Excellent use for an old FSAE Car

[MalcolmG]

Thought we'd share this with you, this is our 2007 car, it no longer ran as some vital parts had been pillaged (unsprung components, engine and shocks) so we decided to turn it into a simulator. We approached Logitech for sponsorship for the project and got a few goodies - a couple of steering wheels, some speakers and wireless keyboard and mouse.

There's more details in the video that follows. We also made a pretty good representation of the 2008 FSAE-A endurance track. The idea is that we're going to take this to shows and events and use it to earn a few $$ and probably let sponsors have a drive - it's also a great way to show people what it's like to drive on an FSAE track.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-xQtNOn1eg

Pics:
Steering wheel guts
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim1.jpg

Someone playing it
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim2.jpg

Computer
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim3.jpg

Speakers
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim4.jpg

Subwoofer
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim5.jpg

Steering column to wheel guts
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim6.jpg

View from the cockpit
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim7.jpg

[MalcolmG]

Thought we'd share this with you, this is our 2007 car, it no longer ran as some vital parts had been pillaged (unsprung components, engine and shocks) so we decided to turn it into a simulator. We approached Logitech for sponsorship for the project and got a few goodies - a couple of steering wheels, some speakers and wireless keyboard and mouse.

There's more details in the video that follows. We also made a pretty good representation of the 2008 FSAE-A endurance track. The idea is that we're going to take this to shows and events and use it to earn a few $$ and probably let sponsors have a drive - it's also a great way to show people what it's like to drive on an FSAE track.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-xQtNOn1eg

Pics:
Steering wheel guts
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim1.jpg

Someone playing it
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim2.jpg

Computer
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim3.jpg

Speakers
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim4.jpg

Subwoofer
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim5.jpg

Steering column to wheel guts
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim6.jpg

View from the cockpit
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/all4s/sim7.jpg

[Thrainer]

Very nice. Next, you can tilt the car to get g forces to the driver. Do all your old cars still have wheels on them (which could be used on the new car)?

[woodsy96]

The tilting of the car has been discussed and investigated, and is not unachievable but for now we'll run with this and focus on the actual car http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif. It may be a future project.

The wheels on the car were thrown together with some unusable centres, mismatched wheel halves, tires with several cracks down the side walls and rubbish bolts. If they leak we will fill them with expanding foam so it can still roll http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Peter7307]

Great idea well carried out.

Anything which gets sponsors more actively involved will work in your favour.

Having sponsors see you making an effort to raise your own funds as well is also a plus for your team.

Static displays are fine but having something people can sit in and sample driving "the real thing" is bound to get a more positive response.

Good luck with it all.

Pete.

[J.R.]

Did someone on your team write the software?

[MalcolmG]

The software is just Live For Speed (version 2 I think?). The track was done by woodsy, based off a map we drew at comp + in car video footage I believe. The car is the McGill University car, which is included with the software (it's been discussed on here a bit in the past). We're going to see whether there's any way we can get one of our cars into it, either by finding a way to modify what's already in there, or perhaps some sort of collaboration with the developers. Might be a bit unlikely but if you don't ask, you don't receive. Failing that we'll just make a skin for the car that's in there to make it look as much like ours as possible.

[ECR '09]

ECU has 2 'Hyperstimulator' (Yes 'stimulator' not simulator?) painted in corporate colours which we take to displays and use for driver training. Currently we use Live for Speed and rFactor.

Is there any chance we could borrow/steal your '08 LFS track off you, (see it as repayment for cheating in that boat race!!) Otherwise we'll secretly slip you a couple of beers at comp!

[Moke]

Bah there was no cheating. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

My only worry is that the boys will spend to long playing with the old car and not the thing in the cnr of the second pic.

[jrickert]

I have always wanted to build a flugtag entry out of an old car.

[woodsy96]

Send me your email address Luke, I'll whack it through for you.

How do you do your simulation for rFactor? We looked into it briefly but it seems like a lot of effort to create a car + a track + a model to represent +2 seconds per lap. LFS has all of the features, but the track is just a layout on one of the carparks.

[ECR '09]

We spend most our time mucking around in Formula Fords (the uni has 2 of them that race around over here), but a few of the guys have played around in LFS before. We entertained the thought of creating a FSAE 'mod' for rFactor but the time is better spent on this years car!!

PM Sent