Things I love about Formula SAE

[Tom W]

Originally posted by IronMike:
University of Toronto

Technical Director '11
Suspension Leader '11
Chassis Leader '11

Was there anybody else on your team???

[The AFX Master]

Originally posted by Tom W:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by IronMike:
University of Toronto

Technical Director '11
Suspension Leader '11
Chassis Leader '11

Was there anybody else on your team??? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was on the same shoes of IronMike.. Technical Director, Drivetrain Leader and Chassis Leader in 2008-2009.. Also, i've got an Appendectomy in late November 08 (that screwed things far from my first guess), and a gone brakes leader by February.. It was a particularly weak year, with few experienced members to work with.

Pretty much sums it all.. My academic and social life went on indefinite halt.. Until Michigan.

We managed to do a 27 without endurance, not bad given these conditions.

PD: Kinda funny to guide shop work from my home with messenger and a wireless keyboard just over a 50mm stitched scar..
PD2: Having part of the team visiting me at hospital, saying "don't die.. you still must write SEF and Design..."

[mp24]

Originally posted by Tom W:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by IronMike:
University of Toronto

Technical Director '11
Suspension Leader '11
Chassis Leader '11

Was there anybody else on your team??? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Classic!!

[EHog]

A new member hops in the car and says...

"I'm not retarded but... Where's 1st?"


-Evan
SDSM&T FSAE

[Seeger]

A new member hops in the car and says...

"I'm not retarded but... Where's 1st?"



the whole time he was very hysterical, and five kinds of butt hurt that he wasn't the fastest driver and that we were going to harass him endlessly about " I'm not retarded... but where's first?"

[Dash]

-Having a similar subject to talk to the boss with at work. Easy waste of at least an hour.
-Wanting to punch solidworks in the face when you can't make the FEA work the way its supposed to.
-Wanting to turn everyday stuff into awesome projects like FSAE.

[RollingCamel]

I was on the same shoes of IronMike.. Technical Director, Drivetrain Leader and Chassis Leader in 2008-2009.. Also, i've got an Appendectomy in late November 08 (that screwed things far from my first guess), and a gone brakes leader by February.. It was a particularly weak year, with few experienced members to work with.

Similarly, I was the technical manager, chassis "team", suspension team leader, marketing "team", powertrain "team" and had my hands in nearly everything in the car. My social life and plans went to a halt and ended up with an anal fistula and 6000 EGP which the team owes both me and another team member and it seems that we'll never get our money back.

[The AFX Master]

I've got Kidney stones soon i've ended my F-SAE involvement...

Far too much crappy food eaten on endless shop nights, far too much coke, far too much epoxy and wichever deadly stuff we happen to work with.

Now i'm bored http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

[Barky]

Originally posted by The AFX Master:
Now i'm bored http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

+1

[Kirby]

...Getting distracted by heavy rain in the parking lot when packing for competition.

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/9426/15079610150100616136834.jpg

[ibanezplayer]

That I just had a breakfast consisting entirely of a bagel and a can of monster and thought nothing of it untill my classmate brought it up.

[Dash]

Realizing that EVERY piece of clothing you own has some sort of stain/hole in it from being in the shop too much. Pretty sure I ruined 2 pair of jeans last year doing bodywork alone.

Trying to explain how you cut your nipple on a sharp piece of metal while pushing the car around the shop to friends/family.

[js10coastr]

Being inspired in the "normal working world" by the current FSAE students. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Using things I learned/saw on FSAE and pro racecars on satellites and rockets; for example, proper triangulation of a chassis, design of experiments, shear panels...

[Matthew Bell]

+1 on the bad for your health thing... That one finally caught up with me last year AFTER I stopped doing FSAE.

Looking back through all of your old FSAE photos so you can show people how not to do something.

Trying to remember where you saw that really cool idea online, but you didn't bookmark it. Seriously though, does anybody else remember seeing a team's photo album with how they did their monocoque? I'm pretty sure it involved "mud and straw". That one's been bothering me for about a week now.

Moving to another country and figuring out that pretty much every time you stick a bunch of engineers in a room there's going to be a lack of organization.

Learning new things the hard way: Vinylester resin should not be put in a styrofoam cup (circa 2005...)

[Will M]

"Vinylester resin should not be put in a styrofoam cup"

I love surprises like that! I just found out the the "paper" cups I bought had a foam liner. Duratec went everywhere.

[woodsy96]

-Trying to find a 12 step program for recovering (read: retiring) from my Formula SAE addiction.

[Jon Oneill]

Originally posted by woodsy96:
-Trying to find a 12 step program for recovering (read: retiring) from my Formula SAE addiction.

I'm just stealing Scott's (Monash) idea and trying to get work within the Uni so I don't have to worry about retiring. The real world can wait a little longer.

[Adambomb]

Originally posted by JonJon:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by woodsy96:
-Trying to find a 12 step program for recovering (read: retiring) from my Formula SAE addiction.

I'm just stealing Scott's (Monash) idea and trying to get work within the Uni so I don't have to worry about retiring. The real world can wait a little longer. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

If you play your cards right grad school can easily buy you 5 more years.

[MegaDeath]

I'm sure somebody has already said this, but I'll say it anyways....... BACK WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN...!!!!!!!!!

[BrendonD]

Hooning in blizzards. (I will expand on this post after my court date)

[Whis]

I'VE DONE THAT! I'm assuming that you are in the Chicago area when you talk about hooning Brendon.

Yeah, I have a set of friends where we specifically get together to go out and drive in the snow when it snows. Also usually involves sledding at 2 in the morning. I will say that the WRX I have now is a lot more fun to hoon than the Ford Taurus I used to have. I haven't managed to get caught yet either though... Looking forward to your expansion.

[Barky]

Originally posted by MegaDeath:
I'm sure somebody has already said this, but I'll say it anyways....... BACK WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN...!!!!!!!!!


"back when I was an undergrad..."

[kapps]

"back when I was in school..."

[Adambomb]

Originally posted by Whis:
I'VE DONE THAT! I'm assuming that you are in the Chicago area when you talk about hooning Brendon.

Yeah, I have a set of friends where we specifically get together to go out and drive in the snow when it snows. Also usually involves sledding at 2 in the morning. I will say that the WRX I have now is a lot more fun to hoon than the Ford Taurus I used to have. I haven't managed to get caught yet either though... Looking forward to your expansion.

+1 My vehicle of choice is a longbed 2WD Dakota with a 5.9L V8 and posi. Fun things like opposite lock powerslides (always more awesome with an 8 ft. bed), 0-point u-turns, drifting on straight roads using the crown of the road, and turning corners using almost exclusively throttle steering. I have a nice 4x4 too, but that makes regular snow driving on plowed roads too boring. To be entertained in that, I need unplowed roads (have gone 60 mph ground speed, not wheel speed, through a foot of snow...it was spectacular), 2 foot drifts, or parking on those giant mountains of snow in parking lots.

[Drew Price]

WTF is a hoon? Where do I buy one?

Speaking of words that have come into use since I graduated from the Uni and got myself a big-boy-job....

[BrendonD]

Originally posted by Drew Price:
WTF is a hoon? Where do I buy one?

Speaking of words that have come into use since I graduated from the Uni and got myself a big-boy-job....

Hoon: (v) To engage in mischief in a motor vehicle.
Hoon: (n) A word used to describe a person who uses cars, motorcycles, or marine power vessels for recreation and fun instead of getting from A to B.

This is the story of how Nick Renold and I got disorderly conduct tickets during the blizzard.

[BrendonD]

"My spindle motor is bigger than your spindle motor."

[jjund]

Quote from one of our freshmen about pulling the peel-ply off of our CFRP seat: "It's like playing tug-of-war with a really, really valuable rope."

[AnthoniX]

It's just so cool,isn't it?

[RyMan]

This is reaching back a few months but, in response to
Getting distracted by heavy rain in the parking lot when packing for competition.



http://macromeme.com/dog/australia-flood-comic.html

[coastertrav]

Because, RACECAR

The reason for everything.

[D.J.]

5am shop wiffle ball
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1258549503832&set=o.165678174291&theater

[Ash47]

We have a competition going of seeing how many times we can go around the roundabout near our workshop in the middle of the night. The formula for scoring is

(number of occupants x the number of laps) / size of engine in litres

My record was 82.5; 6 people, 22 laps, 1.6L.

I think it would be much better if we could include the overall time into the equation somehow.

[DID]

Last weekend I was nearly slept in our frame and I was wondering if i will sleep in it again.

[KyleD]

Originally posted by coastertrav:
Because, RACECAR

The reason for everything.
When somebody asks why a tool/computer/anything is broken or missing the answer is always "because baja"

[Joe17]

I blame it on freshman

[didone]

Why you will blame it on freshman?

[Whis]

Thats why all the team leaders at ISU have a crap ton of hoarded/ stolen/ new tooling hidden away in our cabinets. I think I have around 1000 dollars or so. Anything new I buy goes in there. Any 1/4, 1/2 or big endmills (for roughing) that I find that are sharp, and in none aluminum gummy condition, I'll horde away. I have a edge finder back there. Any left handed taps get hidden...

I don't even blame broken stuff on freshman. I've seen Baja here break a brand new, coated, 1" ball mill machining aluminum on our mill. I've seen a guy break a 1 inch endmill, spindle stopped, by jogging it into the vise at 100ipm. All he had to do was pull up the Z before he pressed x jog. Granted, one of our freshman did jog a edge finder into the vise and break that but I'll give him a break. I destroyed a 200 dollar endmill this weekend in a 3 axis haas mini because I forgot to check Mastercam's highspeed surfacing tooth path Z retract height...

But, freshman are always better on tools in FSAE than Baja is.

[duckei]

"Holy **** you used ALL of the c-clamps to jig the headrest?"

"Don't worry 'bout it. Just tack."

[D.J.]

The best part of a new month being that your 40 hours of Pandora are reset.

[mech5496]

Just yelled by our Electronics guy (newbie), after successfully connecting everything on car:

"Now the times I have NOT set the car on fire are more than the ones I have...."

[SAE GUY]

Haha, that ISU Baja team sounds terrible. Though the FSAE Team hasn't had a complete car for competition for the last several years...
*

****FSAE.com Forums****FSAE.com Forums****Open FSAE Discussion****Things I love about Formula SAE[/quote]

eply**
*

****FSAE.com Forums****FSAE.com Forums****Open FSAE Discussion****Things I love about Formula SAE

[Whis]

SAE GUY,

Not exactly true, but close enough that it really doesn't matter.

Maybe it's because we are battling the Baja team so much... http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Adambomb]

Originally posted by SAE GUY:
Haha, that ISU Baja team sounds terrible. Though the FSAE Team hasn't had a complete car for competition for the last several years...


Hmm, SAE GUY, registered today, one post, spouting off this "no complete car" nonsense that frankly I've only heard come from our baja team....

TROLL!!!!

...and for the record, in case anyone else from ISU Baja is here, or any impressionable young ISU formula members, the 2010 car was running a solid 6 weeks or so before competition, the 2009 car competed in every event but endurance, and 2011, well, there was just a lack of management.

[Matt S]

-Going to take some awesome sponsorship photos and finding the only piece of protective equipment you have hanging around is a welding mask...and going anyway.

-Responding to the "are you guys solar car?" question with "yes... yes we are."

-calling the hammer a "variable swing press"

-Turning a drill press into a makeshift mill, and christening it "miller lite"

-Making fun of solar car for trying to weld steel to aluminum

[Adambomb]

Originally posted by Matt S:
-Responding to the "are you guys solar car?" question with "yes... yes we are."


We've lowered ourselves to just saying yes most of the time. Although E-85 comes from corn, which is grown by solar power, so we figure that's close enough. The worst is when people ask us what it runs on, and then we tell them E-85, and then they ask if it's a solar car. There is no rational response to that; when asked that everyone's brain just locks up.

So we decided to ask solar what everyone mistakenly thinks their car is since they think we're solar, and apparently everyone thinks the solar car is a boat. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Sormaz]

It's ok, Adambomb. At our quad day (while standing next to our car) I was asked if it was made out of concrete, because there is apparently a group at our school that makes a concrete boat.

He proceeded to tell me that he was a Junior in materials science. I proceeded to tell him to join the Baja team

[Matt S]

apparently everyone thinks the solar car is a boat.

EVERYONE at our school knows about the solar car. It's probably the "eco" issue that does it.

We tend to point to visible carbon on the car and say "look! solar panels."


I was asked if it was made out of concrete, because there is apparently a group at our school that makes a concrete boat.

Interestingly enough, there's a civil engg team at our school that makes a concrete toboggan. Never been confused with them however. Maybe that's because they're about as well known around campus as we are...

[Der Krug]

I love it when our Baja team decides to leave a kitchen trash bag's worth of old fast food bags, energy drink cans, and random junk on the bed of our dually, after using it for one weekend.

It must have been important material since they didn't throw it away. So the formula team nicely cleaned up their valuable belongings and left it for them in their parts cabinet. It must be for the construction of the Baja car.

[Adambomb]

Originally posted by Der Krug:
I love it when our Baja team decides to leave a kitchen trash bag's worth of old fast food bags, energy drink cans, and random junk on the bed of our dually, after using it for one weekend.

It must have been important material since they didn't throw it away. So the formula team nicely cleaned up their valuable belongings and left it for them in their parts cabinet. It must be for the construction of the Baja car.

Nothing like a good, healthy rivalry. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/296769_10100309250985510_16912542_48455393_1615551 075_n.jpg

[Xeilos]

-Responding to the "are you guys solar car?" question with "yes... yes we are."


I am glad we are not the only team having these problems. I suspect it is not just a Canadian thing.

The best conversation I had ever had recounted to me was from our 2010 team leader (TL) talking to a a group of girls (Girl#) from the business college down the road who stopped by when we were showing off the car.

Girl#1: Wow that is cool looking go kart.

...some more inane questions ensue followed by

Girl#1: I bet that is the stupidest question that you have ever heard huh?

TL: Nah. That question is not too bad. The dumbest question I ever heard was "Is this the solar car?"

Girl#2: Wait, this isn't the solar car...?

*FACEPALM*

[Matt S]

TL: Nah. That question is not too bad. The dumbest question I ever heard was "Is this the solar car?"

Besides the endless "why isn't there a turbo?" questions, we've had somebody legitimately believe that the car would be faster if we put bicycle tires on it instead of racing slicks.

[Tallboy]

Originally posted by Matt S:
Besides the endless "why isn't there a turbo?" questions, we've had somebody legitimately believe that the car would be faster if we put bicycle tires on it instead of racing slicks.

... There's a lot to be said about reducing rotating, unsprung mass. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[JT A.]

We also get a lot of solar car questions. I have no idea why, as our school hasn't done the solar car event in close to 10 years as far as I know. My favorite is when the conversation goes like this

Me: I build racecars for a school project.
Aunt/grandparent/stranger: Oh one of those solar powered cars!
Me: No it uses a motorcycle engine. We also make a hybrid racecar for a different competition.
Aunt/grandparent/stranger: Oh so it is a solar powered car.
Me: No. Different car, also not solar powered.

[AxelRipper]

Originally posted by Matt S:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">TL: Nah. That question is not too bad. The dumbest question I ever heard was "Is this the solar car?"

Besides the endless "why isn't there a turbo?" questions, we've had somebody legitimately believe that the car would be faster if we put bicycle tires on it instead of racing slicks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well it will....

At Bonneville.

[Lorenzo Pessa]

From fairs and expositions...


too many people: "Oh, look! A gokart!"

one guy: "Oh, look! A F1!!!"

someone: "Where is the bathroom?"
me (thinking): "Are you talking about our car?"

A mummy looking at the car thinking to buy it for his little child: "Is it roadable?"

A guy: "Can it go for 400 km?"
me: "have you ever try an Aprilia engine?" (Why 400???)

a girl: "I'm looking for a job, can I apply?"
me: ...

a woman: "I'm organizing a fair, would you sponsor me?"
me: ...

tall girl with miniskirt, high-heleed boots: "Can I try to sit in?"
me: yes, off course! (at your own risk)
we had some trouble to get her off the car... she got jammed in the anti-roll bar with her boots.

[t21jj]

Was back at school for the weekend and was shown these gems.

http://forums.bajasae.net/foru...25_page1.html?KW=vxi (http://forums.bajasae.net/forum/vxi-suspension_topic725_page1.html?KW=vxi)

http://youtu.be/-Mq3gpBWU1E

[bob.paasch]

Originally posted by t21jj:
Was back at school for the weekend and was shown these gems.

http://forums.bajasae.net/foru...25_page1.html?KW=vxi (http://forums.bajasae.net/forum/vxi-suspension_topic725_page1.html?KW=vxi)


In the end it was a teaching moment for young engineers on how to deal with "inventors". http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Just don't mention that suspension by name here in these forums, the guy does Google searches to see who's talking about his "creation" then jumps in with both feet (in his mouth).

[Adambomb]

Originally posted by bob.paasch:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by t21jj:
Was back at school for the weekend and was shown these gems.

http://forums.bajasae.net/foru...25_page1.html?KW=vxi (http://forums.bajasae.net/forum/vxi-suspension_topic725_page1.html?KW=vxi)


In the end it was a teaching moment for young engineers on ho to deal with "inventors". http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Just don't mention that suspension by name here in these forums, the guy does Google searches to see who's talking about his "creation" then jumps in with both feet (in his mouth). </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

After only reading half of it I learned quite a bit about dealing with inventors, and I think you summarized it quite nicely!

My favorite post was about 3 or 4 before it was locked down where one of the "baja godfathers" told him:


www.fsae.com

Take your sh*t and go there and see what they say about it, if you thought it was bad here.

I will formally resign in advance if the discussion ever does make it here. OK, I may just post once... http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[t21jj]

My favorite post was about 3 or 4 before it was locked down where one of the "baja godfathers" told him:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">www.fsae.com

Take your sh*t and go there and see what they say about it, if you thought it was bad here.

I will formally resign in advance if the discussion ever does make it here. OK, I may just post once... http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

+1

[Kirby]

Originally posted by t21jj:
Was back at school for the weekend and was shown these gems.

http://forums.bajasae.net/foru...25_page1.html?KW=vxi (http://forums.bajasae.net/forum/vxi-suspension_topic725_page1.html?KW=vxi)

http://youtu.be/-Mq3gpBWU1E

Reading that thread made my night.

[RobbyObby]

Originally posted by Kirby:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by t21jj:
Was back at school for the weekend and was shown these gems.

http://forums.bajasae.net/foru...25_page1.html?KW=vxi (http://forums.bajasae.net/forum/vxi-suspension_topic725_page1.html?KW=vxi)

http://youtu.be/-Mq3gpBWU1E

Reading that thread made my night. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Screw you guys! That last hour and a half of my life is now gone forever! And with nothing to show for it. That was one of those threads you know you just shouldn't look at, but you just can't take your eyes off of.

[RobbyObby]

As for the original thread topic:

Walking through Home Depot, Lowe's, or <insert generic hardware store here> and thinking "Ooh, while I'm here, I'll pick some things of use for the shop," and subsequently leaving with an extra $50 out of my pocket and a handful of tools that will just get lost or broken within a week of arrival.

Causing traffic jams on the street outside our Park and Ride Lot from the passer by rubber necking while we're running the car.

[coastertrav]

Realizing that the pneumatic air shifter ram is equally good at shooting small objects across the shop, thereby stopping all work for the next 30 minutes while members play "catch".

Also, the bruises on members hands after trying to see who could stall out the "big ram" (1.10in^3 piston area @ 150psi). Answer, no one.

[shark.ashwa]

Originally posted by coastertrav:
Realizing that the pneumatic air shifter ram is equally good at shooting small objects across the shop, thereby stopping all work for the next 30 minutes while members play "catch".

Also, the bruises on members hands after trying to see who could stall out the "big ram" (1.10in^3 piston area @ 150psi). Answer, no one.
Well we do it old school here (note: more fun)....compress 2 liter bottles of cola and then shoot the lid off of it and see who can catch it!

[Spags]

When girls come to the shop and see you tightening a bolt with a wrench and are like "WOW, you're doing real engineering!!! Let me take a picture"

SMH

[mech5496]

Girls are coming to your shop?! :P

[Spags]

Yea, my girlfriend desides to have a girls night, and the three of them make us all quesadillas and bring them to the shop....Best night ever.

Also when they arrived production stopped lol
As it would

[Revolve_Engine]

Originally posted by Spags:
Yea, my girlfriend desides to have a girls night, and the three of them make us all quesadillas and bring them to the shop....Best night ever.

Also when they arrived production stopped lol
As it would

You mean the production of the CAR stopped http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Spags]

Originally posted by Revolve_Engine:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Spags:
Yea, my girlfriend desides to have a girls night, and the three of them make us all quesadillas and bring them to the shop....Best night ever.

Also when they arrived production stopped lol
As it would

You mean the production of the CAR stopped http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Lol Touche

[Chapo]

Knowing more about the university and what is stored in all of the unlabled boxes than the staff do.

[Mbirt]

"So why is it that you need to pull the flywheel on a brand-new 2011 WR450?"
-Local motorcycle dealer's response to my need of a flywheel puller.

[coastertrav]

Originally posted by Mbirt:
"So why is it that you need to pull the flywheel on a brand-new 2011 WR450?"
-Local motorcycle dealer's response to my need of a flywheel puller.

I've swung from loving explaining the odd reasons we need things (either from dealership parts departments or Autozone/Advance Auto/ect), to hating their mostly inept ability to help find what I need, to once again loving baffling them. Also walking into auto parts stores and making a bee line past the counter into the back because I know wandering around back there has a better chance of me finding what I need, or even better, what I never knew I needed.

I also love the:
Me - "I need ______"
Parts guy - "Ok, year make and model?"
Me- "No, it isn't an origianal part on the motor I am using it on"
Parts guy - "So was that the _____ model?(usually some motor package on a car that I didn't say I had)"

This happens commonly when going it to buy coolant temp sensors/AIT sensors/coolant hoses.

[kcapitano]

After explaining our team to the local motorcycle dealer, I ask him for a 428 size chain. He starts laughing and asks "your using a 600 right?"

In response to having non-engineering students work on the team. We have a business team run by ivey students. They wanted to know what kind of race suits to buy and it took ten minutes for us to explain how to find the requirements in the FSAE rules, they still wanted us to just tell them...

Edit: not that I have anything against non-engineers! Some make very good additions to the team, and UC Irvine's car is beautiful.

[Adambomb]

Originally posted by coastertrav:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mbirt:
"So why is it that you need to pull the flywheel on a brand-new 2011 WR450?"
-Local motorcycle dealer's response to my need of a flywheel puller.

I've swung from loving explaining the odd reasons we need things (either from dealership parts departments or Autozone/Advance Auto/ect), to hating their mostly inept ability to help find what I need, to once again loving baffling them. Also walking into auto parts stores and making a bee line past the counter into the back because I know wandering around back there has a better chance of me finding what I need, or even better, what I never knew I needed.

I also love the:
Me - "I need ______"
Parts guy - "Ok, year make and model?"
Me- "No, it isn't an origianal part on the motor I am using it on"
Parts guy - "So was that the _____ model?(usually some motor package on a car that I didn't say I had)"

This happens commonly when going it to buy coolant temp sensors/AIT sensors/coolant hoses. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The application game!!! Unfortunately due to tightening insurance regulations this game is now necessary at a lot of junkyards as well. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif Used to be you could just go there and ask for something ridiculous, and they'd tell you which row you were likely to find luck in. Now if you ask for something ridiculous they just tell you to go to the dealer. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_mad.gif Fortunately there are still some u-pull-it yards a couple hours west of here still.

My favorite method of messing with inept parts counter dudes is to treat the application as casually as a fast food order. Sort of throws it in their face. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif So when asking for a plain 1/2-20 lug nut the perfect "recipe" goes like this:

"Let's call it an '84 Ford E-150, 5.0L V8, 2WD, no A/C."

It's always important to state the engine and drive configuration, because the computer will ask, and any sequence of events that deviates from the norm will "crash" your parts store dude, and you may never get your parts! Specifying no A/C is important, as they might accidentally give you some of the closed-end chrome plated ones found on higher-end models.

[ZAMR]

My favorite was when I asked an Autozone guy for a threaded push-on adapter for a spark plug. You know, the thing you twist onto the top of a threaded spark plug to make it a push-on.

"No we don't have anything like that."

"I know you do, I got 2 from you guys last week. I just bought the plugs that came with the adapter"

"Well there's no way to find one without a part number."

How about WITH YOUR EYES.

Also I forgot that I had grabbed some air fresheners because my car was starting to smell like Aprilias on account of hauling them to Tulsa and back. I got so fed up with the desk guy that I yelled something like "REDICULOUS!" and turned around and stormed out, air fresheners in hand, without actually realizing it until I had gone through the doors.

Note to self: if you get upset at an employee they have a tendency to look down at their counter and not at your hands as you leave.

[AxelRipper]

Ah, the parts run around.

The best one I had was trying to locate lug nuts. No one seems to understand when you ask them for the lightest 12x1.25 lug nuts they have.


On a side note, its also fun trying to find parts for my truck because they're either 66, 72, or 77 F100 or F250, 84 or 93 F150 or early 90's Mustang, depending on the part.

[Chapo]

That reminds me, walking into a hyraulic store, lets say enzed, looking for a type of hose clamp (nut and bolt fuel ones) being told that they flat out do not exist despite holding one in your hand as an example.....

Me: I need some more of these
Them: No one manufactures them, you cant get them below 40mm
Me: The shop round the corner sells them but they will be out of stock till next week.
Them: Naahhhhh mate, no one makes them
Me: *head imploding*
-----Next week at the other store (local, non chain)--------
Me: Got some of these?
Them: oh yeah hundreds

[MalcolmG]

Originally posted by Chapo:
That reminds me, walking into a hyraulic store, lets say enzed, looking for a type of hose clamp (nut and bolt fuel ones) being told that they flat out do not exist despite holding one in your hand as an example.....

Me: I need some more of these
Them: No one manufactures them, you cant get them below 40mm
Me: The shop round the corner sells them but they will be out of stock till next week.
Them: Naahhhhh mate, no one makes them
Me: *head imploding*
-----Next week at the other store (local, non chain)--------
Me: Got some of these?
Them: oh yeah hundreds
THOSE DAMN CLAMPS!!! One year I spent a day driving around Auckland trying to find some, gave up and then when we arrived for comp I spent another day driving around Melbourne until I finally found someone that sold them. Bought about 20 of the bastards so I wouldn't have to find them again (except now I know several local places that do them)

[Mbirt]

Originally posted by ZAMR:
"Well there's no way to find one without a part number." Looking for a TPS with the stupid little D-shape cavity to fit the throttle shaft of the AT-Power TB, I was initially given the same frustration at Auto Zone. Fortunately, the Auto Zone hub store was close by and the guy at the counter there ended up being a racer. Once that connection was established, we were both ripping through every box in the TPS inventory until a suitor was found.

I like coastertrav's approach, however. We need to dedicate an underclassman to keep walking behind the counter until he's on a first-name basis with the employees. Haha.

[Wesley]

Originally posted by ZAMR:
Also I forgot that I had grabbed some air fresheners because my car was starting to smell like Aprilias on account of hauling them to Tulsa and back. I got so fed up with the desk guy that I yelled something like "REDICULOUS!" and turned around and stormed out, air fresheners in hand, without actually realizing it until I had gone through the doors.


I remember you offering free air fresheners that one time! Sounds about par for the course.

I had hell trying to find fuel injector connectors for a Bosch EV1 injector - like one of the most common injectors ever. I eventually came in and named like 4 cars and engines and had them ship 8 of each in from whatever warehouse and went through and looked at all of them. One set ended up being correct, and I just said "nevermind" on the other 3 sets. I order so many parts and then never go pick them up when I realize I can get them cheaper somewhere else. One of these days I'm going to get blacklisted from ordering parts from the O'Reilly warehouse.

[Wesley]

Originally posted by Mbirt:
Looking for a TPS with the stupid little D-shape cavity to fit the throttle shaft of the AT-Power TB,

Don't even ask about our 2006-2009 cars. All of them had TPS sensors JB welded on for that very reason.

[Adambomb]

Originally posted by Wesley:
I had hell trying to find fuel injector connectors for a Bosch EV1 injector - like one of the most common injectors ever.

'93 Mustang, 5.0 V8. That one showed up in the O'Reilly's computer, so I have committed it to memory. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif As I recall they were like $6.99 a piece.

[Adambomb]

Hell, we could probably just start a "common parts vs. applications" thread...

[Kirby]

Originally posted by MalcolmG:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chapo:
That reminds me, walking into a hyraulic store, lets say enzed, looking for a type of hose clamp (nut and bolt fuel ones) being told that they flat out do not exist despite holding one in your hand as an example.....

Me: I need some more of these
Them: No one manufactures them, you cant get them below 40mm
Me: The shop round the corner sells them but they will be out of stock till next week.
Them: Naahhhhh mate, no one makes them
Me: *head imploding*
-----Next week at the other store (local, non chain)--------
Me: Got some of these?
Them: oh yeah hundreds
THOSE DAMN CLAMPS!!! One year I spent a day driving around Auckland trying to find some, gave up and then when we arrived for comp I spent another day driving around Melbourne until I finally found someone that sold them. Bought about 20 of the bastards so I wouldn't have to find them again (except now I know several local places that do them) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Struggled with this in Melbourne one year, was driving down the road and saw an Auto(Rice)Barn, and said "what the hell", not only did they have a display rack of those style hose clamps (and the ones we were after in stock) they also had some obscure -6AN fittings (in stock) that every other race shop we had been to had flat out said was not possible to buy.

AutoBarn, for all its flaws has saved me a couple of times now.

Paging one of the QUT guys to the thread to relay the Repco vs. Waterpump fiasco they had on Saturday night last year at comp.

[AxelRipper]

Originally posted by Wesley:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mbirt:
Looking for a TPS with the stupid little D-shape cavity to fit the throttle shaft of the AT-Power TB,

Don't even ask about our 2006-2009 cars. All of them had TPS sensors JB welded on for that very reason. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Please don't give him ideas, we have enough JB weld on our engine as it is!

[Drew Price]

We used to do a lot of pick-your-part junkyard runs for bulkhead and injector connectors, ignition amplifiers, etc. Our '08 car had ignition components pulled from a junkyarded E34 5-series BMW triggered by Megasquirt. I think the whole setup probably cost $25 plus a few hours of driving and scavenging.

[coastertrav]

It's amazing how many parts that belong on racecars come from tired old production cars...

['It'll be fine']

Saying:
"If you cry some more, maybe your tears will fix it", for every complaint a newbie has.
-Calling the newbies 'barcodes' to be less derogatory.
-Saying: KISS- "keep it simple, stupid" to the barcodes, then complicating the hell out of your part.
-Boring the barcodes senseless in weekly team meetings, but knowing it will better the team.
-Procrastinating using FSAE forums and other fs stuff rather than revising for an exam tomorrow.
-Getting steaming with the lads then rocking up the next day still drunk to carry on building the car.
-watching a couple of 3D CAD drawings go from a 2D drawing to a whole car in a couple of months!

[Adambomb]

The fact that we can get a car running with fuel injection and a CAN bus with a $30 Craftsman DMM, but baja needs to steal the laboratory-grade HP desktop multimeter I'm using for PhD micro-manufacturing research so they can hook up their short-to-ground kill switch and 9V battery-powered brake light.

And they also destroyed our engine team leader's personal DMM by blowing the internal fuse, replacing it with foil, and then blowing the meter. Fortunately my big expensive multimeter seems to be working fine still.

[BrendonD]

Originally posted by Drew Price:
We used to do a lot of pick-your-part junkyard runs for bulkhead and injector connectors, ignition amplifiers, etc. Our '08 car had ignition components pulled from a junkyarded E34 5-series BMW triggered by Megasquirt. I think the whole setup probably cost $25 plus a few hours of driving and scavenging.

That coil made it onto the '11 car too, it worked and I couldn't argue with that at the time (probably 3am). It's getting tossed for '12 though, I think they finally have some real talent on the electrical side this year.

[Vandal Hybrid]

Trolling Underclassmen, its what gets me up in the morning. "you want to tap left hand threads? well then just turn the tap the other way"

[kapps]

Originally posted by Vandal Hybrid:
Trolling Underclassmen, its what gets me up in the morning. "you want to tap left hand threads? well then just turn the tap the other way"

Well at least you gave him half of the solution...

[EHog]

During a "small" electrical fire in the dyno room, the electrical lead walks through the plume of magic blue smoke to disconnect the ECU.

[MegaDeath]

When you're moving out of the house you've lived in for two years and start a pile of "Stuff to return to shop"

Pile consists of but not limited to:
Drill bits
Taps
Car parts
Other team members clothing

Also, while shaking out a pile of clothing that hasn't moved in ~14 months and getting covered in aluminum chips.

[acedeuce802]

Originally posted by MegaDeath:
When you're moving out of the house you've lived in for two years and start a pile of "Stuff to return to shop"

Pile consists of but not limited to:
Drill bits
Taps
Car parts
Other team members clothing

Also, while shaking out a pile of clothing that hasn't moved in ~14 months and getting covered in aluminum chips.

Now that competition term is over, I need to vacuum up the trail of aluminum chips that lead up the stairs from my room!

[Bemo]

The much harder thing is moving all your own stuff from the shop back to your place when leaving the team!

I left the team three years ago, but they still have my microwave oven. But in fact, I don't want it back anymore...

[jlangholzj]

I am eternally thankful for this thread getting dug up from the dead. Its nice to see that things from 07' ish haven't really changed much http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif seems like everyone experiences 90% of whats going on in other shops.

got my haircut before comp and the lady was finding aluminum chips in it...lol

few to add:

-having TIG contests to see who can get the shortest filler rods (blisters were TOTALLY worth my 0.835" record)

-Campus PD getting angry at us only to have City PD tell em to leave us alone

-stuffing a 600cc sled engine in an old baja

[AxelRipper]

Record of 4 fire alarms set off in one day due to welding aluminum, with vent fans on and the door open, and the facilities crew still saying its particles and not poor welder grounding.

[jlangholzj]

Originally posted by AxelRipper:
Record of 4 fire alarms set off in one day due to welding aluminum, with vent fans on and the door open, and the facilities crew still saying its particles and not poor welder grounding.

Our Tig pops the breaker if your up over 110A on DC or 85A at more than 50% duty on AC....its a real joy....

more fun ones i thought of:

-late night (or early morning) putting competitions with ball bearings and two putters that I'm pretty sure are from the 70's

-R6 powered fire hose off the dyno

-staying up for 3 days straight to do cost report, consuming 4 big macs, three packs of camel 99's, a case of red bull and a case of sundrop....and then playing wiffle ball for a short stint at 5:01 after turning it in to the UPS store before crashing for the next 18 hours.

-our composites guy (everyone's got one of "those")

-having more food in the fridge down at the shop than in the fridge at your own place

[Adambomb]

Originally posted by jlangholzj:
-our composites guy (everyone's got one of "those")

-having more food in the fridge down at the shop than in the fridge at your own place

One thing I've noticed from being involved in FSAE for over a decade is that there are really only like a half-dozen or so primary personality types that you can find, with most people having some mix. For every "that guy" on your team, you can usually find his or her "evil twin" on another team. Gets weird sometimes.

[HassaanKhan]

-Borrowing tools from university's work shop and never returning them back.
-Lighting cigarettes from MIG welding plant as no one had a lighter.
-Comparing and Insulting Shell ECO marathon guys all the time.
-When parents ask, Putting up all the blame of bad grades on FSAE whatsoever.
-Lunch at 6pm and dinner at 3am

[stever95]

Being the selling point to prospective students for the mechanical engineering department (at astoundingly little cost)
Finding ways to get the school to give us money for crazy autoparts
Seeing ideas turn into functional parts in less than 8 hrs
Combining vehicle systems (harness bar + rotating shifter links, frame tube and sway bar, frame tubes and engine mounts, etc)
Turnbuckles
Having a mutual understanding with the master machinist to call each other "dude"
Trying to solve the best problem in the world: FSAE!

[tromoly]

-Comparing and Insulting Shell ECO marathon guys all the time.

Tagging along that comment, it's quite interesting to see last years' Shell Eco team building uprights heavier than the ones on the Formula car, using 3/4-inch plywood as a base, and "shimming" their "suspension" with an inch-thick stack of washers on top of each upright.

[stever95]

Accidentally leaving a 13mm wrench on a rear tie rod nut. Then autocrossing 8 laps.

222

[Drew Price]

Haha, that's a good one.

-Talking at length to interview-ees about their experience in FSAE, and none of the other people in the room get what the big deal is.

[aaron22]

-Every single person in our car completely running out of money before we even cross the american border on the way to Michigan for competition. We threw every piece of plastic we had at the poor girl working mcdonalds drivethru. We ended up having to cancel half of our order because we couldn't afford it.

-Dropping off our only set of new slicks and good set of wheels at the tire shop down the street from our shop the day before we leave for competetion.... and the shop gets busted for some sort of illegal activity. Arrests are made outside the shop, and the whole place is completely locked down for a while. We beg the detectives to let us in and grab our wheels/tires but they won't budge. We end up making a last minute call to Hoosier to bring an extra set with them to Michigan

[stever95]

Oh good gravy. Here's a few more for you.

-Suspension guy proposing a final design where the front pushrod is offset from the lower ball joint. The dynamics of this situation are HILARIOUS to think about.

-Suspension guy designed for the steering tie-rods to attach in front of the upright. Steering tubing all welded in when we figure out that the steering rack was oriented the wrong way... steering wheel directions != wheel directions. OOOPS

-

[tromoly]

-Suspension guy designed for the steering tie-rods to attach in front of the upright. Steering tubing all welded in when we figure out that the steering rack was oriented the wrong way... steering wheel directions != wheel directions. OOOPS

Sounds like our car last year, had to flip the steering rack around such that the mounting tabs had to be bolted onto the rack then welded into the car, hence rack is not easily removable.

[Adambomb]

Oh good gravy. Here's a few more for you.
-Suspension guy designed for the steering tie-rods to attach in front of the upright. Steering tubing all welded in when we figure out that the steering rack was oriented the wrong way... steering wheel directions != wheel directions. OOOPS

-


Also did that by accident one year, although fortunately it was just an assembly error and not a design error. It was something like a 60 hour straight marathon of assembling the car, got the steering in and turned the steering wheel and the tires pointed the opposite direction...it was at that point that I decided I should probably go home and sleep.

[BeunMan]

- Looking at the assembly schedule, slowly walking to the guy who created it and asking when and where on earth we would sleep the next three weeks as going home was too expensive timewise. Turns out it was none (or as little as possible) and in the shop.

[Trevor]

Rocking out / singing along to a Def Leppard anthem while opening the garage door in the morning - and then seeing a high school tour group full of stunned faces right outside

[stever95]

Running the car for the first time with a starting tune, only to find out that the silicone couplers can't hold their own under full throttle.

Also a massive backfire.

Video for your viewing pleasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ3rP8NMIgI&feature=youtu.be