The Formula SAE thread

[j-e-ff-rey]

I didn't think this should go in motorsports, since FSAE is more about design than outright racing, so I put it here.
Anyways, who on Ziliva is in FSAE? I just started with UT San Antonio's team, and it's a blast.
Here are some pics.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2286/2507011037_eda8a8dc08_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3204/2507789456_7eaa3808a1_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2149/2507814646_da641dd484_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3111/2429929654_67f01cfc22_b.jpg

[TheWolf]

this can be a really good way to learn about car engineering and basic car construction...

it can also be an exercise in how team leaders who read a carrol smith book instantly think they're all knowing, and spend 6 months sucking at building "F1 style race cars"...

I enjoyed our universities but in the end it was a clusterf'k of compromises and last minute rushing that lead to no testing and piss poor performance.. atleast it stopped well which was my job...

[skylindrftr]

I am on the cal poly pomona team, hope to see you at west competition! It is the 25th to 28th of june right?

http://www.csupomona.edu/%7Efsae/photos/2008/2008CarFabrication/index.htm

^ current car build pics ^

[sephiroth99]

http://www.mec.etsmtl.ca/club/formule/img/2006b.jpg

ETS represent!

http://www.mec.etsmtl.ca/club/formule/english/index.htm

I start next automn there and I hope I can join the Formula SAE club, it looks really fun!

[low and slow]

Nice. I joined the chapter at my school, but haven't had the opportunity get that involved yet (joined late last semester), but needless to say, I'll be in it full fledge once fall rolls around.

[j-e-ff-rey]

TheWolf: Man, that sucks that your team leaders conducted things that way. The guys in charge of our team are really cool. They use genuine engineering, and don't mind explaining it to those of us who don't understand. I just finished my first year at UTSA, so right now I'm pretty much just learning from them.

skylindrftr: Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend West Comp because I can't afford to miss work, so i'm just helping out during testing right now, but our team will be there. I'm not exactly sure when comp is, but our team is leaving SA June 20th to head over to Fontana. I'm sure I'll be there next year.


The body on the ETS car looks NICE. I wonder if the chassis is carbon as well. I know Munich is using a carbon-fiber chassis, but they have tons of money.

[skylindrftr]

TheWolf: Man, that sucks that your team leaders conducted things that way. The guys in charge of our team are really cool. They use genuine engineering, and don't mind explaining it to those of us who don't understand. I just finished my first year at UTSA, so right now I'm pretty much just learning from them.

skylindrftr: Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend West Comp because I can't afford to miss work, so i'm just helping out during testing right now, but our team will be there. I'm not exactly sure when comp is, but our team is leaving SA June 20th to head over to Fontana. I'm sure I'll be there next year.


The body on the ETS car looks NICE. I wonder if the chassis is carbon as well. I know Munich is using a carbon-fiber chassis, but they have tons of money.

Carbon monocoque chassis are freakin sick, we don't have one but want to do one in the future. I am a first year member as well and all the members on the team have been extremely helpful as well and willing to answer my questions and explain why things were done a certain way etc...

[iwishiwas-all*]

hey you guys, how much money did your school end up giving you to do this competition vs. sponsor money... also how many months did you spend in development and specifically for the upstart team, what did you base your car off of, a previous design you saw or did you just work off what came to mind? I talked to my dean of engineering here at UM and he basically gave me the go-to-hell look. so im trying to show his idiot ass up... all the info you have on how to get this ball rolling would be greatly appreciated.

[boost_it7]

It sucks, but you're gonna have to get the ball rolling without any support from the school, so in the beginning, your whole car will need to be sponsor funded. Once you actually have a product to show them, and they can see what their money will be going to, you'll have a much better shot at getting some support from the school.

[skylindrftr]

hey you guys, how much money did your school end up giving you to do this competition vs. sponsor money... also how many months did you spend in development and specifically for the upstart team, what did you base your car off of, a previous design you saw or did you just work off what came to mind? I talked to my dean of engineering here at UM and he basically gave me the go-to-hell look. so im trying to show his idiot ass up... all the info you have on how to get this ball rolling would be greatly appreciated.

Not sure how much we actually got from the school, but I know we got a lot from ASI, which is like the student government I think... We spent a good couple months in development I believe, but I do not know for sure because I joined after the development stage. We just finished our 08 car and we had already started the planning of our 09 car starting with tire selection choices of course.

[j-e-ff-rey]

iwishiwas-all*, Formula SAE also has its own forum, so if you're serious about starting a team, that's where to ask how.

skylindrftr, we're also planning for the '09 car. Shit's gonna be intense. I can't wait.
Have you guys been able to start testing yet, since you just finished construction?

[skylindrftr]

Yeah we have been testing but various bugs have not allowed us to get dyno time yet, we have been doing skid pad, accel, braking tests etc...

[j-e-ff-rey]

we're not putting ours on a dyno. we have a wideband a/f meter to make sure the engine is running right, and we use gps to calculate hp/torque

[Andrew Bohan]

i'm sponsoring san jose state's fsae car for grahphics next year.

they're in the mega early stages right now

not even anything to look at, lol

[skylindrftr]

are they a first year team?

[Andrew Bohan]

yea. starting this year with the first car ready next year

[j-e-ff-rey]

There aren't many companies willing to sponsor first year teams, so it's pretty cool that you're helping them out.
Do they at least have any ideas for the chassis, or know which engine they'll be using?

[240trainee]

A friend of mine is a mech eng. student at VA Tech, trying to get him to get involved in their program, looks fucking fun.

[Syncade]

Michigan State FSAE here

i could you could say we're enemies

[j-e-ff-rey]

There's a difference between being competitors and enemies. I personally would much rather be in a competition where opposing teams actually help each other.

[skylindrftr]

Is michigan going to compete in west?