(Read more about the idea behind the cool wall etc. here)
First, I can’t thank @Edsel enough for finding out this great scoring system that solved how I should set up a challenge I have had in my head for a while, and also for letting me borrow it. Many thanks!
Second, I haven’t put up final rules, nor have I put up a deadline, and it will probably be postponed for a little while (first, I am still in 4.1, but I have decided to switch to 4.2 anytime soon, and if I find out that I don’t think 4.2 is stable enough, I will wait until it is, as an example). But I still think that we can warm up with a little info about the client, what he is looking for and most important, the cool wall.
One thing that I will try to make different is to not put up so many cars on the cool wall to start with. Instead, each member will be allowed to ask for five (5) different cars on the cool wall instead of 3. Also, I will be a bit less helpful with hints about why they are in their certain spots, that will make it more of an exercise for your brain to figure ut what he wants and why. But you are free to ask for new cars for the cool wall from now on, to the deadline (whenever it might be).
The backstory
January the 20th 2007
Somewhere in northern Sweden
The 1973 Volvo 164 took its last breath somewhere on a rural road. An empty one. In a snowstorm. The only thing to do was to leave it somewhere where the plow truck hopefully wouldn’t hit it too hard, and walk the long way home.
WALK.
Through a snowstorm. Straight home to look at used cars at blocket.se.
This car had been a lemon since the day of the purchase. Probably a good reason why one should not buy a car with the heart, but with the head. Because as charming as a “classic” car can be, the harm the previous owners might have done to it can sometimes be devastating. And most people would have seen this as the moment when one should give up and buy something “sane”, BUT…
Meet Henry.
Henry is 24 years old and lives somewhere up north in Sweden, and he has always been somewhat of the strange loner that has been going his own way. Thanks to that, he would never buy a car to impress anyone else, but he really thinks that it needs to be a reflection of his own personality. Which is a personality that is hard to get a grip of sometimes… So anything bland is out of the question, yet it needs to fulfill his needs.
What is he looking for?
To start with, Henry is a vintage car enthusiast. That means that he has nothing against driving an older car as a daily as long as it is mechanically sound, but thinks that the really old cars should be preserved instead of turned into winter beaters. That means that the cutoff year in that end is 1965. On the other hand he would not have anything against trying something more modern for a while either. But he does not like the thought of a new car diving in value the first years, after 10 years the value is at least a bit more stable, so in the other end, the cutoff year is 1997.
Regarding which BODY STYLES he is preferring, there is some guidelines.
Sedan: Generally OK, he likes the formal classic look a sedan can have when the design is done right, and after all, the 3 box shape is what most of us will draw if we are told to just draw a simple car. The classic, more or less “standard” type of car.
Coupé: Yes please. The stylish looks will make up for the lack of practicality, at least that is what he thinks himself. Generally, though, he is probably more headed towards larger “personal luxury” coupés than to small, sporty ones.
Wagon: Absolutely. Some cars, in his opinion, looks better as wagons than as sedans, and the extra amount of practicality can’t hurt.
Pickup truck: Yes, he loves both the rugged image and looks, as well as the utility they will offer. He does not need more than two seats so a single cab will do just fine. Though it is not as easy as just putting a bed on ANYTHING and think that he will like it.
SUV: Double edged sword. He does not like when things pretend to be something they aren’t. So as much as he loves a classical BOF 4x4 offroader, he will puke at more modern and less capable crossover-ish stuff (that will start to appear about at the end of the era he is looking for cars from)
Van: Doubtful. He might like a classic shag wagon but more modern euro style vans is just…yawn.
Hatchback: Generally no, but he might be convinced if the car is the right one (the very right one). Also, it should be said that his grudge is mostly against the more common econobox shape. If it’s more like a coupé that has a hatch in the rear he is more OK with it (think Foxbody Mustang as an example)
Minivan/MPV: No. Very much no. It is his definition on having given up on life. Dorky, soulless appliances. No way. Though there is exceptions to any rule. If it is a bit more truck-ish than the regular minivan he might accept it (think Chevy Astro)
Convertible: Not practical in scandinavian weather, not even very useful most days in the summer either. Soft tops will get a score reduction (haven’t decided on how much yet) while hard top convertibles will not be put in favour over a regular coupé. TL:DR - He is not looking for a convertible, no idea to make one.
Considering the DRIVETRAIN he does not necessarily need a fast car but still wants some grunt. Also, he can drive stick but does not have anything against autos.
When it comes to COLOURS they won’t actively affect scoring, but still might have an impact on the overall looks of the car, it could be said that generally he prefers dark shades over bright ones, and pearls/metallics over standard colours.
For more clues, ask/look into the Cool wall.
But who is Henry?
24 years old. Living in northern Sweden, in the countryside. Single, so 2 seater coupés, single cab pickups etc. aren’t ruled out. Automobile enthusiast that likes to be in the garage wrenching if it’s just for fun (but not all the time just to be able to get from A to B). Enjoys vintage cars, outdoor life, old school metal and getting drunk on cheap beer. Does not like…well…almost anything that was modern or popular back in 2007.
Cool wall
As in Edsel’s challenge, you can score from -20 to +20 on the Cool wall, and you are allowed to ask for the addition of 5 cars to the wall, from now on. Preferrably in the 1965-97 year range, however, he does not have any objection against grey market imports, so cars not sold in the european market will still be accepted.
As you can see I have started with relatively few cars as this might be more of a challenge then.
Important areas (10 pts scoring)
RELIABILITY - after all this is why he decided to get another vehicle, right?
SERVICE COSTS - Henry does all the work himself on his cars, so he wants them to be easy to repair and to have cheap spares.
OFFROAD - Sure, he is not looking for a rock crawler but still a thing that needs to be considered on bad roads and deep snow in his part of the country.
COMFORT - The distances are long, covering them in a car that is not comfortable will not be pleasant.
UTILITY - He will probably haul more stuff than friends with the car, so yeah.
Less important but still considered (5 pts scoring)
PURCHASE PRICE - He has a budget (TBA but will probably be a tad higher than in Edsel’s challenge) and he is satisfied as long as it is kept inside that, but the cheaper the better.
FUEL ECONOMY - He does not drive so much that it is a make it or break it deal, but still, everyone would prefer an economical car over a gas guzzler if everything else was similar.
PRACTICALITY - A bit less important than utility but still considered.
SAFETY - He pretends that he is too cool to care, but inside he knows that it is probably a bit stupid to drive around on slippery roads with mooses everywhere in something that will crush like a beer can in an accident.
DRIVEABILITY - He is used to driving shitboxes but that does not mean that he enjoys it.
Scoring system
As in Edsel’s challenge, it works like this. On the cool wall, a car can get between -20 and +20 points, depending on where it lands, and totally independent compared to other cars on the wall.
For all other areas, the worst scoring car will get zero points, while the best scoring car will get five or ten points. The score of the cars in between will be measured in relation to the best and worst scoring car. There is an explanation about that in Edsel’s challenge, but as he gave me a tip, I will not give any points at all to the worst scoring car unlike he did.
Rules
HARD RULES
- Trim year between 1965 and 1997. Model year can be older.
- Engine variant may be older than trim year (since engines aren’t really changed every year) but not newer (as stated earlier, he doesn’t want anything that someone other than himself has messed with so no engine swaps)
- Maximum price $3500 after depriciation. Calculator can be found here!
- Super fuel (98 RON) or lower (but super will add a penalty, more about that lower down)
- Unleaded gasoline has to be used from 1976 on (to simulate Swedish emission regulations, that can’t be replicated in game very well), 3-way cat needed from 1989 on. At least one muffler needed.
- No crossply tyres. This might sound like an exception from realistic engineering, but it is not. A 60s car still used as a daily in the 00s would have been likely to run modern tyres.
- Lockers are only allowed with 4x4 drivetrain (not for FWD, RWD or AWD).
- No stress on engine parts.
- No extremely unrealistic engineering and/or obvious meme cars (as usual, ask if you are unsure)
- Maximum trim ET 150, engine ET 150
- No quality slider should be lower than -3.
SOFT RULES
Here is the area with stuff that will slip through but result in a point reduction.
- Leaded gasoline (allowed for pre 1976 cars only, -1 point). Yes, the only alternative for the oldest cars but it’s up to you if you want to take the chance with such an old vehicle. Leaded gas is not available at the pump anymore and to buy additives is kind of a hassle.
- Super gasoline (-2 points). Premium is readily available at the pump but super is not at all the gas stations which is an even bigger hassle.
- Unrealistic engineering, but not bad enough to result in an instabin (-1 to 3 points, depending on how bad it is)
- Soft top convertible (-5 points). He really doesn’t want one in the Swedish climate so if you still want to gamble with one you better build something amazing.
- Race and/or limited production parts (-5 points). Very much trouble in the eyes of the customer, so if you still want to win his heart with your homologation special, go ahead.
- Sub 30 weather resistance (-1 point). The scandinavian climate is harsh to cars so this is probably self-explanatory.
Naming and deadline
Model / Trim = YACC (your name) - Name of your car
Engine family / variant = YACC (your name) - Name of your engine
Preliminary deadline: 18th of February 2022, 4 PM CET. Due to the unstable nature of the alpha, resubmissions will be allowed (since updates can screw up the stats) and deadline MAY be postponed, but only IF there is too much trouble with the alpha by then. Before deadline, the car should be sent via PM to me, and an ad should be up in the thread before that.
