By Chris Tropea
Jan 16, 2023
What do you get when you cross home-brewed aerodynamics, a DIY tube-chassis race car and a cast-off 1960s micro car? The Subaru LMP360, apparently.
GRM forum member nocones drove this wild build to first place at the 2022 Grassroots Motorsports $2000 Challenge presented by Tire Rack. Oh, and did we mention it cost less than $2000 to build?
Check out the full build thread for yourself here: Nocones $2020 challenge build thread.
Presented by CRC Industries.
11/22/22 1:09 p.m.
Loved seeing the progress made on the LMP360 since last year's challenge.
If GRM had a deal to produce a DLC car pack for a racing game, I vote that this car be at the top of the list.
11/22/22 3:22 p.m.
In the unofficial AC league we were discussing the creation of a virtual LMP360, I was saying that changing the 3D model on a Praga R1 and dropping a Legacy torque/power curve into it would be a great start
11/22/22 5:18 p.m.
This is cool. This year's update video turned out awesome. I like the shots from the drone and the dragstrip that show the tunnels.
In reply to GameboyRMH :
Funny you guys should mention a digital LMP360. I have the LMP360 chassis with steering wheel and animated driver, with a reasonably accurate HP curve, gear ratios, suspension geometry and Aero profile in Assetto Corsa. I just need to update the cad file and get some time to put the body into AC. If anyone is good at that I would accept help...
11/22/22 5:28 p.m.
Yeah, we do have the technology to recreate this in Assetto Corsa. We would just need the builder to share some stuff with us. It would be pretty awesome.
Edit, my post was delayed. Nocones, you should drop into our Discord channel tomorrow night to discuss.
What specific help do you need?
11/22/22 6:03 p.m.
Mostly figuring out how to handle textures and materials. The model of the car is native to SketchUp. I can bring it into blender but I don't fully understand how to treat the materials in blender in a way that then will work well with the AC texture tool. I can package the model and make a car. Also the CAD model is just out of date. I've been trying to get it updated but I just haven't focused on it. I've had a few other SketchUp projects I wanted to do and the issue with the materials pushed the LMP360 down. I'd love to take the same model and make a Hotwheels kit with a resin 3D printer as well...
11/22/22 9:10 p.m.
In reply to nocones :
You should actually submit it to Hotwheels & see if they'll produce it!
1/17/23 4:14 p.m.
I'll play devil's advocate a little...
At some point, building a car for $XXX needs to include all materials, vs excluding "what was lying around in my junk pile", or we're just fooling ourselves.
The "labor of love" factor is a whole 'nother level. I'm thinking of $2000 Challenge Cars built by 6 guys in a few thousand man-hours.
We know the idea was to level the playing field and not let deep pockets have an advantage, but....both of these factors ARE resources that all competitors don't have. There's no easy way to account for this, so it's not worth worrying about it.
That said, I'm all in favor and do use what I have, and spend way too long on doing stuff...it's a hobby, not a business.
1/17/23 4:42 p.m.
I'm not following your point. I read this whole build and he never pulled magic parts out of a bin and left it unaccounted for. Did he spend countless hours? Yep but he put in the work and made something in a couple years that most people can't even fathom doing in a lifetime.
If other competitors are using parts that are questionable (which I haven't seen) but doing the work to make a complete car then more power to them. If you want to nitpick what someone at the pointy end of the field did then build a car that's almost as good and then your argument will be much more valid.
1/17/23 8:00 p.m.
I just sure wish that some Photoshop student would find a nice view of your car and superimpose a couple of kids with full seatbelts riding on the front wing.
I could sure use a few lessons on how to use Sketchup.
1/17/23 8:18 p.m.
This "point" has been made countless times over the last 20 years. Rules have been adjusted around this point a few times, too- although they've also been undone. Thing is, a car that was made from a pile of steel, say like a LoCost compared to a real full car, say like a Miata- can BOTH be competed for less than $2000. If you are comfortable and capable of modeling the Locost, including aero- and then fabricating it- that's totally awesome, and is totally welcome to compete and read about. Just as it is if you can't do that but can put together a well known recipe for a CSP Miata (which has been published in GRM a few times) - that's also totally awesome and totally welcome to compete and read about.
And if you have a team of friends who want to help any of the above- just as totally welcome.
The point is to bring people to racing. And the #1 barrier is $$, and the Challenge is to help with that barrier.
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