New Toy/Project/Moneydump

[gogmorgo]

Ooh. I also wanted to get forced induction going. I'm excited! :)

It's nice that you have the option if being able to modify your motor. All we really could do with the big Honda is high-compression pistons, or higher-lift cam (but not both at once because tap-tap-tap-boom) before running into illegalities. We were also right around the flow capacity of the restrictor as well, so forced induction would only have helped a bit at lower rpm. Judges like when you do things... Big engine means big power, sure, but the main scoring events are design and build quality (endurance) and the big engine kinda hinders both of those a bit.

[USAFAGumby]

Seriously agree there. This years team is basically a first year team as we have never had a running car at competition. Goals were lightweight and reliable. Looking to finish build in mid Feb. Then test, break, test, break over and over until competition.

[gogmorgo]

That's one area we were seriously held back, testing. Getting the car done by early march? Easy. Except by the time the snow's gone and there's decent(ish) weather for testing, everyone's taken off to their summer jobs, so we don't get much testing in until the last possible minute. Sure, we've taken the cars out on lakes a few times, but that's more for fun than anything else. With so little traction you can't get any useful suspension data, and while it's hell on the cars, which should be great for durability, it's honestly too rough for pre-competition cars. So I guess the new formula the team's settled on is to build in March, test all summer, and then hit competition the next spring. Hopefully it works out.

[USAFAGumby]

We are well into the build for S1.6 Here are some pics of the frame and where it sits now. Near rolling chassis status and should be finished by the end of Feb.