Watch out FSAE Australia!

[Chris Lane]

Hello from not-so-sunny-at-the-moment Perth, Western Australia!

Just putting the shout out to all the aussie teams that there is now a new team on the block! We are Edith Cowan Racing (ECR for short) hailing from Joondalup, Western Australia.

The WA guys from Curtin and UWA already know about us from the bbq that UWA kindly hosted a while back (thanks for that by the way, we'll host the next one next year in our new workshop!)

All good news so far from our camp; we are halfway through our design phase with ambitions of competing in Melbourne 2008. It looks like we'll finish preliminary design on time going into the build next semester.

It looks like we are going to put together a pretty damn good first year car. But there is a long way to go yet... and a lot more sleep to lose.

Looking forward to meeting you all at the comp next year!

[Chris Lane]

Hello from not-so-sunny-at-the-moment Perth, Western Australia!

Just putting the shout out to all the aussie teams that there is now a new team on the block! We are Edith Cowan Racing (ECR for short) hailing from Joondalup, Western Australia.

The WA guys from Curtin and UWA already know about us from the bbq that UWA kindly hosted a while back (thanks for that by the way, we'll host the next one next year in our new workshop!)

All good news so far from our camp; we are halfway through our design phase with ambitions of competing in Melbourne 2008. It looks like we'll finish preliminary design on time going into the build next semester.

It looks like we are going to put together a pretty damn good first year car. But there is a long way to go yet... and a lot more sleep to lose.

Looking forward to meeting you all at the comp next year!

[Big Bird]

Congrats and welcome on board. You've just signed up for what can feel like a life of hard labour - but it is the best damn fun and the most rewarding thing you will ever do at uni. Good luck!

(I was going to add "If you need any help... " - but you are hardly lacking for good advice given our old mates the Flying Lemons are right next door. Don't forget to zip tie lots of old random hydraulic lines to any part of your car that moves. They don't have to connect to anything - but it will win you Design....)

Gotta go - the gardener round here has just figured out where the engine out of his motor mower went.

Cheers!

[Pete M]

Always good to hear of another aussie team starting up. Hopefully you'll find the rest of us a pretty friendly bunch.

I'll just give the usual advice: get it made early and drive drive drive.

Best of luck to ya.

[Chris Lane]

We have a 4-5 month testing, development, and driver training phase planned, so that base is hopefully covered.

Don't worry, we have pre-ordered our zip-ties already. There is a considerable lead-time on the quantity we require...

[Kai69i]

Chris,

Geoff bet me to this one (as always), but welcome to FSAE on behalf of the team at RMIT Racing.

I'll echo Pete's words, but it really is great to see another Aussie team getting in on the FSAE act.

You are joining FSAE at an exciting time, with a raft of new technical changes on the way for '09 (that'll keep us all in the Design Office for even more time!)

Any clues as yet about the concept the team has settled on for the 2008 vehicle: single, 4 cylinder, carbon fibre monocoque, spaceframe......... ??

Anyway, all the best with the project, and we look forward to competing against the team from ECR over here (in an even less sunny) Melbourne in December 2008.

(I was wondering what all those zip ties were doing in Geoff's Office......)

Cheers,

Kai

[Chris Lane]

I can say that we are going the spaceframe route with a 4 cylinder engine. Nothing else I can really say sorry...

[Kai69i]

Chris,
Good work. It will give you a solid platform to build upon for future years.

The spaceframe is definitely the way to go whilst the team is initially finding its feet and endeavoring to understand the time, personnel and other resource requirements of an FSAE project.

Oh, did I mention TIME requirements in the previous sentence???? (usually the big killer!)

All the best to ECR once again mate.

Cheers,

Kai

[Tim.Wright]

Are you looking at sending a few guys over to the comp this year to check it out (volunteer??). We are skipping this comp here at Curtin (to get our own act together!) but I will be heading over for sure.

Get your suspension guy to go the OptimumG seminar the day after the comp, highly recommended!!!

Tim Wright
Suspension and Vehicle Dynamics
Curtin Motorsport

[Chris Lane]

Yeah we will have a few representatives over in Melbourne at the event this year. I'm not sure if they plan on volunteering, but I should suggest this to them.

I am the suspension guy, and I am being tutored by someone who actually used to work at Optimum G! He doesn't give small hints lightly though (damn!) but he is a truly invaluable source on vehicle dynamics and suspension. So naturally I'm trying my best to keep up with him.

[Brett Neale]

Welcome to the wonderful world of FSAE ECR! You've made a good decision to get started now, we had our concept locked in and design started at around this time last year. Getting started early is the key!

Be sure to come by the UARC pits at comp this year if you have a few representatives! Going to comp in the previous year gives your team members a huge insight into what FSAE really is, and it's a great weekend out too.

[JD232]

Congrats Chris,

I hope you do well, best of luck.

I see a couple of RMIT people over here, congrats... Only German Competition left to win for you huh? If you chose to stop in Germany enroute your world conquering mission maybe we will meet... in 2008,

I must add, I am a big fan of your work.

Sincere Regards
Arpit

[Kai69i]

Hi Silverback,

Thanks for your comments about RMIT Racing's work of late.

We will obviously be in the US in May next year for the Detroit Competition. We are all looking forward to competing with our new R07 chassis, which is nearing completion ahead of Aus Comp in December this year.

Germany has been discussed within the team on a few occasions, and it is an event we would like to do within the next couple of years.

The University is also commencing a new program at the moment, for next year, which will create very strong ties with the German market. Hence, Formula Student Germany may be on the cards sooner rather than later.

Watch this space.........

Kai