(Note - Following posts may be edited over next few days as more accurate information becomes available.)
The CONTENDERS.
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A tough call this year, but three of these Teams will be on the Overall podium on Sunday night.
#66 - MONASH UNIVERSITY (Vic, Oz).
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MASS - 48%R (with driver), ~200 kg (dry).
WHEELS & TYRES - F&R -10" x 7.5" tyres on 8" Al-Rims, Hoosier R25B.
FUEL - E85.
ENGINE - 1-cylinder, KTM EXC, 500cc, Titanium(!)-Turbo (no I/Cooler), CR=11.8:1, 42 kW @ 7.5 krpm.
DRIVETRAIN - Pneumatic-only-shifter, 6-spd-g'box, Drexler-diff.
CHASSIS - Mild-Steel-spaceframe with bonded CF-panels.
SUSPENSION - F&R = CroMo-DW+ pushrod/rockers driving soft-warp/mode-separated springing (more details later...).
UPRIGHTS - F = 3D-printed-Titanium, R = Machined-Aluminium.
AERO - F&R-U/S-Wings + sprung-UnderTray (~45% total downforce from UT) + some sidepod aero.
TESTING - Running for 5 months, 4 months with aero, 600+ kms!
IN A NUTSHELL - The juggernaut rolls on. Outright 1st place in Oz-2009, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14. This year some stuff added, some weight lost, and testing for ages. So deserved favourites for outright victory again. But will one of the many "hi-tech extras" break...? (Stop press: Mch-Al rear Uprights because the 3-d printed Titanium ones ... broke!)
~o0o~
#7 - EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY (WA, Oz).
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MASS - 56%R, 180 kg.
W&Ts - F&R - 10" x 6" Hoosier R25B.
FUEL - 98 RON.
ENG - Custom 4-cylinder (CBR head on bespoke block), 600 cc, N-A, CR=12:1, 65 kW @ 10.4krpm.
DRV - Mech-shift to custom 2-speed-box + spool-diff (all integrated in custom engine cases).
CHAS - Carbon skinned aluminium honeycomb (~30 mm thk), cut-and-fold construction, full monocoque.
SUSP - F = CroMo-DW+DASD , R = CroMo-folded-sheet-Beam+4-link+DASD .
UPRT - F = folded-steel (0.9 mm), R = Al-brng-housing bolted to beam.
AERO - F&R&Side-sprung-wings, NO undertray.
TEST - Running 3 months, 500++ kms
IN A NUTSHELL - Close 2nd place last year, more fully developed this year. Smaller Team than Monash, but well focussed. Quote - "... fast in testing..."
~o0o~
#47 - UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND (NZ).
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MASS - 60%R, 162 kg.
W&Ts - 10" x F=6"/R=7.5" Hoosier R25B.
FUEL - 98 RON.
ENG - 1-cyl, Yamaha WR450F, 450cc, N-A, CR=13.1:1, 41 kW @ 9.5 krpm.
DRV - Elec-solenoid-shift, 5-spd, Drexler.
CHAS - Full pre-preg "3/4 CF-tub" + very small steel-tube rear engine-mount frame.
SUSP - F = CroMo-DW+DASD, R = folded-steel-Beam+4-link+DASD.
UPRT - F&R = mch-Al.
AERO - Small undertray only.
TEST - Running 6 weeks, 8 hrs testing, but newish drivers.
IN A NUTSHELL - In some ways this car is better than last year's small and simple car, which had NO aero and came a close 3rd. If only they fitted a MUCH BIGGER UNDERTRAY this year ... WOW!!! (Hint to Auckland - "borrow" Monash's UT!) (Stop Press: A much bigger UT was designed, but some glitches...)
~o0o~
#13 - UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY (NZ).
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MASS - 52%R, ~195 kg.
W&Ts - F&R = 10" x 7.5" Hoosier R25B.
FUEL - E85.
ENG - 1-cyl, Husqvarna TC449, 450 cc, turbo + intercooler, CR=13:1, 42 kW @ 9.5 krpm.
DRV - Pneumatic-shifter, 5-spd, Drexler.
CHAS - Full CF-tub.
SUSP - F&R = CF-DW + pullrods + ARBs.
UPRT - F&R = mch-Al.
AERO - F&R-sprung-wings, NO undertray.
TEST - Running 5 months and mega-kms!
IN A NUTSHELL - Only a 3rd year Team, but very well-built cars last two years. The grapevine has it that this car is VERY quick!
~o0o~
#41, UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND (Q, Oz).
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MASS - 60%R, 205 kg.
W&Ts - 10" x F = 6", R = 7.5" Hoosier R25B.
FUEL - 98 RON.
ENG - 4-cyl, Yamaha R6, 600cc, N-A, CR=12.8:1, 61 kW @14 krpm.
DRV - Cable-shift, 6-spd, short triplex-chain to spool-diff.
CHAS - Folded-aluminium-sandwich front-tub (20 mm thk + ~1 mm skins)+ simple rear-spaceframe.
SUSP - F = DW+DASD, R = tubular-steel-beam (60 mm dia x 1.6mm wall) + 4-link + DASD.
UPRT - F&R = mch-Al.
AERO - F&R-sprung-wings + UT.
TEST - Running 3+ months, "only" 450 kms.
IN A NUTSHELL - Started this year aiming for a simple and quick build. By mid-year were driving a very capable car that was ~30+ kg lighter than previous car. Lots of testing since then, so ... should go well!
~o0o~
#69 - UNIVERSITY of MISSOURI (USA).
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MASS - 54%R, 210 kg.
W&Ts - F&R - 13" x 7" Hoosier R25B.
FUEL - 98 RON.
ENG - 4-cyl, Honda CBR, 600 cc, N-A, CR=?, ??kW @ 9 krpm.
DRV - Cable-shift, 6-spd, Taylor Race "Quaife" style LSD.
CHAS - CroMo spaceframe.
SUSP - F&R = DW + pushrods, no ARBs.
UPRT - F&R = mch-Al.
AERO - F&R-Wings, no UT.
TEST - Running 9 months, ~200 kms.
IN A NUTSHELL - Top-5 in most recent 2015-USA-Lincoln comp (considerable improvement over earlier Michigan comp from "... better set-up"). Plus another six months to get even better. But do they realise that, when racing Down-under, all their settings must be upside-down?
~o0o~
#101 - UNIVERSITY of MELBOURNE (Vic, Oz).
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MASS - 52%R, 235 kg.
W&Ts - F&R - 10" x 7" Hoosier R25B.
FUEL - E85.
ENG - 4-cyl, Honda CBR, 600 cc, N-A, ????.
DRV - Pneumatic-shft (+cable), 6-spd, Drexler.
CHAS - ??-SF.
SUSP - F = DW+pullrod, R = DW+pushrod, + 2 x ARBs.
UPRT - F&R = Mchn-Al.
AERO - F&R-wings (R=U/S) + UnderTray.
TEST - Running 2.5 months, ~400 kms.
IN A NUTSHELL - This Team usually does well. This car is good on paper, and WELL TESTED.
~o0o~
(More coming...)
Z