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Glen
Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 9481
Location: Where you least expect
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full metal challenge
anyone ever seen this show before?
http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/F/fmc/
currently reaching obsession status
basically they have 1 month to build a 3000kg max machine that goes in all these crazy events like a huge rollercoaster course, soccer with a flaming ball, a water course where the cars are basically half submerged, and sumo.
some of the cars they have on there are absolutely ridiculous. 3 of special note that i like are
- the steel survivor thats a 3000kg tank with a huge v8 chevy in it and gigantic tank tranks, in the sumo it was just tipping the opponent over and half running over them
http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/F/fmc/teams/snowdiggers.html
- the marabunta, little chilean machine that is about 1700kg, and is 4wd and 4wd steer. it uses a crazy little drive system with the front wheel drive system out of a normal car laying sideways that powers the front and rear diffs. this thing hoons.
http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/F/fmc/teams/desert_pumas.html
- octopush, an 8wd monster with 4wd steer, the front and rear two wheels, and it has two land rover v8 engines. one at the front and another at the back. also has fiddle brakes and a PHENOMENAL amount of power and really shifts itself around too. it was diving over hills and things. won the competition too..
http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/F/fmc/teams/aquaholics.html
- and the next that i like is the southern crusher, its a tiny little machine. only about 1800kg and just fits the driver inside but it has a giant v8 chevy inside with a pair of tracks. in the bumber ball it was ramming other people and doing crazy power slides and stuff. i think its top speed was over 100 or something crazy like that. but the australian chick team rammed it and flipped it over
http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/F/fmc/teams/country_boys.html
so who wants to have a go at this (i sure as hell do, can i borrow someones car for a few months ) _________________ www.demon50s.com - Minimoto parts
http://www.youtube.com/user/HyzerGlen - Videoooozzz
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Thu Jun 09, 2005 6:21 pm |
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Spockie-Tech
Site Admin
Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3160
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Looks entertaining, but along the lines of what I just mentioned in my other post, I'll bet its a "made for TV" type of thing with very little bearing on reality..
A budget of $3000 ?!? Yeah right
You'd be lucky to get a reasonable nick running 2nd hand 10 year old stock commodore for that, much less a custom-engineered racing capable dune-buggy with huge mag wheels, desert tires, massive V8's, transmissions and so on. Its probably like Junkyard wars, where the junkyard just "happens" to contain all the parts for a full working and safe high pressure steam system..
And of course, the competitors just happen to include a team of cute, mechanically skilled, television-friendly girlies who can weld, and we all know how the crazy mechanical world of builders is just dripping with them now dont we ? How convenient.
Then throw in the fact that all the constructors still need to eat, pay their bills, and earn a $ from somewhere, and they cant do that if they are spending 1 month full time building these machines.. Someone must be paying them to do that. What is 1 month worth of full-time wages for 3 skilled people (per *team*) worth ?
You guys all know how much time it takes and what it costs just to make a comparitively tiny, competitive 13Kg battery powered bot, much less a petrol-powered 2000Kg monster.. They probably claim the low-budget to make the average joe believe that "*I* could make one of those !" and imagine themself doing it which enhances their enjoyment of the show
Having said that, I'm sure its a great fun show to watch, and given the massive budget of a TV station that
just happens
to have access to a disused power station to convert into a race track and the kazillions of other little things that would need to be done, and I'm sure its a blast.
Trying to do it for $3,000 in your own time without a fully equipped large-scale fabrication workshop ? See you in a few years..
Sorry to pop the illusion that anyone can knock one of them up in their back yard in a few weeks, but as usual, TV never lets the facts get in the way of a good story
If anyone knows of any local TV stations with a 6 figure budget rattling around in their pockets that likes the idea, let me know, I know some people who would be capable of pulling that off given the $ to play with.. _________________ Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people
Last edited by Spockie-Tech on Thu Jun 09, 2005 9:01 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Thu Jun 09, 2005 7:30 pm |
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