knockout
We are here in Michigan and we had a nice easy day of it. We fixed the headlight that quit working the trace on its circuit board had gotten too hot and opened. OMG we have had some weather today it pored rain like crazy for a few minuets then cleared up and allowed some of the cars on the Read the full article…
Night Drive, 6/14/10
Writer Jason Fagone’s Illuminati photo: Seven on a country road at night, paused after a test drive. Kevin driving, Nate riding shotgun with dueling laptops hooked into the brain of the car, me in the back, and somehow author Jason Fagone managed to unfold his long, lean frame from a cramped back seat to take this photo. It was an Read the full article…
Here we go again!
Unless you have a car that was already completed the time between events is a mad dash to fix everything Xprize finds wrong with your car. Seven made it through technical last time, but we knew she could be better. We now have systems that should all work. I say should because I have crimped hundreds of connections, and wore Read the full article…
I left my mind in 7’s trunk…
One of the hardest parts of this whole competition for me has been the events at MIS. But it’s not because of the crazy mad rushes to get this or that buttoned up for inspections, or the insane level of stress that IMW is enduring. It’s because I can’t be there to take on my fair share of those stresses Read the full article…
Basking in the post-annual meeting afterglow.
We’ve had absolutely no time since Shakedown to work with the press or invite the governor or other dignitaries to our workshop. Work to improve Seven has been daily and with a deadline that is screaming up fast. There was no time to have the car professionally painted, so I painted it. My 12 year wedding anniversary with Kevin fell Read the full article…
News from the workshop
So much has changed on Seven since Shakedown. Edison2 put a bug in Kevin’s ear about how to reduce Seven’s weight, and he took their advice seriously. The trunk lids, hood, dash board, and center console have all been remade using fiberglass and peel ply. That removed approximately 60 pounds from the car. Trading out the comfortable seats for lighter Read the full article…
Much ado about paint
In one of my less mature moments, I responded to Kevin’s “to-do list” for Seven with a threat. I refused to attend Knockout if Seven was still in primer. This ultimatum was not very well thought out. There’s only so much time before the next event at MIS; the team (with the exception of Nick) work full time jobs and Read the full article…
It’s on!
On a cool late spring evening, May 18th. Seven piloted by Kevin Smith, co pilot Nathan Knappenburger, and Nick Smith documenting Seven realized her potential. With the parameters corrected she had her first full power acceleration run. The gleeful cheers of the three passengers filled the cabin, finally they saw what their hard work had created. Now that Seven is Read the full article…
A long way to go short time to get there
Just an idea what our plate looks like. Install connectors to allow maintenance on drive system this will require terminating 250 connections 4 times one on each side of each end of our connectors. Design Logic board, order its parts build prototype board install and test make changes that are necessary. As part of installing the new connectors I will Read the full article…
I Have No Idea What’s Going On.
I could say that the title about sums it up, but then BITW would win our bet. It doesn’t matter that it’s only an empty package of grapefruit rinds on the line….it’s my empty package of grapefruit rinds and I’m not giving them up without a fight! Oh look, a squirrel. So we have new custom struts on the way, Read the full article…