A GROUP of 35 Manchester students are going head to head with undergraduates from all over the world in a high-octane challenge that will teach everything from budgeting to boosting brake horsepower.
The Manchester University mechanical engineers are building a racing car to take part in the international Formula Student challenge.
The students design and build their own chassis to create a 200 kg car, powered by a 600cc motorbike engine. The finished vehicle will be capable of reaching 60mph in around four seconds and be limited to a top speed of around 120mph.
The Institute of Mechanical Engineers organises the competition and the undergraduates are responsible for raising the funds for the vehicle as well as conceiving, designing, building and competing in it. The competition is run annually but 2003 will be the first time Manchester University has entered a car.
Team leader Rob Havercroft, 23, is responsible for the chassis design.
"We have seven teams dealing with different parts of the project, a chassis team, power train, drive train, brakes, suspension, mechotronics, sponsorship and publicity.
Funding
"The Department of Engineering has put up é12,000 and we expect the final cost to be around é40,000 including labour. The car itself can't cost more than é16,000 but the other costs are mainly set-up costs because it's our first year - things like driver equipment, spare parts and tools.
"The competition is in July and we hope to have the car built by Easter so that we can spend a few months testing. I have finished the primary chassis design and it should be built by the end of February."
The project will count towards elements of course work for all the students involved who come from all years of the university's Mechanical Engineering course.
The team will be judged in a number of different areas and an overall winner will be selected.
These will include a 20-lap endurance race, a figure of eight handling test, presentations, management of the project and sponsorship acquisition.
The team is to choose a squad of drivers on ability after go-karting trials and put the fastest through Formula Ford training.
Rob explained currently their biggest challenge was raising the money.
"We are concentrating on approaching local companies for sponsorship so that it is very much a Manchester project," he said. Tweet