Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 80: Two Birds with One Stone

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 80: Two Birds with One Stone

Recently, I decided to do what I had never done before: enter the same Automation car (specifically, the HAM HC6 - a rear-drive, full-sized, four-door sedan introduced for the 1993 model year) in two different forum competitions. This was easier said than done, because there were significant differences between their requirements. I did, however, manage to create variants tailored specifically to each one - and much to my surprise, I did not come up empty-handed in either. Here's how they went.

For CSR 118, in which the client was looking for a used car made between 1985 and 2005 for use as an affordable daily driver, I entered the more upmarket 3.0 trim, with its fully premium interior and sound system. The model range as a whole was built on a sound platform, with advanced features such as fully independent suspension (double wishbones up front with a multi-link rear end), 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, and variable intake and exhaust valve timing all standard across the range.

The original version of the HAM HC6 as submitted in CSR 118, with the larger 3.0-litre engine and premium interior.

For the sixth round of His Highness Demands (a series of contests about the fictional communist monarchy of Semyonovia, in which the topic varied with each round), I detuned and de-bored the engine while also downgrading to a standard interior and sound system to stay under the post-tax approximate budget of $28,000, thereby creating the entry-level 2.5 trim. However, among the many things the cars had in common, two of them stood out: an advanced safety suite and compatibility with 91 RON regular unleaded petrol, since both of these features were mandatory for HHD6.

The entry-level version of the HAM HC6 as submitted in HHD8, with a detuned 2.5-litre engine and standard interior.

The result was much better than expected. I feared that its more sophisticated underpinnings would be its undoing; however, both variants had a comfortable ride, with decent road manners. Only its average reliability held it back in CSR 118, where it received an honorable mention but never troubled the top three. It was a different story in HHD6, though; the entry-level HC6 finished third overall by being a surprisingly well-rounded package, with great reliability and build quality allied to low servicing costs.

What did I learn from this experience? First, it is possible to submit the same car in multiple challenges. Second, if you wish to do so, it may be necessary to create and submit multiple trims for that purpose due to differing eligibility criteria. Third, some trims of a particular car are better suited to a particular set of requirements than others.

Thus ends my look back on that time when I made a car that outperformed my conservative expectations - not in one forum competition, but two. Until the next major competition rolls around, see you next time!