"bobbe17" (rob-runte)
05/02/2018 at 19:38 • Filed to: None
4
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"bobbe17" (rob-runte)
05/02/2018 at 19:38 • Filed to: None | 4
| 12 |
Seeing the post by SharpSpeed led to me reminiscing about my days in Super Mileage at MSOE. Definitely the most fun and most rewarding thing I did in college, both to build the car and be lucky enough to be the driver.
I won’t go into too much detail but this one was powered by a little Briggs and Stratton single cylinder engine that was sleeved down to I think 40 (50?) cubic centimeters. Everything else in the car was pretty much hand built from the body, to the frame, to the steering components.
In 2012 I drove the car in the Shell EcoMarathon where we got 633 mpg and at the SAE Super Mileage Competition where we got 842 mpg. Both of those didn’t even crack the top three in the competitions but I believe still stand as the records at MSOE.
Anyway, here are some pictures from the SAE competition at the Eaton Proving Grounds. I hit 40 mph in this thing when I needed to make up time and it was terrifying.
Here I am in my carbon fiber coffin
Action shot
MM54
> bobbe17
05/02/2018 at 21:13 |
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I did SAE supermileage when I was in college, it was very cool. I feel like I recognize that car. We won in 2012 :)
winterlegacy, here 'till the end
> bobbe17
05/02/2018 at 23:27 |
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Y’know, it looks like a tiny bean when you’re sealed in there...
Wheelerguy
> bobbe17
05/03/2018 at 03:00 |
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I’ve been fascinated by these, if only because I imagine taking the designs of some of the ones I see and making them ultra-fast, hyper-focused track machines. Hybrid power, 400 total system horsepower, meaty tires, active aero, blown diffusers, maybe even a fan like the Chaparral, and it will be small enough that it can fit streets as narrow as the ones in Japan.
pip bip - choose Corrour
> bobbe17
05/03/2018 at 05:41 |
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needs suspension
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bobbe17
> MM54
05/03/2018 at 07:47 |
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I was wondering if any others on here participated. Were you on the Canadian team? I forget the school name but they always seemed to be winning.
I’m certainly biased but thought our car was one of the better looking with the raw carbon fiber appearance.
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bobbe17
> pip bip - choose Corrour
05/03/2018 at 07:48 |
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Certainly would have made things more comfortable. Lots of added weight though.
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pip bip - choose Corrour
> bobbe17
05/03/2018 at 07:49 |
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minor detail
:P
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bobbe17
> Wheelerguy
05/03/2018 at 07:52 |
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There’d need to be a lot of modifications for it to be a good handling vehicle. The requirements for this was basically be able to steer slowly around corners and be able to avoid a crash.
Even 20 hp would be super fast when the vehicle weighs less than the driver.
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Wheelerguy
> bobbe17
05/03/2018 at 10:34 |
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Yeah, I realized just the impact protection alone is gonna supersize the pod. 400hp is way too much in hindsight. Maybe just 100-150?
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MM54
> bobbe17
05/03/2018 at 18:17 |
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Not Laval - though they do tend to win. We always painted ours white because in the sun the carbon would get hot enough to soften (we had to do wet layup due to lack of facilities - no pre-preg). It’s also a bit nicer for the driver.
I’m having trouble finding a decent picture of that year’s car that isn’t a team photo (out of respect to others’ privacy) or I’d share.
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MM54
> bobbe17
05/03/2018 at 18:18 |
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I did just shy of 40mph in our team’s once. Once.
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MM54
> pip bip - choose Corrour
05/03/2018 at 18:19 |
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My university’s team tried that once (I think 2013?) - the idea was that the car gets thrown around so much from the bumpy track that it would be more efficient. Unfortunately it proved not to be, made the car super unstable, caused wheel alignment issues, and ended up being locked solid after the second (maybe third) run of the day.