I never saw that one (season 6, ep 3), but it sounds like the spy car episode in season 7. I think it was already mentioned and it would definitely be do-able with our skills - probably much better than in the shows

As I remember it, each team had to get around an obstacle course that defined the width & height of the spy car. so the only major problem I can see is finding a venue where we can hold the challenge. An industrial estate with plenty of flat concrete would be excellent. A closed multi-storey car park would be even better!

We might have trouble finding 2nd hand cases or backpacks, but there are plenty of cheap ones at the markets and we can most definitely scrounge the rest. Andrew's team already has a head start with his wheelchair motors

Perhaps we can think up some extra challenges here, like a weight or size limit? maybe the car needs a tennis ball cannon to take out some targets along the way? Collect & transport prizes inside the cases?

Angus mentioned that we should video the whole thing for a Youtube clip - I nominate him to compose the soundtrack!

@ Andrew: True, I think both episodes had some break-downs, but that doesn't mean we have to. This is much more complicated than Narcarts and much less about speed.

yeah i recall that episode andrew is talking about as well. it was pretty bad. neither of them had enough power to move by themselves and they just sat on them and pushed themselves along by their hands.

worst episode ever. haha.

totally need ICE engines in a suitcase though.
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OK, let me just say 4 weeks VS 10 hours (even if they were TV hours). Their fail does not have to be ours and that goes for any of the challenges they had!

what about a tug-o-war type thing, with powered vehicles.
Essentially a nar kart built for pulling power.

Have a max weight and size, and the rest is open (engine / motor / number of wheels / tracks)

I would suggest either remote control, or something a person can sit on, to make it more entertaining
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The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

Something to scale a sheer drop/cliff face would be cool i reckon, down or up. Down could be more entertaining. Lots of options, and could chose a very high drop to make things interesting. Fastest decent wins, but you have to drive away to a finish line at the bottom.
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Yeah, A tug-o-war would work; we could spice it up a little with different sorts of terrain.

@ Angus: I am having trouble visualising what sort of thing would do the scaling and what size it would be

A couple of thoughts:

Many of the ideas involve larger sized machines, which would need a trailer to haul around. Do we have access to two trailers that could hold something the size of a dune buggy or small car? Could we use club funds to hire one?

If we build ride-on vehicles, let's make them easy to also remote control from the start. They can then be re-used in other challenges that really need RC.

quote:

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Originally posted by Nick:

@ Angus: I am having trouble visualising what sort of thing would do the scaling and what size it would be

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I would be heading straight for the plans of the mars lander module: http://marsrover.nasa.gov/mission/spacecraft_edl_lander.html.

I don't know if what you are thinking about could be built from junk though; a common theme on the TV show was that complicated junk machines broke down and lost most of the time.

I have a massive awesome truck of doom, and access to a car trailer, which could fit plenty of stuff on it.
I can easily get hold of a box trailer, or maybe another car trailer.


One of the traditional challenge type things is the amphibious vehicle.
A race over land and water could be entertaining - but not necessarily easy to organise for person sized vehicles.
R/C could be ok.

What about an RC vehicle that has to be able to jump a "canyon" without a ramp. (ie spring loaded or pneumatic jump mechanism in the suspension). It could have to be reloadable for more of a challenge.
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The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

Amphibious Vehicle, not bad either.

A general question for people: If we go for an RC controlled vehicle, be it tug-o-war, amphibious or whatever, what size do you see it being? We can built these things to almost any scale, but the best source of junk comes from car yards so the vehicles are going to be the size of a small car and weigh maybe 300 to 500Kg.

I would absolutely love to make an RC vehicle that size, but keep in mind that the control systems will not be cheap. several medium sized actuators and a geared down steering motor will be needed.

Good news about the trailers, that opens up choices considerably!

If we did develop a good and reusable car RC control, that opens up things like car jousting That challenge is dead easy to do outside of the RC parts - find old car, weld on armour, done. If it worked out OK, it might turn into a sport of its own...

I think if it's going to be that big we're best to make them ride on - for more fun

If it's going to be R/C probably try to stick to 50-100kg max - which makes scooter / wheelchair / whipper snipper / mower bits usable.
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The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

we have a box trailer.
how about a submarine?
towed wire style.
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Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

What sort of task do you see it doing? In the TV show, they did subs that navigated obstacles to hit a target. I'd like to see one with a good remote video cam as well.

Pre-event testing might be an issue - each team would need access to a swimming pool.

A nice summary:

Seige weapons

Nar Karts (electric)

Scrap Go carts (petrol) Could be off road too.

Capture the flag kind of thing like ultibots i suppose?

Submarine based challenge

Safe decent/ascent challenge

Power tool drag races

I'll keep updating this as I come across the other ideas.
We could have a vote next event.
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