Probably's Eclectic Designing

[ProbablyWastingTime]

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Probably’s Eclectic Designing

A Variety Design Thread

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Introduction

• Who is ProbablyWastingTime?
  I’m an amateur car designer based out of the great state of Oklahoma, trying my best to make coherent-looking cars. I have been playing Automation since December of 2024 and boy howdy have I improved since then. The things I like the most are 2000s domestic automobiles and 2000s alt music. My favorite of my brands is either Akron or Okira.

• What is Probably’s Eclectic Designing?
  This is a thread I created to show off all my various cars I churn out on Automation to a wider audience. I used to post to the Steam community page but that joint wasn’t very receptive. Here I found a place full of people actively enjoying the game and making great cars, so I decided I’d call the Discourse forum my home.

• Why do you yap so much?
  My bad G.

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(Un)frequently Asked Questions

1. Will you ever give a brand you post it’s own dedicated thread?
   I might give Akron and Portage a thread in the distant future. The concept of distilling all my energy into a single brand over multiple decades sounds less or more appetizing depending on the day. It’d probably just end up being where I post my Akron and Portage cars whenever I make them.

2. Why don’t you make that many post-2010 cars?
   I think this has always been something I do. I used to be a little more familiar with the modern car design meta but in recent times I’ve drifted out into older cars. The average year of the past 20 cars I’ve made is like 1990. I try to push myself out of my comfort zone every once and a while and make something new but in newer cars there’s more to think about and incorporate and I worry it won’t come out right.

3. Do you just post cars whenever you feel like it?
   I make cars a little faster than I feel like I should. It took me a total of like 5 hours to make the Fournier Lahore. It used to take me 2 hours to do a set of taillights. By virtue of the fact of me being an absolute Automation factory I’ve implemented something of a schedule to keep things flowing. Depending on how I’m feeling I may post on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday one week. Another I might post Monday, Wednesday, Friday. It depends.

4. Will you ever make fully-fledged interiors?
   Honestly I feel like I’m doing something wrong with my interiors. It seems to come so easy to everyone else but to me it’s straight lethargic. I found out with the DeWitt Ivandale the amount of unadulterated time it takes to make headliner (and headliner that looks good, for that matter) on a normal car. I usually only make real good interiors if it’s for a challenge or if I’m in a real interior mood.

5. Where are you on the weekends?
   Everyone needs a vacation, y’know.

6. Will your schedule be like this forever?
   I highly doubt it. I’m probably gonna start getting busier going into 2027. Gotta get an actual life sometime. I think I’ll still be able to make cars at a decent rate and be active in the forum but I doubt that this time next year I’ll still be posting 4 cars a week. That only works so long.

7. Will you ever host a challenge?
   Heh, no. Unless my stance on Google Spreadsheets change, then no. I don’t like doing all that math and all that writing and all that number crunching. I’ll give people ideas for challenges (we need a challenge that’s like 1990s-2000s semi-sporty first cars,) but I don’t picture myself at the helm of the next QFC or CSR.

8. Who’s objectively the best Beatle?
   I’m gonna rule out George Harrison off the bat. Never liked him. Ringgo’s alright. He’s got really sausagey hands. Lennon wasn’t given a good chance in life. Poor John. Now I like Paul. Paul had a good life after they broke up and he went to play with Wings and Band on the Run is a good album. Paul’s probably the best in my book.

9. Did you get your photos printed?
   Bogos binted?

10. What?
    Vorp

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Brand Directory

If you’ve been following this thread for any substantial period of time you might have noticed that I have a lot of brands. I like spreading things out. To help people understand the interworkings of my mind a little better, here’s a directory for all my brands.

All ProbablyWastingTime Brands

• American Brands

DeWitt, founded 1899 by Shameus Haskell DeWitt. Everyday brand.
DFM, utility division of DeWitt, founded 2000
Stonewall, luxury division of DeWitt, founded 1923
Denera, sporty sub-brand of DeWitt, founded 1997, axed 2009
Kingston, uber-luxury division of DeWitt, founded 1959, axed 1976.
Ghallagher, founded 1903 by David Carnegie Ghallagher. Family and utility brand.
Buchanan, luxury division of Ghallagher, founded 1913
GCX, economy division of Ghallagher, founded 1990, axed 2010
Akron, founded 1910 by Fredrick Sylvester Akron. Semi-premium.
Portage, budget division of Akron, founded 1947
Elliott, founded 1901 by Atticus Fitzgerald Elliott
Metacom, performance division of Elliott, founded 1907
Carlsbad, offroad division of Ellitott, founded 1939
Bolivar, founded 2020 by Benjamin Nantucket Bolivar. Electric startup brand.
Alter, founded 2003 by Marcus Ajax Spradley. Electric startup brand.

• British Brands

Hathaway, founded 1898 by James Ernest Hathaway. Premium-sport.
Coventry, founded 1999 by Benjamin Borris Bengal. Specialty sports car house.
Overbury, founded 1938 by Alexander Hyatt Overbury. Premium offroad.
Romley, founded 1909 by Brigham Newman Moore. City and more.
Borwell, founded 1910 by Thomas Hargrove Borwell. Budget and utility.

• Australian Brands

Goldrin, founded 1934 by James Goodall Goldrin [ owned by DeWitt 1953- ]

• German Brands

Weitrovaus, founded 1922 by Aleksandar Jakob Starke. Premium-sport.
Massenauto, founded 1940 by Filip Walter Fluss. Everyday brand.
Duchess, founded 1963 by Wilhelm Bruno Duchess. Exclusive sports cars.

• Italian Brands

Giavoletto, founded 1955 by Aldo Bernito Giavoletto [ owned by Massenauto. ] Premium-sport.
Vulcanary, founded 2013 by Antonio Jon Ponce. Limited-production supercar house.
Cavalla, founded 1952 by Gregore Faggioli Cavalla. Family and commuter cars.
Cartagine, founded 1954 by Romeo de Cartagine. Supercars.
Leviatano, founded 1962 by Socrate Furia Fabbro Supercars.
Noche, founded 1966 by Johan Amico Baptiste, dissolved 1993 [ owned by Weitrovaus 1984-1993.] Exclusive premium sports cars.

• French Brands

Caedence, founded 1933 by Josef Pierre Bordeaux. Everything from city cars to sports cars.
Frunier, founded 1985 by Marcel de Avignon. City cars.
Lacolline, founded 1924 by Filip Cheval Lacolline. Quirky family and city cars.

• Portuguese Brands

Beleza, founded 1950 by Ettore Mar Beleza [ owned by Massenauto 1973- ] Family and utility brand.

• Swedish Brands

Viken, founded 1948 by Adam Jon Viken [ owned by DeWitt 1980-2011 ] Family brand.
Crona, founded 1986 by Hubert Johan Crona, dissolved 1995 Bespoke supercars and rally cars.

• Russian Brands

Kirovsk, founded 1961 by USSR government. Family brand.

• Chinese Brands

Lanxiagu, founded 1973 by Chinese government. Everything brand.

• Japanese Brands

Ikitiru, founded 1955 by Ako Kuma Tera. E
Cinntel, luxury division of Ikitiru., founded 1989
Saikuron, founded 1960 by Susumu Saikuron. Family, commuter, sport
Kuroba, founded 1965 by Takeshi Kuroba. Ikitiru but boxer engines
Kachigaru, founded 1987 by Rod Mekaniku. Legendary tuning house
Okira, founded 1954 by Meiyo Misshon. Everyday brand.
Kaiteki, luxury division of Okira, founded 1991.

• South Korean Brands

Mubon, founded 1971 by Beom-seok Mubon. Family and commuter.

Legend
Bold = Parent company. If there’s a brand below it not bold then it’s owned by the parent company. Akron and Portage are an example.

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Prologue

So like, yeah. Automation is pretty neat stuff. You should totally react to all my posts and vote me for car of the month. I nearly got new thread of the month in August

[ProbablyWastingTime]

1999 DeWitt Danera Exo - “We took Naples, Italy to Naples, Florida.”

Danera was a short-lived attempt by the American automaker DeWitt to apply their new generation of Gasser V8 into an Italian-esque grand touring package. DeWitt marketed the Danera as it’s own sub-brand sold at distinct dealers as a cheaper alternative to the less reliable sports cars produced in Italy (think Cartagine Raphael and Leviatano HS99.)

Produced from 1998 to 2003 under a single generation (internally called DX1), an estimated 11,578 units were produced at a plant in Evansville, Indiana. The most common configuration was the hard-top naturally-aspirated Exo model, and the rarest was the Targa-top SC supercharged model. The Danera has garnered a small cult following throughout America, helped by their mechanical robustness and reasonable used prices.

DeWitt Danera Exo Specs
-Engine-
GXGT 4.6 Liter naturally-aspirated V8, producing 366 horsepower @ 7300RPM and 317lb-ft of torque @ 4700RPM
-Transmission-
5DMT 5-Speed manual transmission, powering the rear wheels

Exo and SC models shown

[abg7]

It’s not a bad start, seeing as this is based on the '91 Vendetta (limitations and all), but a 5-speed manual gearbox seems a bit inadequate for something debuting in 1999, and the headlights (which are pop-up units, not exposed ones) are not only undersized, but also anachronistic. That said, 366 horsepower in base form is a formidable amount for the era.

[ProbablyWastingTime]

Ain’t that a hoot

[ProbablyWastingTime]

2004 Akron Sparrow LST 1.8

“Cue The Lightning.”

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The Akron Sparrow was a compact sedan produced by the American auto company Akron from 1983 to 2016. The 3rd generation of Sparrow (produced 1999-2007 with a mid-cycle refresh in 2003) was the most successful generation, selling north of 2 million units worldwide during production.

The 2nd generation Sparrow featured the introduction of the LST moniker, a trim usually denoting increased performance and cornering capabilities. The 3rd generation LST is often hailed among enthusiasts for it’s balance of power and precise handling, partnered with a stout 1.8-liter inline-4 and sub-3000 pound curb weight.

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Akron Sparrow LST Specs
-Engine-
1.8-liter naturally-aspirated inline-4 producing 171 horsepower @8100 RPM and 143lb-ft of torque @4700 RPM
-Transmission-
Akron Sport 6-Speed Manual, powering the front wheels

LS 1.8 and LST 1.8 models shown

[ProbablyWastingTime]

Trying to resist the temptation to make Finnish used cars

[ProbablyWastingTime]

2027 Coventry Twelve TT

Powered by a 5.5 litre biturbo V12, driving the rear wheels.
Engine makes approx. 825 bhp and 850 lb. of torque.
8-speed wet-clutch DCT.

erm

who did he find

[abg7]

I suspect the donor car for this one is the Snake body set - it may not be the most obvious choice for a modern build of any kind, but you did a better job with it than I thought you could, and it’s a refreshing departure from the norm.

[ProbablyWastingTime]

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1999 Akron Agent

The full-sized American flagship that couldn’t be sunk

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The 3rd Generation Akron Agent was debuted for the 1995 model year. When it came out, it was the most advanced car of the size on sale at the time.

The Agent for the 1999 MY gained a new option code - S5Y U3M. Checking this box got you a stroked and supercharged version of the 4.7 liter ACE V8 found in the stock Agent, a 5-speed manual transmission, a limited-slip differential, and a 2-inch lowering.

Today the Agent [ and it’s stablemate, the Portage De Grand ] are common sights in the North American continent, a testament to their indestructability 20 some years later.

[abg7]

Back in the 2000s, a supercharged example would’ve been the most fitting choice for an undercover FBI, CIA, or DEA agent to chase down even the most desperate suspects, such was its menacing yet understated air.

[ProbablyWastingTime]

[ProbablyWastingTime]

1987 Kuroba Cascade TRS

We set the bar for rallying motorsports. We also set the bar for consumer compact automobiles.

This is what happens when you combine them.

Turbocharging. It’s an exclusive technology. An elusive aspect of only the kind of Kurobas you find on rally stages across Europe.

The Cascade TRS breaks that trend. We have engineered the finest 1.8 liter turbocharged boxer-4 money can buy. Combined with a 5-speed manual and AWD, the rally stages don’t sound so crazy.

Get yours today.

1987 Kuroba Motors Ltd.

[abg7]

For something built on any variant of the Gen(Eric) body set, this one reminds me of Group A homologation special (turbo I4 mated to an AWD system) - and a successful one at that.

[ProbablyWastingTime]

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2013 Massenauto 8K Lineup

The 8K has become more than a nameplate; it’s a legacy. A story told for 17 whole years.
It has set the standard for how German mid-sized sedans are judged.
For 2013, it sets the standard for the whole world.

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8K t - ($34,536)

Base model in a Massenauto doesn’t mean no satnav or alloy wheels. In a Massenauto, base model means a powerful and efficient 2.1 liter turbocharged inline-4, driving the front wheels through an advanced 7-speed automatic. Across all trims, the front and rear are illuminated by LED/xenon lighting. Base model also means styling and materials that you can only find for twice as much money from competing brands. The 8K t comes fully-loaded for everyday life.

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8K ti - ($36,109)

Weitrovaus and Duchess aren’t going to like this one. The 8K ti pertains to one of the least compromised sporty driving experiences that German engineering can make. The 2.1 liter turbocharged inline-4 has now been tuned to produce near 300 horsepower; paired with our AWD system, it’s enough to whisk it to 60 quicker than a comparable 920tt or Calumet SE. The 8K ti does all this while managing an interior volume level of 73 decibels. Ouch.

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8K si - ($42,710)

It’s hard to find a premium car that does this much for this little. We top the range of the 8K with a Massenauto speciailty - the inline-5. This time it is our V-series 3.2 liter, conceived and assembled with your personal comfort in mind. Inside, the authentic leather and magnolia wood accents are sure to please. What else does the 8K si get you? The most advanced suspension system in the segment, that’s what. M.A.S.S. (Massenauto Advanced Suspension System) uses a computer chip to adapt to the road at a rate of 40,000 calculations/second.
German engineering at it’s finest.

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It’s Everything.

The latest generation of 8K may be our best 8K yet. We certainly hope you think the same when you’re behind the wheel of one at the dealership tomorrow.

Massenauto:

Think again.

2013 Massenauto Automobiles. Product of Germany. Massenauto is not at fault for any diesels cheating emissions testing or just straight up lying about MPGS. Contact me for inline-5 services.

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[ProbablyWastingTime]

1996 DeWitt Delores 3.4C

Specs:
3.4 liter V6
~150 horsepower
~194 lb-feet of torque
FWD
4-speed automatic

The Delores was a peculiar automobile. The motive behind the inception of it was to tap into a niche of youth-oriented semi-sporty econovertibles, basically the first wave of girly pop cars. The 3.4 under the hood wasn’t anything special; it was the same engine used in the base Breton pickup and Ivandale minivan. Paired with an exclusive 4-speed automatic and FWD, you really have to wonder what the DeWitt execs were smoking.

It looks like what :steamhappy: would drive

[ProbablyWastingTime]

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1989 Viken B2CT Husvagn

It was already an established fact in the late 1980s that Viken was a peculiar duck of a brand. They had started life manufacturing train axles for the war effort in the 40s, but after it was over they switched over the tooling in their factory to support automobiles. The Swedish marque would create various automotive oddities even after being bought out completely by Ghallagher in 1972. A steady line of 4WD 2-stroke estates, the closest thing the Swedish can make to a sports car (sorry S1CT,) and rebadged American compacts kept the lights on in Stokholm. A complete attack on rationality and the trickle of money came in 1989. And it came in the form of a 2-door caravan.

The B2CT was the top-spec version of the B2/B4 lineup Viken had been producing since 1980. Unlike other Viken models, the B2/B4 was completely without any underpinnings or powertrains from their stateside stakeholder. Ordering a B2CT meant you got a turbocharged inline-6, some of the greatest wheels money could buy, and a fully vacuum-fluorescent gauge cluster. The story goes that the then-CEO of Viken Europe was lounging at home one day when a salesman for the local caravan dealership knocked on his door. The CEO took one look at the B2CT in his driveway and the salesman and committed to one of the strangest cars ever conceived.

The Husvagn was the result of his epiphany. It had the front end and taillight bar of a regular B2CT, but a massive growth was sculpted into the rear to accommodate for an entire living quarters. Wood grain, a full bed, an ice chest; you name it, the Husvagn had it. Only about 200 were hesitatingly cranked out of Viken factories before everyone snapped back to reality and went back to making slightly less crazy automobiles. Depending on the condition, people are deranged enough to buy them on BringATrailer for north of 80k. That’s the power of Sweden.

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[ProbablyWastingTime]

2000 Okira Cisco Turbo RZ

In the North American continent, we only got a single mode of Okira Cisco in the late 90’s. The Cisco we got was a fleet-ready sport utility with the makeup and factory parts that could easily send it down an offroad trail. In Japan they got that plus one. The Turbo RZ nameplate usually found it’s way onto strange things in Japan, including the Cisco.

The Turbo RZ version of the Cisco had an aftermarket set of 6-spoke Yokorima wheels, a turbocharged version of the LDE 2.2 inline-4, a revised front and rear fascia, a larger factory exhaust, and body color everything. Production figures were somewhere in the 4000s, rivaling some Duchess products in terms of exclusivity.

Okira figured out pretty quickly that there wasn’t any market for a turbocharged lowered mid-sized SUV [ if only they waited 20 years ] and pulled the trim off spec sheets for the rest of recent history. It’s pretty hard to find something that epitomizes the state of the Japanese car market in the time quite like the Cisco Turbo RZ.

[abg7]

The Cisco Turbo RZ reminds me of the JDM Forester STI of the mid-2000s, but in a larger body.

[ProbablyWastingTime]

1975 Ikitiru R1300 Terrapin

The 1970’s for Ikitiru’s automotive division spanned in success. It was towards the tail end of the decade that they saw immense market shares with their sedan offerings and very marketable MPG figures. Towards the start of the decade, things were a little rougher. Ikitiru started out in 1955 as a motorcycle shed shop that expanded outwards as money came in. Their motorcycles sold quite well, regarded as reliable and peppy scramblers and cruisers at good prices. The automotive side of things was invented by Ikitiru only 5 years earlier with the ultimate goal of ending up in America.

The R1300 Terrapin had motorcycle in it’s DNA no matter how hard it tried to be a car. Down to the very name, it had a bike naming convention. The Terrapin in the name was derived from the flagship set of cruisers that the R1300 got it’s engine from; a 1300cc boxer-4. That power (60 horsepower, to be exact) going to the front through a 4-speed manual was supposed to be lending to the sportiness it aimed for in it’s styling, though a curb weight of 1700 pounds doesn’t sound too shabby. In the end the R1300 Terrapin ended up a relic of times when Japanese and sporty weren’t used in the same sentence.

[ProbablyWastingTime]

1938 Buchanan Federalist

7.7 Liter (630ci) 60-degree V 12 Cylinder
2-Speed Ubershift Automatic
RWD

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Despite the modern brand image of Buchanan - namely sporty premium sedans and unnamed numbers of turbocharged 4-cylinder crossovers that people sure like to buy but don’t like to service - it turns out there used to be a different type of Buchanan. The brand was founded in the 1920s to give the world’s Jay Gatsbys something to be ushered around in. Even as the depression urged bespoke luxury manufacturers into their collective Hoovertowns, Buchanan was still pushing on with hand-crafted demonstrations of American luxury. The Federalist in particular became the personal car of the president during the day, due in part by the silky-smooth behemoth of a V12 and work-of-art styling.

Adjusted for inflation, they stickered in their day for nearly a million dollars. Now they auction for 5 times that.