FormulaSAE cars

[Craig Dotson]

> Aww man!   Where can I get a rolling chassis?
> Are they expensive?
> Thaose are kewl.
> mike V

You can't get one.  You have to make one.  Our school builds one on a
typical budget of almost $30,000.  Now this includes travel and
accommodations for almost 20 people for a whole week at competition.....not
cheap, but we also get a substantial level of support from local and
national businesses.  It is an educational competition, and as such
donations to our cause are tax-deductible.  We also make a vast majority of
the vehicle in our own shop, using free student labor and school-provided
machine tools.

This year, part of the rules state that the design must be capable of being
"mass-produced" and sold for $25,000.  This takes into account a given
quantity per year, which decreases material cost for the majority of the
vehicle.

You're not going to make a carbon fiber monococque and a custom-cast small
displacement V8 for $30k, I can guarantee that.  We have in the past used
Honda 600cc motorcycle engines.  Competition displacement limit is 610cc,
but if you wanna play I hear one of these cars with a CBR929 and a turbo is
loads of fun.  I guess bigger would be more fun up to a point.....these
things can already get SCARY fast (that's why we have to run intake
restrictors too).

Craig Dotson
crdotson at vt.edu
2002 VT FormulaSAE

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