Pretty much. That being said, I’m not disappointed in how I did. I basically built a muscle car before muscle cars. But I should’ve put more quality into the wheels to get access to bigger tires (I’ve done variants featuring this for myself, but too late for the competition).
Great start to the reviews; I can’t wait for the next batch! I wonder why so many sports cars were featured in this first bunch of reviews, though.
You can easily LS7 the Z1753 if you want. There is enough space 
6 Likes
Every race car is a show car but not every show car is a race car 
5 Likes
If you really wanted you could always swap other engines into the Bandit and also put
some disk brakes on. Also power steering could always be added. For the handling, extensive modifications may be required. This is why if you do fully rule out mine, I undertsand.
That LS7 could easily slot into the engine bay of several other cars that were submitted this round…
You 2 just completely misses the whole point by mileeesss
2 Likes
CSR50 Reviews Part 2
Alright, another day of test driving classic cars, I could get used to this! Today I’m looking to drive a wide variety of cars and body styles, so this should be exciting!
Gridghost
The Scanat 3000SV is a very attractive-looking small coupe. I love the shade of red and the fixtures are tastefully placed. Mechanically, the Scanat has a 3.0L V8 crossplane engine driving the rear wheels. The suspension feels nicely tuned, and the car oversteers happily but controllably. 0-60 is a very respectable 8.5 seconds, and 60-0 can be done in 40m, also quite good. The interior feels a little bit cramped, but it’s very plush.
Overall, the Scanat 3000SV is a good car in nearly all respects, with a nice balance of drivability, sportiness, and comfort. But I can’t really get over how… average it feels. Every part of the engineering and design is very sensible but very conventional. It’s a great-looking car and I’d love to see it cruising down Woodward Ave. But if I’m going to spend several months working on a classic car, I’d like to own something a little more interesting.
TR8R
The SiTh Trident is another nice-looking small roadster. This one is powered by a 1.8L straight-six, revving to 5600RPM and driving the rear wheels. While the gray paintjob doesn’t look that attractive to me, the panels are in pristine condition due to the aluminum construction. Driving the car, it feels very light and tossable while also having a plush and comfortable interior. In fact, this car has really nice, smooth handling. It can corner pretty hard at 0.9g, but it has a more buttoned-down, understeery nature compared to some other roadsters I’ve driven. The braking performance is really good at just 35m from 60-0, however I felt that a light prod of the brake pedal would lock up the wheels. The owner explained that the brakes were some of the most advanced and most powerful of its day. I had to laugh to myself a little bit, since I’ve driven so many cars that practically demanded stronger brakes, and this lightweight aluminum roadster had brakes that were far too powerful.
Overall, the Trident is a quite pleasant, easy-to-drive car. But like the Scanat, it’s fairly unremarkable aside from the unnecessarily advanced brakes. That, combined with the aluminum body, make this car rarer and more expensive than I’m willing to pay for.
abg7
I’d like to start off by noting that I really love the name Macale Madeira. It sounds very exotic and very pretty. The car’s appearance is more bland than exotic, but it’s nicely proportioned and has a tasteful use of chrome. It’s powered by a twin-cam, multivalve inline-six driving the rear wheels. The engine revs to 5600RPM and produces 170hp, mostly at the top end. The engine is quite fun; the advanced valvetrain encourages you to rev the engine out and access that top end power. But the downside is that it’s really complicated, and not very reliable. In fact, this engine is rarer and harder to tinker with than the Devillain’s 8.0L V12. The DMV Trebuchet’s 3.8L OHC V8 is about the same cost and revs to 5500RPM, but produces considerably more power (200hp) and is 15kg lighter to boot.
Aside from the engine, the rest of the Madeira is again quite conventional. The car does 0-60 in 8.3 seconds, and the car can corner at 0.85g with a balance between oversteer and understeer. The brakes are significantly underpowered (unlike the Trident), and the car lacks power steering despite being one of the heavier cars I’ve driven. However the interior is spacious and comfortable, and comes with a nice radio.
Like the Vanquist and the Enios 756 this is another case of unique design choices that don’t necessarily make the car better. But it does make the car rarer and more expensive, so I will have to say goodbye to the Madeira and its beautiful name.
Nerd
F%#KING YES. YES YES YES. 13L V12 POWAH IN A F#%KING BIGASS VAN. This is exactly the kind of crazy sh*t that the Woodward Dream Cruise is all about. The Americar Van 1300, despite having a numerical designation that is smaller than the Rotsuma 3600, has an engine that is 37 times bigger. ‘MURICA!!! It produces a whopping 306 horsepower, and you can hear every one since it has no mufflers. It’s also covered in rust, like the rest of the car, and is probably about an inch away from totally blowing itself up. The van has a 4x4 drivetrain for some reason, seats 9 people very uncomfortably, has absolutely no safety features at all, and lacks power steering despite being stupidly heavy. The suspension setup is total crap, both sway bars seem to have rusted away (or were never there in the first place), and the thing could oversteer and tip over at just 0.55g. 60-0 braking distance is an abysmal 74m.
The Americar Van 1300 is the pinnacle of batsh*t insanity. I love it, I want it, I would be proud to attempt to drive this monstrosity on Woodward Ave. But it’s going to be a lot of work to even get the car to a drivable condition. And I can forget about driving this thing all the way to Woodward on its own. What was I saying about unique design choices that don’t make the car better?
LordLetto
Well, nothing will be able to match the craziness of the Americar Van, but this Letto Motors Spasso makes a valiant effort. It takes the inverse approach, with a tiny 541cc DOHC V8 revving to 8900RPM, producing a scant 43.7hp. Oh and that engine is mounted in the rear for some reason. The engine, while sounding promising on paper, is quite poorly designed. It’s poorly optimized for octane, with a compression ratio of just 6.6:1. Worse still, what little power it has is only available at the top of the rev range, making the engine pitifully weak at low RPMs. Indeed, the car takes a seriously slow 65 seconds to reach 60mph, topping out at just 74mph. Driving this car to Woodward by itself is out of the picture. The bicycle tires and terribly uncomfortable seats didn’t help with that, either.
Overall, the Spasso was “engineered” nearly as nonsensically as the Americar Van, but it lacks the charm of being A VAN WITH A F*CKIN 13L V12. Something something unique design choices, something something not better.
Thecarlover
Okay, now this is something interesting. Really interesting. The CM Yukon Luxeliner looks unique and stunning from every angle. It’s got all of that gorgeous jet-age style that the 50s were famous for, but wrapped up in a totally different package. Seriously, I can’t stop staring at it, it’s just beautiful and intriguing and I love it! I’m sure it would have the same effect on everyone at the Woodward Dream Cruise!
Underneath that amazing exterior, the Luxeliner also has some fairly interesting mechanicals. It has a 3.0L OHC straight six hooked up to a 4x4 drivetrain. While this isn’t really a car to go offroading, due to the small tires and very long overhangs, it does have that adventurous, outdoorsy personality. You could load up the van with all your friends and gear, and go on a road trip in style. It’s like a cross between a VW Minibus and a Jeep. Plus it’s got comfortable seats and all the classic tunes you need for that road trip. I could bring my whole family with me to Woodward and cruise the streets, blasting music and soaking in that 50s style. It would be fantastic.
The main downside to this car is that it’s pretty expensive, since it wasn’t produced all that much, and the braking performance is a little bit sketchy. But I’m really feeling this one. It’s unique, eminently stylish, and has a cohesive design.
Oppositelock
Next up, let’s continue the trend of interesting non-sport-coupes with the GSI Wyoming. What kind of American doesn’t like a good old fashioned pickup truck? This one is powered by a 4.8L OHV V8, and as soon as I hear the crossplane soundtrack I can feel the freedom surging through my veins. 170 horses, and 247 freedom units of torque at just 2000RPM. Ladder chassis, leaf springs, RWD. This truck makes me want to grab a beer and a guitar and play country music out on the porch. I can’t even play guitar.
The downside of being the definition of a classic American pickup truck is that, well, it’s also exactly the same as every other classic American pickup truck. And while it’s a good truck in nearly every regard, I’m sure there will be plenty of similar trucks cruising Woodward Ave.
Laffinghyena
Now we’re going from the ‘Murican-as-pie Wyoming to the tea-and-crumpets Oxnard Tourister. This one looks really interesting, with that “breadvan” wagon body style and the somewhat odd-looking front fascia. But under the hood, this feels more like an American hot rod than a posh British estate. It’s got a 4.0L crossplane V8, producing an even 200hp and powering the rear wheels. It can do 0-60 in just 7.6 seconds. Cornering is not bad too, at over 0.8g. This is like a British sleeper! Wouldn’t it be fun to do some modifications to that engine, maybe a supercharger, and do some drag racing with it? That would be a sight to see!
Wait, how much does it cost? Unfortunately, the Tourister’s complex engine and suspension mean that’s a pretty rare car, and I doubt I’d have the budget to turn it into a drag racer. But this is a pretty cool car already.
ramthecowy/titleguy1
From America to Britain, now let’s go to another part of the world with the DHB Special 53. Whoa, this car looks stunning. I really love that chrome side strip which leads into the rear air intake. Yes, this is a rear-engined car, and it shows that off beautifully. The interior is just as amazing, with 6 luxuriously trimmed seats. Certainly befitting of a Anikatian official! The crappy radio and lack of safety features, less so.
The car is powered by a 3.5L OHV straight-six. Capable of running on 80-octane horsepiss, the engine produces a very underwhelming 101hp. That’s not terrible, but it is quite underpowered for such a big car. 0-60 is achieved in a rather slow 17.6 seconds, definitely not aided by the rear engine placement since there is far more traction than power. Meanwhile, that rear engine forces the front wheels to be super thin to avoid terminal oversteer, so the car corners at a very poor 0.55g. The ride is also very stiff and uncomfortable.
The DHB Special 53 looks great on paper and looks great in person, but it manages to be only mediocre from its impressive spec sheet. It has a pretty big engine, but very poor acceleration and handling. It has a beautiful interior, but is still not very comfortable to ride in. That, combined with its rarity and cost, make this a pass. Unique choices, not better, you know the story.
Rk38
Next up we have the DHB’s proletarian little brother, a Daisuma Oehyo B4J. And I mean really little. This car looks very cute and intriguing, I really like the hood scoop and the spare tire in the back. The car is powered by a microscopic 360cc two-stroke 3-cylinder engine, that produces a scant 16.5hp. 0-60 takes… 109 seconds. Yeah. Its top speed is just 62mph. I’d have a really hard time driving this on public roads, unless I do a V8 swap or something… But that still wouldn’t be enough. This car has absolutely no creature comforts or safety at all. In fact it mostly appears to be a box of steel and fiberglass with an attempt of an engine somewhere in there. I appreciate that this car was designed for a different culture in a different era, but it’s seriously too far out of my comfort zone. If I brought this to the Dream Cruise, I’d probably be towing it with my truck. Or maybe I could use it a place to ground my kids.
Goblin95
Alright, now this is something more up my alley. The OHM Papua is a good old fashioned off-roader, with a 4x4 drivetrain, manual lockers, and chunky tires. Motivation is provided by a 3.5L straight-six, which produces a reasonable 140hp. Unfortunately, the Papua is quite heavy, so the 0-60 time is a rather unimpressive 17 seconds. The brick-like aerodynamics probably have something to do with that as well. On the other hand, it’s definitely a very capable off-roader, and it looks the part. It’s just that, well, it doesn’t feel like there’s anything terribly interesting to show off here. It’s mostly the same as any other 4x4 of the era.
Leedar
The Land Roamer Touring is another off-roader, but this one is definitely a little more interesting. While the Papua was a hardcore off-roader, the Roamer is designed to straddle the line between off-road capability and on-road driving manners. It’s built on a unibody chassis with Macpherson struts up front and a coil-sprung live axle in the rear, along with standard road tires. It’s still got a 4x4 drivetrain with manual lockers, as well as a skidtray. The engine is a 3.5L OHV crossplane V8, producing a modest 100hp but with 177 lb-ft of torque at just 1500RPM. Because this car is so much lighter than the Papua, it can do 0-60 in a respectable 11.8 seconds. Braking and cornering is also far superior. Despite that, the Land Roamer manages to be nearly as good off-road as the Papua, and it would probably be better with dedicated off-road tires. And best of all, it’s quite affordable as well. I think the Land Roamer would fit the bill quite well.
BobLobLaw
Here we have a classic American land barge. The Petoskey Indian is powered by a 5.9L OHV V8, revving to a paltry 3200RPM. It produces 159hp and a massive 298 lb-ft of torque. So, definitely not a sports car engine, but great for low-speed cruising. Unfortunately, this car’s older technology holds it back. It’s a heavy car, but lacks power steering and twin-leading-shoe drum brakes, so drivability and comfort are poor. The suspension is also extremely stiff, especially in the rear. It’s not a bad car, but I feel like if I wanted a 50s land barge there would be better options available.
Rcracer11m
Alright, we’ve tested everything from a 306hp van to a 16.5hp shitbox… let’s go back to a small sporty coupe! The Mott Works Aqueos is powered by a very interesting 3.2L V12 that revs to 6700RPM. It produces an even 200hp and sends the power to the rear wheels. The torque delivery feels rather peaky, since it has very little torque down low, good torque in the middle, but quickly runs out of steam past 5000RPM. It makes the high redline and abundance of pistons feel kind of wasted.
Here’s the other interesting thing about this car: it’s an automatic. Yes, the Aqueos is more of a miniature grand tourer than a raw sports car. The tires are thin, the suspension is tuned for understeer, and the seats are soft and comfortable. The 0-60 time of 8.6 seconds and the top speed of 142mph are certainly befitting of a grand tourer.
Overall, the Aqueos is a nice coupe that prioritizes drivability and comfort over sportiness, and I can appreciate that. It would certainly be more enjoyable to cruise with this car at low speeds than some of the more hardcore sports cars. That being said, it’s also very costly, with that extremely intricate V12 engine making this car quite rare. Perhaps a simpler and torquier OHV engine, like the Petoskey’s, would have suited the design goals better?
TheElt
The final car I’ll be taking a look at is this bubblegum-colored BM 5.5. I think this car looks quite elegant, with its tasteful usage of flowing chrome strips. Definitely an eye-catching car. The engine is a 1.2L straight-six mounted in the rear, producing 44hp. 0-60 is an unimpressive 16.7 seconds. What is it with all these rear engined cars using weak ass engines? Anyway, the most impressive part of this car is probably its sleek aerodynamics and sky-high 43mpg fuel economy. It’s able to reach 100mph from that 44hp engine, eventually. It’s quite comfortable and easy to drive, too. I could see myself cruising down Woodward with this.
Alright, that’s all the cars driven and tested! There was a great variety in the cars I tested today, and I’m certainly spoiled for choice. I’ll make my decision soon enough, and then it will be time to get started on the hard work!
14 Likes
Not gonna lie, this might be Kee engine, but some of these cars, I looked at them and was like phwooooooar nice 
5 Likes
Great work with the reviews @phale! You’ve certainly got a clectic bunch of entries here. It’s nice to see the very different and some really cool approaches.
Wow, @nerd I really thought I’d have the least comfortable car/van by far. Congrats on building a more perfectly terrible van…I mean that in the best way 
As far as a V8 swap goes for the Oehyo I’d challenge anyone to try and fit one in this tiny machine 
Rk38 - CSR50-Rk38.zip (50.8 KB)
4 Likes
Well, the Madeira may be a little too advanced for its time, but in keeping with Macale’s policy of constant technical innovation, it ought to be lore-friendly, if I indeed give the brand some actual lore… But you were right about unique engineering choices not necessarily being better, as you have repeatedly mentioned. That doesn’t mean they should be avoided altogether, though.
Anyway, when it comes to reviews, you always seem to nail it every single time!
CSR50: Final Results
Well it’s been a fun time driving all these classic cars, but it’s time to make a decision. These were the cars that best fit what I was looking for: a car that is great because of its unique design features.
Third place
Leedar - Land Roamer Touring
A well balanced car that perfectly splits the line between excellent daily drivability and serious off-road potential. Like a Jeep Cherokee XJ, except 30 years in advance.
Second place
NormanVauxhall - Znopresk Z1753
The Znopresk is a perfect example of using its unique traits to the fullest. Its FWD powertrain makes it not only practical, comfortable, and very easy to drive, but also secures it a place in automotive history next to the innovative Citroen DS. Makes you wonder why it took so long for FWD to become commonplace when cars like this show off how thinking outside the box can have great results. Plus it looks amazing too!
First place
Thecarlover - Canada Motors Yukon Luxoliner
A jaw-droppingly gorgeous car that perfectly encapsulates the best of 50s car culture. Also a cohesively designed car that uses its unique traits to give a sense of adventure and personality. This is an all-around excellent design that captured my imagination and my heart.
Honorable mention
Nerd - Americar Van 1300
The less all-around excellent design that also captured my imagination and my heart. Because “13L V12 van” is a collection of numbers and letters that should appear more often.
Congratulations to thecarlover! I can’t wait to see what @strop will put instead of thecarlover in the first post 
Just for posterity, here’s a couple of prototypes that I designed for this round! These are just some other potential ideas for out of the box thinking!
Luxury unibody SUV:
FWD land barge wagon:
FWD sports coupe:
16 Likes
Congratulations to thecarlover on their win! A well-fought round, and not easily won.
2 Likes
Huh, didn’t think I’d make the podium… lucky that this round was run by phale. 
Congrats thecarlover!
Really, really happy with the second place! I thought my car was discarded… 
So all I had to do to do to win was predate the FWD wonder by 11 years. Curses
1 Like
Damn, i tought about going FWD but discarded it as too crazy 
And I have a complete (except for the looks) FWD sports car on exactly that body Could have entered…
thecarlover has done it again! What a way to celebrate 50 rounds of CSR - with a challenge that brought out the best in anyone who could make even a semi-decent classic car.
And it’s likely that 50s race teams would use a Yukon Luxoliner to carry their gear and staff around between races. Quite a surprise not to see any actual sports cars in the top 3, even though they made up the majority of the field.