Our engineers don’t just design it; they build it, too.
Turning and traction for top race performance are dependent on adjusting the suspension properly.
After welding, extra metal needs to be removed to make sure the body panel fits with the frame.
Students work as a team to ensure the suspension is absolutely perfectly aligned.
During the build process, students sit in the car to make sure everything is in the right place.
In addition to honing your design skills, you will learn industrial skills like welding.
The Mini Baja may look simple but accurate measurement is required for success!
First you design it; then you put it together. The final product has to match the drawing.
It takes more than one person to field a car at competition. And our team knows how to draw a fierce panther racer.
Don’t forget to wear your seat belt.
Off road competitions require a rugged car that can take jumps and not break.
Do you think painting “flames” on the side makes you go faster?
It may be school when you’re designing and building the mini baja. When you’re driving it, it’s maximum fun!
When you’re trying to win, those spinning tires can kick up lots of dust.
It only takes a small bump to send you flying when you’re driving at maximum speed.
Preparing for competition, the team members work on final adjustments.
This mini baja looks like it is going really fast. Is it the speed of the mini baja or the shutter speed of the camera?
You build the car together. You race the car together. Go team!
During competition, parts break and need to be repaired. This team cleaned the mud off and installed new suspension joints.
Florida Tech team placed 23 out of 144 schools.
Can’t tell it’s a composite frame, can you? You think mud is one of those composite materials?
The baja had to clear rocks, logs and concrete steps over a foot high.
During the competition, drivers switch out during a four-hour, multi-lap, endurance race on a two-mile course.
First comes the design, then the construction and before you know it Mini Baja Car design team members are getting down and dirty. They’re bouncing over rugged terrain, jumping over boulders and flying over jumps at test tracks. Building this baby is way cooler than sitting in a lecture hall. It’s hands-on learning for mechanical engineering students who work as a team on what is an annual Florida Tech project. The goal is to design, build and demonstrate a rugged off-road car that can clear rocks, logs and concrete steps, race long and hard for three to four days and still hold together. Teams demonstrate their Mini Baja Cars at the April design showcase and later test their mettle in the intercollegiate Society of Automotive Engineers Mini Baja Car competition. Team members also submit written reports, provide design evaluations and give oral presentations on their vehicle and are judged for ergonomics and functionality. Stellar performances in static and dynamic events clinch the prizes. By the end of this project, team members know they are real engineers!
