I made this (well, bits of it)

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

Didnt post this at the time.

Formula Student 2004, Bruntingthorpe Proving Grounds Leicestershire. July 2004.

University of Hertfordshire entry. This was about the only thing i actually enjoyed out of my entire degree course.

Car is powered by a Triumph Daytona 600 engine, for which I designed and made the inlet manifold, plenum, fuel rail and throttle body (which is a twin roller barrel design made of plastic). Also played a part in mapping the engine on a EFI Euro 1 ECU and the dry sump system. Made 85bhp peak running through the required 20mm restrictor. Was originally to be turboed, Garrett gave us a GTV12 and a GT15 (i think it was)

diff was from a kawasaki quad bike with adjustable torque distribution from fully open to fully solid, adjustable from the cockpit.

Chassis is pre-preg carbon fibre, layed up at TVR where two of our team members did their placement (only because we didnt have a big enough autoclave....buck and all moulds made by us at uni)

we had chain tensioner problems on the day (amongst other things), and had to bodge it, which is why theres such a god-awful racket from the chain in the videos.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/etheldredas/FS2004/MVI_7316.AVI

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/etheldredas/MVI_7309.AVI

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/etheldredas/MVI_7315.AVI

Retroholic Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 5685

Excellent matey, thats somethin to be proud of! Downloadin the vids now <--56k

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

would love to take the restrictor off, map it again and take it on a track day... Smile

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

nice, must have been a good course.

downloadign vids the now.

Site Subscriber Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 1141

Thats pretty smart, whats the compertition judged on? 1/4 mile or 0-60 or something? I guess there are all sorts of prizes?

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

theres all sorts... lots of static events (design judging and so on) then the dynamic events are acceleration, handling (figure of Cool

, and endurance (the majority of the points)

the course never gives the chance to properly rag it flat out Sad

Site Subscriber Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 1575

Thats pretty dam cool! I guess the car was designed around predefined rules ie wheel base length, width etc? how long did it take you all to design and build?

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

yeah there are strict rules regarding every aspect.

we get 1 academic year to design and build it (start in september and race in june/july). The Yanks and canadians and australians win every year because they have the full length of their course- 3/4 years to design theirs, plus their competition is about 6 months prior to ours so by the time they compete over here their cars are pretty much bullet proof and tested like crazy.

Level 6 User Joined: 10 Apr 2004 Posts: 150

nice

sadly enough, we didn't do such projects at uni.

Site Subscriber Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 1575

I studied electronics my final years project was a data logger and tacho very very dry and dull compared to yours mate. I take it you've left uni what do you do now?

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

Christian.. a lot of German teams enter the UK competition -braunschwieg, gothaer, hamburg, aachen to name a few... their cars are very good too.

I now work at GKN aerospace (makers of the Lynx helicopter and composite parts such as canopies, windscreens and engine nacelles for various other aircraft) at Luton airport.

Level 6 User Joined: 10 Apr 2004 Posts: 150

I studied business engineering, so it would have been hard to justify doing a project like this anyway. doesn't quite fit into the profile.

yet I do have the highest respect for the people who do such projects and sometimes wish I would have studied something more technical and practical too.