2022 Baja SAE Car

How did I end up there?

The Society of Automotive Engineers hosts a collegiate competition for schools to design and construct cars from scratch - culminating in a machine punishing endurance race.

Design started on this car in 2021. This was my first real engineering undertaking, and as part of the chassis team I am spent many hours on ergonomics, rule compliance, and stiffness improvements.

Fabrication began in early 2022. We were expected to learn to tig weld - including passing a weld test before touching the car (ouch).

I am particularly proud of the seat mounting and steering column members (compound angle tube coping here!).

With the help of Waffle House and several visits through the tech line, this car actually made it into competition.

We pitted during the race for a damaged steering rack at one point, burnt clutch later on, and bent some arms but overall the car did exceptionally well. I actually got the chance to turn a few laps at the end - but the throttle cable snapped approaching a drop. The end of our race and my time as a Baja SAE driver came at once.