smokey and the bandit challenge.

[nialloftara]

This challenge is based on the movie "Smokey and the Bandit" in the movie the Bandit had to pick a fast and tough car for a 500 mile high speed run from Texas to Alabama drawing cops off the highways to clear the road for a bootleging big rig.
He picked a '77 trans am 6.6 , but this is automation! Lets see what you can come up with. Your car must be fast, robust, quick off the line and able to hold the bends at high speed but still soft enough to able to go off road and soak up bumps and jumps. It still has to pass emessions as a new car and not so inefficient that you have to stop for gas more then once.
So my requirements are:
1.Year 1977
2.Steel, corrosion resistant steel or galvanized steel for the frame
3.Steel for panels
4.Mtbf as measured in car of at least 20,000 miles /32,200 kms
5.Must have a cat some form of muffler and emissions under 1300
6.Top speed over 150 mph/ 240kph
7.Comfort over 30
8.Safety over 25
9.Ride hight over 7.5 inches /190 mm
10.Side wall of at least 50 mm with Sport compound or lower tires
11.minimum 20mpg US, 24mpg, UK 11.7L/100km
12. Four seats
13. 0-60 in less than 6 seconds
14. More then .9G
15. Less then 55lbs/ 25kgs downforce
16.Rwd only
17.no quality sliders on platform or model.
18. Engine limited to 75 man hours and $1700 and no race exhaust
19. single clutch and less than 7 gears

[VosNox]

So, I've been up and down the body list, and I can't find any vehicle that comes within an inch of being a 10 inch ride height.

[nialloftara]

Really... damn okay I'm lowering now.

[Jakgoe]

You might want to specify MPG UK or MPG US.

[nialloftara]

Done, anything else I missed? one last one added

[nialloftara]

My goodness this was harder then I expected when I made up the challenge, here is my "Stryker"

[07CobaltGirl]

The hardest part is the 20 mpg!!! With only 75 man hours, I can't get enough quality advance to make OHV feasible. Given that the original Bandit T/A was an American small block 400, it just doesn't seem right making anything that isn't OHV! And, the original was probably more like 15mpg (highway of course!). hahaha

[Manche]

I have mental pictures if a little sedan making the local police sweat.

[TheTom]

nial, isn't it kinda cheating when you use a modern coupe shell with much better aerodynamics in 1977? Just joking, nice job!

Here's my car for the Bandit to get him out of trouble!



And to help him smoke Sherrif Smokey, he will get this engine:



The result is this:



As others have said before, i think the economy was the hardest part. But i really, really wanted a 7.5L engine and i even managed to meet the requirements with this 7.5L The fine tuning on this one took quite some time, though.


Greets,
Tom

[Der Bayer]

My try with a turbocharged 4.5 liter engine (349 hp):





It works pretty well if you ask me.

[Manche]

will there bee some kind of process to select the best?

Is better flash or subtle?

[07CobaltGirl]

Flashy, of course! The original was flashy, so this one should be too!