebird sprint? If so it’s all cast iron with sohc 2 valve I believe.

Looking into it, since both GM and Chrysler did offer performance packs for the straight sixes I am happy to allow for them to be included. But, I am thinking of only allowing SOHC heads on them and incurring a $1000AMU price increase on their use due to the ‘perceived’ engine complexity and reliability issues from them.

@Aruna

Would also be nice to see the restriction on engine capacity lifted to the higher 440ci/7.2L so funny huge engine pony cars can be done

Practically all of the over 400 CI engines available in these cars were not basic options but special order options (from what I can find at least) specifically for low volume, out and out drag cars. I’m more looking for cars that are easier to sell to a wide audience, and don’t require the ordering of super specific options.

That’s not stopping you from doing your own 440s outside of said comp, but for this one I am intending to keep the 400 limit, which I still think is a fairly lenient limit.

[RyoMotoCo]

Can we also compare times at one of the tracks? I like the Trans-Am Series, as did buyers of the time.
If not obviously no hurt feelings and ill just put a bigger engine in my pony.

[ac09]

Welp, it’s time for an entry from me soon… hehe. If this is open, of course.

[xsneakyxsimx]

@RyoMotoCo

Can we also compare times at one of the tracks? I like the Trans-Am Series, as did buyers of the time.
If not obviously no hurt feelings and ill just put a bigger engine in my pony.

You’re all allowed to do so on your own time, but I am not planning to do any official track testing for this comp.

@ac09

Welp, it’s time for an entry from me soon… hehe. If this is open, of course.

I don’t believe there should be any other rule changes so I am happy to open up for any submissions.

[abg7]

@xsneakyxsimx

I am thinking of only allowing SOHC heads on them and incurring a $1000AMU price increase on their use due to the ‘perceived’ engine complexity and reliability issues from them.

What about an OHV I6? Would such an engine be subject to the same $1k cost penalty as an SOHC I6? Speaking of which, does a direct-acting OHC also incur said penalty?

[xsneakyxsimx]

OHV I6 will not incur the penalty, and I was intending to not allow direct acting OHC, since a SOHC also uses rockers like an OHV does. Plus I am fairly certain that the direct acting is inferior in most ways to SOHC.

[ac09]

I just figured out that I’m using the open beta (and I don’t quite want to change really) so scrap that idea. Sorry dude.

[bang6111]

So you were born in an electrical storm
Took a bite out the sun
And saw your future in a machine built for two
Now your rays make me kind of go crazy
Shock and awe and amaze me
Just a ticker tape parade and me

But something was wrong
'Til you tap-danced on the air, in the night
Screaming at the top of your lungs
You said
“Come on, come on
Do what you want
What could go wrong?
Oh, come on, come on, come on, come on
Do what you want
Oh, come on, come on
What could go wrong?
Do, do, do, do what you want, yeah”

Summary

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American Guts with an interesting origin story… It’s the Alcaeus Venus GT 307

From the American manufactuer Alcaeus brings forth their entry into the pony car segment being the Venus GT 307. You might be wondering why it looks so strange and small compared to it’s contemporaries but, it’s actually made down under in the land of Oz!

So is this a rebadge of an australian Fletcher GTE?
Sort of however, it has been modified to instead have a 307 CI pushrod V8 cranking out 270 hp out of it’s fairly lightweight chassis weighing in at 2707lbs or 1228 Killos. Not too shaby for a ladder frame chassis car. However, this sets it apart from other muscle cars is that it can actually handle a decent corner or two thanks to having double wishbones in the front and upgraded sports struts to handle those harsh turns.

Speaking of, to indicate it being different from other Alcaeus Venus on the road it has two hood vents and a power hump for the massive 4bbl carb and aerodynamic features such as the front air damn and the rear spoiler helping out on the track side vents which makes it look meaner too and serve a function to cool off the rear brakes while under heavy breaking the 15" Magnesium wheels with solid discs all around also helps out too.

Inside the interior you do get your ameninties such as: Premuim 2+2 Seats, 8-Track radio sports 3 spoke steering wheel and a 4 speed manual being able to go all the way to 140MPH+ while driving down to the salt flats.

Extra Images

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[AKA_NOBUDDY]

Fierce Baby SNX

Ever thought, man, i need a good-looking car with a preppy engine for cheap? not those unnecessarily expensive European cars? Get a Fierce and get best of both worlds!