PDA

View Full Version : What Happened in Detroit?



Sooner_Electrical
05-21-2007, 09:32 AM
At Detroit I had about 10 teams ask me about what happened to us in Endurance during driver change so I am just going to assume some other teams are curious.

A couple hours before endurance we decided to ignore our policy of "Don't make any changes before endurance" and we installed our data acquisition system. We did no properly secure the wires; and in that same area there was a connector for the brake over travel switch. So what happened was the wires under a panel shifted a couple turns into the race. This dislodged the connection just enough so the car would not stay armed ( our first/slower driver should get an award for being able to recognize what happened and combat it by holding down the arm button and driving one handed through the entire first 11 laps ). Needless to say even with the "hold the button method" our car would not restart after driver change. We literally rolled it back to the paddock wiggled the wire and it started right up. It was pretty sad because according to our unofficial calculations we were in the neighbor hood of second place going in. The only reason we did not commit Hara-kiri right then for the dishonor we had brought on our car is because we will be going to West with a whole extra month of testing!

Also we were very proud to be honored with the first ever Push Bar Aesthetics & Motive Excellence Award (the name may need more work).

Hopefully a few other teams with unexpected results could post what happened in Detroit I would like to know why Michigan State's engine blew up if they have discovered the reason yet.

Sooner_Electrical
05-21-2007, 09:32 AM
At Detroit I had about 10 teams ask me about what happened to us in Endurance during driver change so I am just going to assume some other teams are curious.

A couple hours before endurance we decided to ignore our policy of "Don't make any changes before endurance" and we installed our data acquisition system. We did no properly secure the wires; and in that same area there was a connector for the brake over travel switch. So what happened was the wires under a panel shifted a couple turns into the race. This dislodged the connection just enough so the car would not stay armed ( our first/slower driver should get an award for being able to recognize what happened and combat it by holding down the arm button and driving one handed through the entire first 11 laps ). Needless to say even with the "hold the button method" our car would not restart after driver change. We literally rolled it back to the paddock wiggled the wire and it started right up. It was pretty sad because according to our unofficial calculations we were in the neighbor hood of second place going in. The only reason we did not commit Hara-kiri right then for the dishonor we had brought on our car is because we will be going to West with a whole extra month of testing!

Also we were very proud to be honored with the first ever Push Bar Aesthetics & Motive Excellence Award (the name may need more work).

Hopefully a few other teams with unexpected results could post what happened in Detroit I would like to know why Michigan State's engine blew up if they have discovered the reason yet.

conekilr
05-22-2007, 08:56 AM
That was too bad, sitting with you guys wondering why it wouldn't start during the driver change. But like you said, we have time to make corrections for west!

Erich Ohlde
05-22-2007, 10:43 AM
How about the Boomer Bar Award of Excellence?

Dan G
05-22-2007, 11:13 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jayhawk_electrical:
How about the Boomer Bar Award of Excellence? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>[Borat voice]very nice![/Borat voice]

http://www.evilengineering.com/gallery/d/13040-2/IMG_3200.jpg

Biggy72
05-22-2007, 11:39 AM
Where did you guys find the tassels at? I've been looking all over, but could only find little girls bikes at thrift shops and I didn't want to buy an entire bike.

DustinJones
05-22-2007, 08:26 PM
After 50 hours of hard testing at home with no problems, Evansville threw 2 chains in 2 days at competition.....damn you racing gods.

MalcolmG
05-22-2007, 08:30 PM
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Biggy72:
Where did you guys find the tassels at? I've been looking all over, but could only find little girls bikes at thrift shops and I didn't want to buy an entire bike. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
you can design and build a race car, but you can't make tassels for a pusbar? http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

Biggy72
05-23-2007, 09:09 AM
ya... I guess you've got a point.... but we've got something even better coming for west, as long as they fit.

Kurt Bilinski
05-23-2007, 10:15 AM
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Biggy72:
Where did you guys find the tassels at? I've been looking all over, but could only find little girls bikes at thrift shops and I didn't want to buy an entire bike. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Try some topless dance clubs, they should have some.

Wesley
05-23-2007, 10:56 AM
Your local Walmart will have what you need!

Though since it's already been done (and with superb style I might add,) you might look into alternative methods.

fade
05-23-2007, 12:36 PM
congratualtions on the push bar award you must be so proud.

Wesley
05-24-2007, 10:23 AM
Well since I'm not "super" at suspension, I figured I'd do something at least a bit fun.

Wish you'd been there, and I'm sure so do the design judges.