MCoach,
It is true that making adjustable parts can be quite easy, such as your example of stacked washers, perhaps at each end of a toe-link to adjust bump-steer.
But the point I think Christian was making, and that I strongly agree with, is that it is not the MAKING of adjustable parts that takes the most time, but the TESTING of them. Especially as the number of adjustments increase, and the combinations and permutations skyrocket. And then you get lost...
Funnily enough, I reckon it is teams in the middle of the ladder that probably need the most adjustable parts. Teams at the top have already figured-out most of this stuff, so they just make parts with settings they know will work.
But the goal of teams at the bottom of the ladder is to "build a car that can drive 30 km at an average speed of 50 kph". If they can manage this before comp, then there is most to be gained by simply getting the drivers familiar with the car (ie. lots of seat time), regardless of the car's details.
Then, if still some time left, small ergo fixes (move the shifter a bit, make throttle smoother...), multiple tyre pressures to test, multiple static-toe settings, brake-balance, spring-rates, ... and the platinum-plated Drexler ("You mean we've had it for five years, and no one has ever adjusted it!?", which means resetting all the spring-rates again, etc., etc... There are a lot of adjustments that can be made on a very simple car.
If the team is successful (ie. finish mid-field), then next year they can start with mega-testing of last year's car, but retro-fitted with multi-adjustable-everything. Which is sort of the end of Christian's quote above.
Z
(PS. Or they can say "Engine, frame, suspension all look OK, so time to dive into this aero thing!".)
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