Canty Uni students build car from scratch

There is no stalling for University of Canterbury students who have worked out the formula for a built-from-scratch race car.

Thirteen mechanical engineering students have formed the first Canterbury team to enter the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (Formula SAE) Australasia design competition.

The team will compete against about 30 other student teams in Melbourne for the “glory of winning” in December.
Project leader and self-proclaimed petrol head Michael Butler said everything on the car was designed by the team, who had help building the engine and pedal box.

“We would have found it hard to get everything we needed for the car,” he said.

“Local businesses have sponsored us and really made our life a lot easier.”

Mechanical engineering senior lecturer Don Clucas said the project was a huge challenge for the team.

“Other universities have been doing this for many years and may just have to make modifications to their existing car but we’ve started from absolutely nothing and we’ve really had to come up to speed with the whole project and competition,” he said.

Butler said he knew the project would be hard work but a childhood full of petrol and speed on the Isle of Man, which has hosted the annual Isle of Man Tourist Trophy motorcycling race since 1907, drew him to the task.

“It’s sort of bred into you on the Isle of Man. You don’t really have a choice as bikes are everywhere and everyone rides,” he said.

“My passion for the project comes from the desire to be involved in everything related to motors and racing.”

That passion was evident within the team who put more than 400 hours work into the project in the first six weeks, double the recommendation for an entire year.

Team member Jeanne-Mari Pike, in charge of the steering assembly, said the intensive project had helped her learn a lot about car mechanics.

“It was interesting learning how it actually works. For example, you don’t realise when you drive your car that the wheels actually turn at different angles.”

The team had hit a couple of speed bumps along the way.

“Lots of things have gone wrong,” Pike said.

“When we first put on our tyres they didn’t turn. We got really excited about spinning the wheels and then they just clunked. It was a quick fix though.”

The team is nearing the chequered flag with test runs about to start.

Design engineer and technical services manager for mechanical engineering, Bruce Robertson, said the team needed $30,000 to get to the race.

“It’ll cost close to $10,000 to get just the car and support gear over, so the team is looking for sponsorship,” he said.

_Daniela Maoate-Cox for The Press