Hello,
I've got a '70 Chevelle with a 350, Th350 and bucket seats; pretty much stock, not anything too far from original equipment. I'm in my last semester at Texas A&M and I'm taking Automotive engineering/ Vehicle Dynamics. It's really a fun class for me and I was wondering if anyone out there had some of the following information handy that I might use to make some calculations for my own car:
1. Weight of car
2. Weight distribution for FL, FR, RL & RR
3. Drive train efficiency
4. Drag coefficient
I realize that this information will vary slightly from car to car, but I'm looking for a guesstimate here, so all help is appreciated. Thanks very much, - PB

The drag coefficient for a '70 chevelle is reported to be about 0.420 with a frontal area of 25.52 square feet.

Thanks Semi-Hemi, anyone else know the drive train efficiency? Corner weight distributions? Thanks.

Patrick,
Don't mean to hi-jack your thread, but are you a mechanical engineering student, or an acutal automotive engineer? I'm from Cypress (outside Houston) but am a freshman motorsports engineer at UNC-Charlotte. I kinda want to go to school closer to home, that and the program here wasn't quite what I expected. Are most of your classes automotive, or is this an elective? What kinda recruitment are you experiencing? Sorry for so many questions, but you're in the position I want to be in. Shoot me an email at MrHorsepowerZ28@yahoo.com

savage,

care to expand on what's happening at your college? I betting that many here would be very interested in hearing about what your expectations were, how you got them and how they're not being met by the school you're going to. No need to get bashy on the school or anything, just a rundown what's happening that's got you thinking about changing schools.

I'm 50 years old, have 3/4 of a mechanical engineering degree and have thought often about getting into that program. I'm sure others here have too. Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Tom

He, He!!

I took Auto. Engrg. at MU as an elective way back when AND the Course never had a textbook!!

The Prof. was writing one.. Of course this was just about the time the Hp-45 calculator came out so was kinda in the Stoneage....

Great course if you can do the math and figure out how the chassis reacts in different situations and such..

pdq67

I have a Mechanical Engineering degree, and I took an elective called road vehicle dynamics at the University at Buffalo. It was the only course that had anything to do with race car dynamics however, but none the less, it was very interesting...

Well, the program itself isn't that bad. It's a good school, and I'm currently on the school drag team, of which is the only one of its kind in the country. The actual degree I am going for is mechanical engineering with an emphasis in motorsports, basically all of the design classes take an automotive slant to them. Obviously, the school is in the heart of Nascar country, so that is where the majority of the school's attention is. Not many of the guys that graduate with that degree end up in the automotive industry though, much less with a race team. I was told by one of the professors that the Detroit automakers recruited the motorsports guys, that's the only reason why I choose here(got accepted to Colorado State and Texas Tech). That is not true. The placement officer told me that none of them recruit down here, too far south. I only learned this after I got here. It's a lot of money that my parents are putting out for me to go out of state, and I don't want to continue to go here if all I am going to end up with is another mechanical engineering degree, I can go in state for that and save them money. I think now that this program is more geared towards guys already in the industry that want to go back and get that degree. Sorry for the long-windedness, but that's the story.

Savage, you've got mail.

savage:

I got a dual degree EE/ME from A&M. Of course, I don't recommend this path to anyone but at the time my dean talked me into participating in this "test" program where you could knock out two degrees in 5 years. Today, the popular version of this is like EE/CS or ME/Business or something like that - but I slogged my way through two entirely different fields.

ME at A&M at that time had some optional focuses courses - mainly oil&gas and aero, although I did have some automotive-centric courses.

I too hoped to wind up in the performance division of one of the big auto companies or better yet in R&D or prototyping for a racing organization.

Neither happened for the same reason you spoke - no recruiting that far south. I was broke, broke, broke and figured I couldn't afford to go to them and force my way in to interview, so I took a job with GE in their gas turbine division.

My life has gone fine and I've made some good dough in a field I never dreamed I'd be in - software - but if I had it to do over again, I would have begged, borrowed, etc. the cash to go to Detroit or wherever the automotive action was, just to make sure I did my level best to get into the interview cycle in my target field. It's a shame to dedicate so much time and effort and then just bag it at the end.

In today's market - and the one that we will live in for the next 10-12 years - companies are looking for high value, which in your case means aggressive, do-whatever-it-takes to get in the door and prove your worth. And the pay ain't gonna be pretty, with companies like Kia targeting the low a mid-sector US market in a big way.

Anyway, A&M's a good school and you will likely get all the knowledge you seek. If you do make it back to A&M, drop me an email. I'm there every month or so donating software or taking the kids to some athletic function. I'd be happy to treat you to some longnecks and jalapeno's at the Chicken, or one of those monster burgers from Dead-Solid-Perfect.

Best,

Mikehartwell,
I agree with what you said; though I must insist that you try Dixie Chickens Chuck Wagon Ham Sandwich. It's quite the sandwhich, every bit worth the four dollars and change. I graduate this May and can't wait to get out. A&M is an incredible school. I've been challanged all along the way and I look forward to leaving work at work, none at home unless it's for myself. Any job openings for an ME at your place of employment?

I have an EE degree from A&M but many of my friends (and my wife) were ME's. From what I saw the best auto-related opportunity was with the Formula SAE team (and the associated class). Designing and building a racecar from scratch is a pretty cool project with the grand finale of racing it vs. other schools.

I will also agree that Detroit recruiting at A&M is somewhat limited, however I remember F**d being at career fairs, and I knew a few people who interned there.

It's hard to beat an A&M education in bang/buck, networking, campus amenities, sports (as long as Coach Fran and Watkins can get their acts together), etc. Of course I may be biased.

Finally, I'll agree that I often miss the Chicken, and its Burgers are excellent, but the Northgate Freebirds next door is tough to beat.

On another note: PDQ67, what do you do in Columbia, MO? Does everyone work at MU? I have visited there a few times and it seems like more of a college town than College Station.

-BL

The best bets will be either The GM institute or GMI. I wanted to go there but it was too late I was almost out of school when I found out about it. Their education is geared to be employed there with the engineering etc. Thats what I was told anyways.

Another option that was mentioned earlier is the Formula SAE project. The big three sponsor this program and use it for recruiting. Alot of my team was invited for interviews with HPD (honda performance development, their indy engine makers and stuff) My ex-wife didnt want to move out of the Southeast so i didn't go on my interview. but thats another story haha.

Todd

One more thing. Don't expect these guys to come to you. Go after them. Make calls and ask specific questions about what courses they recommend to help increase your chances of getting a job with their company or one similiar. Get to know the guy alittle you know idle conversation stuff like that do some networking it might pay off. thats how I got my first job.

And don't let these guys shun you because sometimes they will, just keep after it.

Todd

Brucelee,

I worked at APGreen Refractories Co. in Mexico, MO for 18.5 years before the job got to me and they helped me help myself out the door..

I traveled all over everywhere showing people how to install refractiory gunning plastics and gunning catastables as well as how to pump them.. The work as absolutely brutal at times gunning the plastic!! Heck, I've been in every type of industrial furnace there is at one time or another EXCEPT a glass tank!!

It took me making peace with my ex-boss before I was able to get the job with MoDNR, Air Pollution Control Program in Jefferson City, MO.. And I thank the Lord about every day or so driving ta work b/c I'm working!!!

BTW.. I figure College Station must be in PA, right??

If it is, I have a buddy there that works for one of the local refractory plants, (if it is even still running?), otherwise I don't know where you mean??

As for Columbia -- it is a College/Insurance/Medical/Service town so even though there are several good plants around, the town doesn't want anything to do with the HEAVY Industry of old!!

It has three schools in it, UMC, Stephens, which was and I think still is, an elite Girls School even though it is Co-Ed now trying to servive and Columbia College which was the old Christian College years ago..

pdq67

PS., Old APGreen was the largest firebrick plant in the world under one roof before they shut down and Mexico was also the Firebrick Capitol of the world, but alas, no more!! It doesn't have a working brick plant in it now, how sad...