J.A.C.K.S Racing Team

From left to right: Andrew Smits, Kraig Kadletz, Steve VandenAvond, Jim Zahn,
and Cody Conard.

Welcome to the J.A.C.K.S. Racing team.  We are building our Formula High School race car in Engineering Design & Development class.  Special thanks goes to our sponsor, Sugar Grove Custom Cars in Iowa.  Thank you Mr. Woodsmall!  Our car will be completed in April of 2009 and then be entered in competitions.

We will be using a 16 hp V-twin engine by Briggs & Stratton.  Also, we are using the original VW assembly for the front spindle.  The chassis of the car is a close replica of the Mystique car made by Sugar Groove Custom Cars.  The car should have a top speed around 60 MPH.  The total car will cost approximately $2000. 

January Update
Since December our team accomplished a lot. We started setting up our brakes, wired up our engine and finally tested out our engine. Though it sounds like all went easy, we did have our fair share of troubleshooting that needed to be done. The exhaust tips were crooked. We heated the pipes with a torch and aligned them then we had to switch shops so that delayed production of the car.

This picture is the assembled rear end with the fuel cell (fuel tank) mounted and mounted engine, the engine sounds great.

This picture is our boss of exhaust Steve who is finding out how the seat belts and steering. It looks like it should fit our team just fine

Cody in this picture is wiring up the car before we started it. This is also a good example of how the seat folds up to easy access to the battery.

This is Kraig, our team leader, who is testing out the steering and spindles.

Here is Steve straightening out the exhaust, although it looks straight in this picture, it is still bent a little.

Here is Steve wiring up the car, although Andrew did the majority of the work, Steve is taking the credit due to the absence of Andrew

Here we are fitting the brake pedal. It looks like Jim is on the right track with the foot pedals

Steve, our Public relations guy, is updating our web page

December Update
Our team is currently finishing up pieces of the frame.  We are currently putting the finishing touches on our front end.  We have finished the back end of our car, which includes our motor and fuel cell mounts.  We have put the floor on to our car and made the gas and brake pedals.  With conflicting schedules, we have yet to set a date to make our fiberglass body but that date will be released in the near future.         Team J.A.C.K.S     

Jim Zahn figuring out where the pedals of the car are going to go

The chassis of our car so far.

Andrew Smits milling down a front-end piece

Kraig Kadletz grinding a piece of the front end down

The back end of our car

The J.A.C.K.S team with their new Sugargrove t-shirts on.  From left to right Steve VandenAvond, Kraig Kadletz, Jim Zahn, and Andrew Smits. Not pictured Cody Conard

Jacks Team Update (November 5, 2008)