Here are a few pics of the frame...it is up on its back end to facilitate easier welding.
I will get some better ones once we finish welding next week.

frame...cont.

We finally have the frame all tacked together!!...with a few exceptions :-( We can't do a couple parts in the front until we know where the shocks need to mount, and also can't do the parts that support the engine until we have the transmission....it would be bad if we didn't leave room for the transmission, and had to cut the frame apart.
Will send pics later this week

Sponsors

This project is not only demanding on the seniors. We have gotten a significant amount of help from many others. Dr. Allen & Matt Hays put in endless dedication to this project...I don't know what we would do without them. We have several underclassmen working with us as well. Our company sponsors are: Polaris, Great Lakes Elevator, Briggs & Stratton, VonLanken Snyder Farms, Air Gas, & Plymouth Tubing, Inc.

Project Sections & Progress

I haven't said too much about how we are dividing this project. All 5 of us are involved in each other's work, to some extent, but the focuses are:
Frame-Nick & Owen
Suspension-Christian
Drive Train-Becca & Josh

All that really has been posted thus far is the frame's progress, but the rest of us are doing plenty as well!
We still need a definite part that we want for the new shocks, but we know that we want to use the old A-arms with the new vehicle.
We have the drive train pretty much nailed down as to what we are ordering. This week we are taking measurements in order to be 100% sure before we purchase a non-refundable transmission. We also decided on wheel-mounted brakes and shafts that telescope in the CV joints to go with our selected transmission.
The frame is still coming together; the guys have continued their long hours on it.

As a side note, the new frame's designer came into town this past weekend to take a look at her work being made reality. Needless to say, she was pretty ecstatic.

Pics from last week...

This project is getting long....we tend to think too much about stuff and then realize that we are over-thinking everything, and that our original conclusions were right. It gets to be really frustrating when you spend your Saturdays thinking and then actually do everything on Monday.
Anyway....progress is being made, just slowly

Welding

We didn't have the tubing available to us exactly when we wanted it, so that set us back a bit at first. We settled with a slightly heavier tubing for the frame, but the weight difference won't be very significant in competition. We have some portions of the frame welded after many hours of tube bending and welding in the past few weeks. We are back on schedule, and things are moving quickly!

Owen loves welding!

Back panel all finished

Another piece in mid-completion

More welding progress pics to come soon!

Parts such as hubs, transmission, other drive train stuff, and shocks are to be ordered in about the next month to avoid any time setbacks once our welding is done. Look forward to it!!