This was the D-Day !!! 24th April 2008...!!!
January 2008 - me and my friends had an idea of participating in the FSAE contest.
Gruelling schedules ensued. Specially for me it was a bit of off track as formally I am enrolled in IT engineering but automobiles !!! oh ! i loved them since i was a kid. Balancing both was an uphill task. Studying at odd hours about the suspension systems for the FSAE car and then in the day mugging up software nuances. Just a respectable GPA is now enough for me as it is true salvation to study what you love. I was a funny sight with Race Car Vehicle Dyanamics in one hand and Operating Systems Concepts in the other !!
Then came the hard fact ...MONEY..!!
from where will the money required for this project will come ?? 25 lakhs !!!! phew a very hefty amount !!
Then a bolt in the clear sky ! Our prof. in charge cued us to repair a 60 year old car chassis to prove our mettle and then take the money.
April 1....
Gruelling and enervating work to repair the i-6 GM engine started....cleaning 60 years of dust, grime and carbon we trudged along dilligently. Then again bunking classes, skipping meals....those were the wonderful moments !!!
Getting small spare parts from Delhi and then installing them with a new fervour....
all this went along and then 24th April....
after a night of tries to start it, the engine gave way to our efforts after getting a new carburettor(1950 man no FIs and fancy pnuematic valves !!!)...
It coughed and then roared to life and those heavy pistons worked to keep it going. It was like a dream, as this job will open a whole new lot of options for me and my friends.
Looking forward to get a nod from authorities (read money) and start building a race car with some lip smacking handling !!
Really want to bring the knowledge acquired during all my life to fruition about suspension systems and handling dynamics...
FSAE here I come ..!!!
