ACME

[mkm099]

ACME was founded by a young engineer, Ajax, who loved cars. He had the imagination needed for creating engines and cars that could rival the best. What he didn't have was the money required. However being the determined young man he was, he found a small tuning company called ACME (Ajax's Company of Motoring Excellence). This was in 1981. The next year a rich car enthusiast contacted ACME to upgrade his Group B homologated version of his Triton Micro. Ajax gave the car a complete overhaul. He replaced the stock engine with a humongous 5.3L I4. Even though the exact stats being unknown, it was said to produe more than a 1000 horsepower. Thus started the journey of ACME.

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micro 2.JPG (37.91 KiB) Viewed 6115 times

[squidhead]

Pictures... not working

[mkm099]

It is 1985. The money received from the upgraded Micro was running out. The company had to bring in their first car. It was named code-named T1. ACME engineers had thought about a debutant right after they sold the Micro. Due to their previous experience with I4s they decided to use a 1.7L 4 pot. Unused engines were imported from the cancelled Toyobaru AE22. These engines were optimized for sporty performance and not to be cheap. The body was designed by the then unknown Giorgio Pellegrini, who was a close friend of Ajax. The result was a rather quirky but popular small coupe. The first proper ACME. The simple yet fast Matsaram. It's FWD drivetrain was pulled forward by 245 hp and 218nm of torque at 8000 and 7800 rpm respectively. All materials were of good quality making it affordable to only the top 20%. But those who could afford it absolutely loved it. Even though only a few were left stock, many were modified and restored and eventually became a cult classic. It was the fun car of the rich kid.

mat1.JPG (21.16 KiB) Viewed 6096 times

mat2.JPG (22.73 KiB) Viewed 6096 times

mat3.JPG (25.23 KiB) Viewed 6096 times

[Sillyworld]

Was your Group B car inspired by this one?

We will love to see some stats of your cars

[mkm099]

car stats

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The attachment mat.JPG is no longer available

matsaram.JPG (42.94 KiB) Viewed 5962 times

mat.JPG (32.28 KiB) Viewed 5962 times

For the Micro.... i have other plans

[squidhead]

WAIT....

replaced the stock engine with a humongous 5.3L I4.

What?!

[mkm099]

weird.jpg (43.33 KiB) Viewed 6075 times

nah. it was inspired from this

[strop]

WAIT....

replaced the stock engine with a humongous 5.3L I4.

What?!

I know right, can you imagine just how rough that thing will idle, let alone run???

Methinks that both the bore and the stroke were maxed out.

[TurboJ]

Yeah, so far the largest modern I-4 gasoline engine has been Porsche's 3-liter (on 944 and 968). And with all the downsizing going on that sort of thing will likely never be done again.

But on the other hand one part of the fun with Automation is you get to try things which wouldn't be feasible in real life.

BTW, the group B monster is a real beast - I like it when people post cars with such extreme styling!

[Awildgermanappears]

Yeah, so far the largest real I-4 gasoline engine has been Porsche's 3-liter (on 944 and 968)

*The largest I4 gasoline engine in recent years.

[mkm099]

The time has come. It is the 1989 world auto-show. There was an ACME stand *drum roll*, but no car. Instead there was only a teaser picture. Ajax promised thatit would be one of the most unique and in a way experimental car. It's name was Swarnam. This was the starting of a new era for ACME.

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[mkm099]

Engine stats of the 1.7L NA I4 used in the Matsaram

mat engine.JPG (134.35 KiB) Viewed 5962 times