If you hear the loud hum of a ten horsepower engine buzzing in the hills by Lake La Salle, don't be surprised when a mini car flies through the air over a grassy slope. It's just a couple of engineers putting their education to good use.
A branch of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Mini-Baja is an on-campus group in which engineering students design, build and race a dune-buggy type vehicle in international competitions each year.
The group, currently consisting of 12 men, is in its 18th year at UB. This fall they will begin discussing design plans and improvements for a car that will compete in up to three competitions in the spring.
On the first day of the three-day competition, the cars are judged on safety, maneuverability, ergonomics, cost efficiency and other rules set forth in the SAE guidelines. Industry leaders in the engineering field judge the teams, who come from all over the US and places as far as Latin America, South Africa and Asia.
UB's team prides itself on creating a finished product that reflects their enormous effort.
"One thing that separates us from other teams is that we really get everything done ourselves," said Matt Randall, a senior mechanical engineering major who has been in the club for three years.
On the second day of the competition, the car is also tested on its ability to climb a hill, to tow an object, its maneuverability in a mud bog and crossing through deep water. In order for the car to float on top of the water, the group installs floatation devices and fenders that help the car propel itself forward.
Each team in the competition has to follow certain specifications for design and must use a ten horsepower engine, which is donated by a motor company.
"The restriction on the engine makes us more innovative on transmission," Randall said.
The final day of the competition is a four-hour race of 100 miles. All of the cars compete simultaneously on a motocross track with jumps, twists, turns and bumper-to-bumper crashes. Every hour, the driver pulls over for a pit stop and a new driver takes the wheel. The decision on who gets to drive depends on seniority and individual skill in the various aspects of the competition.
Working on a budget allocated by the Student Association, the Mini-Baja team goes about their fundraising in a different manner than most clubs by constantly working to get parts and services donated.
"(This team) competes and gets at least top 20 every time on a much lower budget than other schools," Randall said. "It says a lot about our work ethic."
Besides working hard, the guys on the team agree that Mini-Baja is a thrilling way to go the extra mile in their studies. It combines the white-collar world of design engineering with the blue-collar side of physically constructing the vehicle.
"One of the great things about being on Mini-Baja is that we're taking things we learn in school and applying them practically," Randall said.
Members of the Mini-Baja don't have to be engineering majors, nor do they have to be male - they only need a drive for creating and constructing, and preferably a lead foot.
Bryan Dankansch, a senior majoring in history, has been in the club for four years and feels that Mini-Baja has numerous benefits, even for non-engineering majors. It provides training in any kind of job by encouraging teamwork, creativity, problem-solving and people-skills. Plus, test-driving the car is a way to spice things up.
"It breaks up the monotony of classes," Dankansch said.
Garick Tischler, a senior mechanical engineering major and member of Mini-Baja for three years has his own reasons for being a part of the group.
"The biggest thing is it's fun," he said. "You're building something and you get to see it perform."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
