Illini Motorsports - Baja SAE

Team History

2010 - Orange Car

Baja East - Rochester, NY: 18th/95 Overall,19th Endurance, 29th Water Maneuverability, 38th Suspension and Traction, 48th Hill Climb, 27th Land Maneuverability, 38th Acceleration, 5th Design, 37th Cost

Baja West - Bellingham, WA: 14th/99 Overall, 13th Endurance, 23rd Hill Climb, 15th Rock Crawl, 17th Manueverability, 53rd Acceleration, 58th Sales, 15th Design, 45th Cost

The four link rear proved itself to be the right design again with improved finishes this year. A custom machined differential was made this year. The camber of the front wheels was calculated for optimum driving position. Cutting brakes were used to allow for better turning and proved to be quite helpful in many events.

2009 - Grey Car

Baja West - Washougal, WA: 18th/95 Overall 27th Hill Climb, 8th Rock Crawl, 15th Design, 25th Cost, 16th Endurance

Baja Midwest - 20th/120 Overall 22nd Sled Pull, 29th Suspension & Traction, 17th Endurance

The second iteration of a four link rear end proved to be the correct design path with solid finishes at both competitions. The hi/lo/rev transmission was successfully implemented and performed admirably. At the West competition the team finished 16th in endurance even after encountering two separate upright failures.

2008 - Black Car

Baja Midwest - Montreal, QC, CAN: 63rd/120 Overall 30th Suspension and Traction, 19th Acceleration, 45th Design, 22nd Cost, 68th Endurance

Baja East - Cookeville, TN: 57th/94 Overall 21st Design, 33rd Cost, DNF Dynamic and Endurance Events

This year involved a complete rear suspension redesign and the first attempt at a hi/lo/rev transmission. This was also the team's first ever participation in the baja water events. The car received praise for flotation ability and performance. At the East competition a catastrophic power train failure kept the car from finishing dynamic and endurance events.

2007 - White Car

Baja West - Rapid City, SD: 16th/100 Overall 26th Design, 24th Sales, 10th Acceleration, 13th Land Manueverability, 16th Endurance

Baja Midwest - Rochestor, NY: 23/140 Overall 26th Design, 13th Acceleration, 6th Land Maneuverability, 14th Endurance

2006 - Silver Car

Baja Midwest - Elkhorn, WI: 43rd/135 Overall 36th Design, 29th Acceleration, 28th Endurance

Baja West - Washougal, WA: 47th/81 Overall 23rd Design, 9th Sales, 32nd Cost, 25th Acceleration, 19th Land Maneuverability

2005 - Blue Car

Design of the Blue Car began in Fall, 2004 with fabrication starting in November. It climbed to a 1st place finish in the Rock Crawl event, and took 1st place overall in the performance events at the Mini Baja 100. Midwest highlights include 8th place in Acceleration, 12th in Top Speed, 11th in Maneuverability, and 6th in Hill Climb. A severe rear end collision from another team kept the Off Road Illini from a top finish.

Specifications
Weight: 340lbs
Wheel Base:
Track Width: Front:, Rear:
Engine: 10 HP Briggs and Stratton
Transmission: Comet 780 CVT
Suspension: Front: Double A-arm, Works adjustable shocks
Rear: Solid swingarm, Works shocks
Steering: Custom box (1600 lock to lock)
Final Drive: Double Reduction Chain, 6.3:1
Chassis: Chromoly steel frame, 1.25 in. dia., 0.049 in. thick
Body: Lexan panels, 0.030 in. thick

2004 - Grey Car

Design of the New Car began in August of 2003 and fabrication began in November of 2003. It raced to a 23rd place finish at both West and Midwest. At least we are consistent. It got 9th in Maneuverability in Wisconsin.

Specifications
Weight: 350lbs
Wheel Base: about the same
Track Width: Front:, Rear:
Engine: 10 HP Briggs and Stratton
Transmission: Polaris CVT
Suspension: Front: Double A-arm Elka adjustable shocks
Rear: Solid swingarm Elka adjustible shocks
Steering: Custom steering box (1800 lock to lock)
Final Drive: Double Reduction Chain
Chassis: Chromoly steel frame, 1.25 in. dia., 0.049 in. thick
Body: Lexan panels, 0.03125 in. thick

2003 - Orange Car

Design of the Orange Car began in August of 2002 and fabrication began in December of 2002. It was finished in April of 2003. The team took it to the Midwest Competition in 2003, where the race was rained out and we were stuck with a 23rd place finish.

Specifications
Weight: 340lbs
Wheel Base:
Track Width: Front:, Rear:
Engine: 10 HP Briggs and Stratton
Transmission: Comet V-belt CVT (780S)
Suspension: Front: Double A-arm Works shocks, Rear: Solid swingarm Works shocks
Steering: Custom steering box (1800 lock to lock)
Final Drive: Double reduction chain drive with primary belt drive and secondary chain drive
Chassis: Chromoly steel frame, 1.25 in. dia., 0.049 in. thick
Body: Lexan panels, 0.03125 in. thick

2002 - White Car

Design of the White Car began in August of 2001 and fabrication began in December of 2001. It was finished in April of 2002. The team took it to the West and Midwest Competitions in 2002.

Specifications
Weight:
Wheel Base:
Track Width: Front:, Rear:
Engine: 10 HP Briggs and Stratton
Transmission: Comet V-belt CVT (780S)
Suspension: Front: Double A-arm Fox shocks, Rear: Solid swingarm Fox shocks
Steering: Custom linkage (1800 lock to lock)
Final Drive: Double reduction chain drive with primary belt drive and secondary chain drive
Chassis: Chromoly steel frame, 1.25 in. dia., 0.049 in. thick
Body: Lexan panels, 0.03125 in. thick

2001 - Silver Car

Design of the Silver Car began in August of 2000 and fabrication began in December of 2000. It was finished in April of 2001. The team took it to the West and Midwest Competitions in 2001. In the West Competition, it took home a 1st place award in Sales, a 4th place award in Maneuverability and 37th overall. In the Midwest Competition, it earned a 5th in Maneuverability, 6th in Acceleration, and 19th place overall.

Specifications
Weight: 300 lbs.
Wheel Base: 55.5 in.
Track Width: Front: 41.5 in., Rear: 42.5 in.
Engine: 10 HP Briggs and Stratton
Transmission: Comet V-belt CVT (780S)
Suspension: Front: Double A-arm works shocks, Rear: Solid swingarm works shocks
Steering: Custom linkage (1800 lock to lock)
Final Drive: 6.0 to 1, double reduction chain drive with primary belt drive and secondary chain drive
Chassis: Chromoly steel frame, 1.25 in. dia., 0.049 in. thick
Body: Lexan panels, 0.03125 in. thick

2000 - Orange Car

Design of the Orange Car began in August of 1999 and fabrication began in December of 1999. It was finished in April of 2000. The team took it to the West and Midwest Competitions in 2000. In the West Competition, it took home a 3rd place award in Maneuverability and 49th overall. In the Midwest Competition, it earned a 2nd in Maneuverability, 5th in Ride and Handling, 10th in the Endurance event, and 21st place overall. The team consisted of all new members, and the team felt like they gained so much knowledge that the overall standings for next year should be higher.

Specifications
Weight: 280 lbs.
Wheel Base: 55.5 in.
Track Width: Front: 41.5 in., Rear: 42.5 in.
Engine: 10 HP Briggs and Stratton
Transmission: Comet V-belt CVT (780S)
Suspension: Front: Double A-arm works shocks, Rear: Solid swingarm works shocks
Steering: Custom linkage (1800 lock to lock)
Final Drive: 9.3 to 1, double reduction chain drive with primary belt drive and secondary chain drive
Chassis: Chromoly steel frame, 1.25 in. dia., 0.049 in. thick
Body: Lexan panels, 0.03125 in. thick

1999 - Green Car

Design of the second Green Car began in June of 1998 and fabrication began in December of 1998. It was finished in April of 1999. The team took it to the West and Midwest Competitions in 1999. In the West Competition, it took home a 1st place award in Maneuverability, 1st in Hill Climb, 3rd in Acceleration, and 5th in overall design. The team was in 1st place overall at the end of the second day of competition; however, a terminal failure in the endurance race moved the team to 21st overall. In the Midwest Competition, it took home 3rd place in Serviceability, 10th in Endurance and 6th overall. With good judgment in the pits, the team managed to avoid any major problems in the endurance race. Digger ran in the top twenty of the endurance race until the final hour when other cars began having problems, which allowed it to move up in position. However, the competition did not go by uneventfully. During the Maneuverability event, part of the frame where the driveline attached bent and allowed the chain to come off. The team repaired the problem and finished the second day's events in good standings.

Specifications
Weight: 320 lbs.
Wheel Base: 55.5 in.
Track Width: Front: 47.5 in., Rear: 40.5 in.
Engine: 8 HP Briggs and Stratton
Transmission: Comet V-belt CVT (780S)
Suspension: Front: Double A-arm works shocks, Rear: Solid swingarm works shocks
Steering: Custom linkage (1800 lock to lock)
Final Drive: 9.5 to 1, double reduction chain
Chassis: Chromoly steel frame, 1.25 in. dia., 0.049 in. thick
Body: ABS panels, 0.0625 in. thick

1998 - Black Car

Design of the Black Car began in June 1997, and fabrication began in December 1997. It was finished in June 1998; however, test runs began in May. The team only took it to the Midwest Competition in 1998. This car took home a second place award in Maneuverability with a 30.8 second run driven by Alan Schweizer. The first place time was 30.77 seconds. This car also continued the trend of endurance race finishes due to speedy pit work, in which the team repaired a major problem and returned the car to the track in time to finish the race. Along with the second place award, this car finished 10th in the Skid Pull and 35th overall. Although the team did not make a top ten finish, they felt that they could have.

Specifications
Weight: 360 lbs.
Wheel Base: 62.0 in.
Track Width: Front: 52.0 in., Rear: 48.0 in.
Engine: 8 HP Briggs and Stratton
Transmission: Hydrogear Hydrostat
Suspension: Front: Double A-arm works shocks, Rear: Solid swingarm works shocks
Steering: Custom linkage (1800 lock to lock)
Final Drive: 9.0 to 1, double reduction chain
Chassis: Aluminum bonded monocoque, 1026 mild steel roll cage, 1.25 in.

1997 - Blue Car

Design and fabrication of the car began in the late months of 1996. It was finished in May of 1997. The team only took it to the Midwest Competition in 1997. It completed the endurance race with the worst conditions the team had ever seen, with only a single mechanical failure. It took home a 2nd in Originality and 54th overall. At this point, the team noticed that they had finished every endurance race they had entered, which is a major accomplishment. They decided to make this a goal for the future, and to also add a top ten finish to their list of achievements.

Specifications
Weight: 390 lbs.
Wheel Base: 63.0 in.
Track Width: Front: 50.0 in., Rear: 40.0 in.
Engine: 8 HP Briggs and Stratton
Transmission: Hydrogear Hydrostat
Suspension: Front: Double A-arm works shocks, Rear: Solid swingarm works shocks
Steering: Stilleto rack and pinion
Final Drive: 8.5 to 1, double reduction chain
Chassis: Aluminum bonded monocoque, 1026 mild steel roll cage, 1.25 in. dia., 0.049 in. thick
Body: Aluminum panels, 0.035 in. thick

1996 - Green Car

Design and fabrication began in the late months of 1995. It was finished in May 1996. It was taken to the Midwest Competition in 1996 and the West Competition in 1997. This was a first year design, therefore, the team started from scratch with the design. The car was test driven only hours before competition, and was assembled in the parking lot at competition. It had not even been painted yet. The car eventually did receive a paint job after the Midwest Competition. With a few difficulties, the team completed both of the endurance races. The car took home a 1st in Originality and 45th overall in the 1997 West Competition.