Just so you’re aware, that load capacity pretty much rules out the Syclone as engineering inspiration. That was literally just a street rod as a truck bed.
Not that I mind, 454SS was more baller anyhow
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I am aware, and there was a rumor that a magazine were paid off to not make the Syclone Truck of the Year, and they chose the load capacity as the reason why: if you believe Hagerty. But I don’t know if you can talk about sports trucks and not mention the Syclone.
Plus I think the 454SS is more baller too
A syclonesque truck is certainly possible with respect to the towing capacity, and I personally think an even smaller import truck with a turbo 4 would be better. The wheelbase rules out the Hilux/Hardbody FYI.
'Cause, the Syclone is king forever
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Since I am making one for the 1990 Letaran transport show, it would fit like a glove here too, interesting… 
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QFC13 was set in 2003, and was run in 4.2; this challenge, if I’m not mistaken, will use the 4.3 open beta (in addition to taking place a little over a full decade earlier).
Incidentally, this reminds me of a combined Beam/Automation challenge set in the exact same year in which we had to build the same type of vehicle - and have them put to the test in a series of time trials.
However, it seems that you have forgotten to impose a price ceiling - $18k-$20k should suffice. For reference, the first test mule I made for this challenge costs $17.5k.
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I missed the first sport truck challenge, hopefully that wont be the case this time around.
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After realizing that low torque limits for gearboxes in the 4.3 open beta can be a hindrance to builds running turbocharged engines (even in later years), I stuck with a naturally aspirated 5.0L OHV V8 for my test mule (another way to keep purchase and service costs down, especially since the engine has an iron block and alloy heads) - but I wouldn’t bet against someone entering a Syclone/Typhoon-like entry powered by a high-displacement turbo six-cylinder engine of some sort (regardless of whether it’s a straight, V, or flat six).
Also, initial testing showed that my first mule could reach 60 mph from rest in just 5.5 seconds - although some gearing tweaks gave it a huge bump in sportiness (probably due to reduced wheelspin) while losing only 0.3s from the 0-60 time in return.
And with the latest open beta update having been released, I’ve made a few changes to ensure that my entry remains viable even with the revised calculations for tire grip and emissions, among other things.
After having some time to think about it, I am considering adding a soft cap of 18,500$ for the trucks, and any truck that exceeds that will have their stats lowered by 15% percent in compensation. This may be too harsh so I am open to any suggestions as to how to handle a price soft cap.
And for fun, have a poll:
- Yes, I agree with the soft cap for truck price and penalty
- Yes, I agree with the soft cap for truck price but not the penalty
- No, I do not want to have a soft cap for truck price
0
voters
How about ATS? The body I am using has the engine halfway into the cab, can’t do a decent interior without fiddling with them.
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ATS is open to be used
Is it Lanson you mean?
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Heh, whoops. It was indeed. Curse my lack of double checking and writing this in notepad before copy pasting it as the thread.
Alrightly then, the majority has spoken about including a soft cap for pricing, but preferring a different penalty so I will think on what said penalty should be (and will listen to any suggestions anyone would like to offer either publicly or if they so choose, in private). But I am not seeing any need for any other major rule changes to occur so…
SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN
Also, soft cap is added to the main thread as well, so now is a good time to remind yourselves of the current rule set
1992 SVM Antelope ST8
The flagship of the Antelope line, the '92 ST8 was, as Highway & Raceway put it, “a lifeguard truck on steroids that escaped its sandy enclosure of Santa Monica Beach and gone feral onto paved roads to hunt sports cars in their natural habitat”. To this end, it was equipped with a highly tuned version of the company’s iron-block V8, developing 276 bhp and 295 lb-ft (on 91 RON regular unleaded!) at 5,500 and 4,000 rpm respectively thanks to aluminum heads, 3-inch dual exhaust pipes, and a more aggressive camshaft. Harnessing this power required a six-speed manual gearbox and helical LSD, thus allowing the ST8 to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.0 seconds onto a top speed of over 140 mph, while also yielding a quarter-mile time of 14.21 seconds.
To give the ultimate Antelope the handling and braking performance it deserved, 17-inch forged alloy wheels wrapped in 225mm-wide high-performance tires were fitted to all four wheels, along with 4-wheel brake discs (2-piston 345mm units up front, with 1-piston 295mm items at the rear) and standard ABS (although traction control was optional). Suspension was by dual wishbones up front and a leaf-sprung live axle at the rear, but tuned for a healthy dose of sportiness without sacrificing too much comfort. An aggressive aero kit consisting of front and rear lip spoilers, a large rear wing, and a flush-fitting bed cover made it slipperier than any truck had any right to be. It was still a ladder-framed truck, though, so its performance envelope was limited.
Inside, the ST8 was distinguished by an aluminum shifter knob and body-colored accents in the interior, mainly in the seats (which were trimmed in cloth as standard, although leather was optional) and seatbelts. It also came with a standard radio incorporating an integrated cassette tape player, but a premium stereo with a CD player could be specified at extra cost. As for safety, a driver’s side airbag was standard, although a passenger’s side airbag was optional. Only five colors were ever offered for the ST8 (red, white, blue, black, or yellow, the last of which is shown here), all of which were solid colors; for added visual impact, you could even have the wheels color-matched to the bodywork!
Priced at $18,500 AMU, it may have been on the more expensive end of the sport truck scale, but it was worth it for customers who wanted the performance of a sports car and the practicality of a pickup truck. It definitely wasn’t the most economical vehicle of its kind, either (~12 mpg US combined), but then again, it was a truck, not a car, and hence exempt from CAFE requirements. Thanks to its use of a fully galvanized frame and treated steel bodywork. the ST8 was as rust-resistant as any other Antelope, and surprisingly reliable too, with its understressed engine. This generation of Antelope lasted for a decade before finally being replaced, by which time it had amassed a sizable following - and the sporty ST8 was no exception.
Personal note: This build had to be updated at least once due to a game update - hopefully it’s not broken anymore.
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Does anyone wan’t to collab on this one?
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1992 Valiant T-50 Tornado edition
Based on the T-50 light duty truck the Tornado option pack turns this into a true muscle truck.
The engine is the 350ci V8 out of the Valiant Talon sports car, this has a cast iron block with aluminium heads, lightweight conrods, performance intake with multi point electronic fuel injection and sports mufflers and catalytic converters. Power comes through a four speed automatic gearbox with lsd, the Tornado package is only available on the 2wd single cab body.
The interior has been upgraded with sports bucket seats in place of the standard three person bench. A centre console with console shifter fits in the place of the central seat.
6 Likes
TGR Industries
1992 Santi MC
The Santi MC is a sporty 4x4 pickup meant to blend utility, practicality, and fun.
A 350ci pushrod V8 powers the Santi MC, making just shy of 270HP.
The 8PG-350 from TGR industries in an all-iron block and head setup,
with multi-point fuel injection, forged internals, and a big a** exhaust pipe.
The automatic 4-speed gearbox will propel the vehicle to 60 mph from a dead stop in less than 7 seconds. Our rugged 4x4 gearbox is spinning 17" wheels on sport tires, suspended by coilovers in the front, and a leaf spring rear. Manual locking diffs at the front and rear will help you run this rugged truck up the mountain when you need it, and down the straights when you don't.
A 350ci pushrod V8 powers the Santi MC, making just shy of 270HP.
The 8PG-350 from TGR industries in an all-iron block and head setup,
with multi-point fuel injection, forged internals, and a big a** exhaust pipe.
The automatic 4-speed gearbox will propel the vehicle to 60 mph from a dead stop in less than 7 seconds. Our rugged 4x4 gearbox is spinning 17" wheels on sport tires, suspended by coilovers in the front, and a leaf spring rear. Manual locking diffs at the front and rear will help you run this rugged truck up the mountain when you need it, and down the straights when you don't.
3 Likes
