Booyah! First Post.

Can't wait to see the action again this year!

Oh giggedy, I can't wait to get down there and have a look...I wont be competing this year unfortunatly but im keen to have a look, there should be some good stuff this year...wonder if anyone can break into the solid top 3?

Bump (and made it a sticky).
Good luck to everyone.
I'm looking forward to seeing some pictures.

Best of luck to everyone, I'm missing the Oz comp having not been there now since 2005. Maybe next year!

Frank: You scrutineering again this year?

Good luck and have fun to anybody who's going.

Greet my team for me.

Well, it's all underway. First day completed successfully. The Werribee humidity and flies are alive and well.
22 actual entries (down from 29 last year)
Apart from the 'usual suspects' the quality seems to have fallen, perhaps FSAEA has lost it's lustre?
I am not in a position to post placings yet. There are 4 teams in the Design finals.
Presentation and cost are finished.
4 cars still to be presented in Tech, several more not passed.
One very high profile team unable to pass brake test today and another unable to change gear.
Assuming I am in the mood =] I might post some more tomorrow after Skidpan and Autocross.
Cheers
Pat

Anybody got anymore updates? Its a bit quiet here

hey all

just returned from comp just a few minor results

we think off our rough timing the wa were the fastest car in autocross and are probablly leading comp overall.

swinburn won presentation

i cant remember who won skidpan or accel

rmit seemed to be struggling were still quick in autocross. also had dramas getting through tech

as for us we are going pretty well and the car hasnt broken!!!!!!!!!!!

i might put some results up later tonight

Here ya go guys, all the released results so far. Also design finalists are UoW, RMIT, UWA and Tokyo Denki if I recall correctly.

It was raining all morning; accel, skidpad & first autocross section were all in wet conditions. By the second autocross the track had dried up and almost all teams ran on slicks.

Thanks for the update benjo, I'm sure quite a few poeple are on the edge of their seats. How does the track look compaired to the last couple of years? The lap time looks similar to 2006.

Pat: still planning on putting up an update/photos?

It's been interesting to say the least. UWA are visibly quicker than anyone else, Swinburne are kicking goals, changing track conditions on the skid pad and the nature of the point system gave great advantage to those who scored the quicker times.

Many, many, many comments about the lack of preparation of the teams - a full post in itself, but I'll save that for later. I think it is very disappointing that in a mature comp (this is the 8th Oz comp remember), that the basic lessons of preparation haven't been learnt. Most of the cars have been finished in the last week or two, (or the last hour or two in some cases), with the prevailing attitude that fancy design will somehow supercede physical testing. As a result, the Risk Monster is having a wonderful time out there, merrily slapping around anyone who thought they could be a bit too clever.

The greatest travesty is that the team who were better prepared than anyone else, Adelaide (who have had their car finished for three months, and who have had over 30 hours of on track testing) have sprung a leak in their fuel tank today, and have missed all their events. Commiserations to Brett, Costa, Luke and all the lads - you deserved a hell of a lot better than that.

For those who couldn't be bothered adding all the above numbers in their heads, here is the breakdown so far......

UWA 418.76
Swin 320.98
RMIT 310.16
Monash 301
QUT 299.23
Deak 295.77
UoW 286.13
Munich 279.37
Melb 247.37
Syd 238.1
USA 235.15
TDU 224.9
Auck 218.24
ADFA 191.11
Vic 186.57
Tokai 163.58
New 150.06
Adel 124.79
UNSW 113.26
UQ 112.03
USQ 107.07
UTS 97.09

Congrats to the UWA lads for some brilliant results thus far across all events, and to Swinny for getting right up there too. RMIT struggling with engine misfires - most of the day spent chasing gremlins in the fuel injection...

I'm too scared to offer any tips, as I think luck has been allowed to play too great a role. But Swinny's car has seemed the most solid of all the top runners, and goes when it is meant to. I think they are on track for their best ever finish.

All the best for tomorrow everyone

Cheers all,

sorry about the rushed post before i just thought id get some info out for those who wanted to know.

From what i heard around the autocross track was much more open than it was last year. The rain played havoic with skidpan with many cars struggling to go much faster than walking pace.

another hard luck story goes to new zealand after they also had a fuel leak and electrical problems.

i think adfa had more diff problems and newcastle had starter motor trouble.

cant wait for tomorrow!

Hi all,
I probably will post some pictures, but it will not be for a few days. I think I am commentating tomorrow, so I may not be able to get my usual on track action shots....we'll see.

Been tied up in Design Finals all evening. The finalists in Design were UWA, RMIT, Wollongong and Tokyo Denki...In other words, the 'usual suspects'.
5 teams took a 10 point penalty for failure to accept Percy, the 95% percentile mannekin. This possibly kept one or two teams from the finals. In any case the Design Judges agreed there were only four deserving finalists. Obviously, I know the result, but this is not where the results are announced. Just lets say, I expect some robust debate tomorrow.

I agree with Big Bird about the quantity, quality and readiness of teams and the willingness for some teams to simply throw in the towel and abandon ship.

Random thoughts.
UWA, some systems not ready, so their effort, though fast, is somewhat jury rigged.
RMIT, struggled with brake issues and then a sensor problem, limiting speed on track,
Swinburne, some deserved penalties in Design, won Presentation. On the track, having the current Australian Formula Ford Champion in the driver lineup is helping them.
FH Munich. Too heavy in Design (5th or 6th)fastest in accel, crucified in cost (probably for the truth!)
Auckland. No go yet as they have cam or crank sensor problems.
Tokyo Denki. Tuning issues and hard starting. Looks like far too rich down low and far too lean up high.
ADFA. After a heroic effort re-engineering the diff to a spool (and being amazed by the positive result) ate their epicyclic gear train, probably as a result of previous failures.
Deakin. Design penalties.
Wollongong. Seemed to run okay, lots of power but a worrying smoke trail from the exhaust.
Can't remember any more right now.
Goodnight
Pat

Thanks for the updates!

quote:

Originally posted by PatClarke:
FH Munich. Too heavy in Design (5th or 6th)fastest in accel, crucified in cost (probably for the truth!)

Don't worry, Pat we're used to being slaughtered in cost.
I'm glad to hear that our car made it to the competition safely and is up and running properly.
Our acceleration time really baffles me.
I'll keep my fingers crossed that our car makes it through the endurance tomorrow.

Is it just me, or is there more than a little ambiguity in suggesting teams should opt for a simple, effective (read conservative) design, when teams like WA with active suspension, tub, motec, traction control and custom electronic doobiewhatsits turn up and place second in cost? if thats not a red rag to a bull.... of course teams will push the limits of readiness and engineering practice in the hopes of a decent finish, one simply must push hard in the australasian comp environment to even have a chance of finishing 4th!

PC complains about quality of the field, yet goes on to suggest Swinny's car is a re-hash of last year, nothing could be further from the truth or a more ignorant statement. As one of last years Swinny boys nothing gives me greater pleasure than to see the car perform, especially considering the tough decision the boys and buoy took to refine a package rather than go radical. There is no greater engineering feat / lesson than learning from other's mistakes! And Pat if you think that having a good driver is why Swinny is doing ok I suggest you really consider taking photos for the rest of the w/e as some might even turn out focussed and worthy of this forum.

All the best everyone, and remember 'mistakes' are a sign of learning, whilst 'doing this right' is simply recognition of prior knowledge and best left for old people.

kind regards

tim newton

peace out everyone

muffrx4, the kinetic-style UWA system is not active. It's just a much better passive system than 4 coilovers and 2 ARBs.

flavorPacket,

i'm in hurry, but i like to discuss, if its really better, than an "normal" passive suspension. I know the UWA System a bit, but not perfect. If somebody has more detailed information on the Kinetic system, then we can start a new thread and discuss.

Regards

This message has been edited. Last edited by: C.Zinke,

Tim, Pat is one of the reasons we have this comp in Oz. He has given enormous amounts of his own time and money to ensure this competition works, and is one of the reasons that Australian teams are recognized as being amongst the best in the world. To respond to a criticism with implied barbs about his age, and even his photographic ability, is not doing your team any favors at all.

We have been at the receiving end of Pat’s criticism many times in the past – and have in worn the same comments about design flaws being masked by an ace driver (when Rotor was driving our car in ‘03). The comments were taken on-board, and we set about proving that there was merit in our design. Our team has full respect for Pat, because he has proven time and time again to go out of his way to help competitors in this comp – not just our team, ALL competitors. When he criticizes a design, it is not some personal insult – it is his job. He criticizes, we justify, we all learn from the experience.

I have commented above that Swinburne has the most complete package this year, and is looking for the best finish ever. I said it because I believe it. However there are flaws in the design, just like there are flaws in every car this year. UWA and RMIT are suffering from severe lack of preparation. Swinburne has a strong and usable motor, reliability, and a good driver (crucial factors that should see success this weekend – and deservedly so) – but the car does look uneasy around the track and seems to be pitching and rolling quite violently. EVERY team this year needs to lift their act. I repeat my observation that standards seem to have dropped.

Give Pat a break, mate. I didn’t see any accusations in his comments that your car was a rehash of last years, (unless you are responding to something he may have said to your team personally, in which case it would have been better to not raise things in such a way on these forums). He does a damn good job, and we are only going to see supporters of this competition disappear if we respond to their comments with such vitriol.

Put the VB down long enough to post some pictures...