2023 Baja Racecar

Who are we? 

The Baja competition, organized by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), challenges students with building a car capable of surviving the grueling tests of rough terrain: rocks, ditches, mud, creeks, loose dirt and gravel, drops, snow, and jumps. Universities from around the world compete, allowing students to come together as individuals, teams, and engineers to gain invaluable hands-on experience, learning from both teammates and other schools.

Our mission is to enrich the Northwestern experience through the production of a competitive off-road racing vehicle by inspiring creative automotive design, forging marketable leadership and technical skills, passing knowledge from senior to new members, and building a close-knit engineering community. 

Northwestern University Baja, founded in 1988, is the oldest vehicle team on campus, and in recent years, we have been improving fast. Our placement at competitions has been rising, our designs are stronger and more elegant, and our team continues to operate more efficiently and effectively. With all that we have learned in the past few years, we are confident that we can build a very competitive car.

Project overview: 

This year, we are making some drastic changes to the car, ranging from powertrain component redesign, various frame modifications, and suspension point changes. Our goal in making these modifications is to make a lighter, but stronger car that can withstand the obstacles in a racecourse but is also fast enough to win. We are also revamping our training program for new members, not only to improve their individual experience on the team but also to ensure that our team is as capable as it can be. We teach how to apply the theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom to the real world. New members are given projects that teach them how to design, manufacture, and assemble, and we need to account for the learning process, which requires extra material in addition to the material we need for building our car.

How you can help: 

We have an enormous project in front of us, and we need support throughout all stages. In addition to building a car, the team also tackles huge obstacles such as competition logistics, growing and educating our team, and of making our way to the racetrack with everything we need to be competitive. The tubes needed to make our frame cost us nearly $5,000. We also need a variety of stock metal to make our own gearbox, hubs, and other components in-house, as well as to make tabs and mounting fixtures. Additionally, we expect several components to break during testing or assembly. In the past, our success as a team has been hindered by a tight budget. We’re hoping you can help. 

Our goal: 

We hope to raise more than $10,000 through your generous support. This will cover the raw materials needed for the car frame ($4,800) and various suspension components, including shocks and suspension components ($3,200). In addition to these costs, we also need to fund the raw materials for our gearbox and custom differentials, and plenty of smaller bills including bolt orders, welding supplies, and all our required safety equipment. Funding that exceeds our goal will be put towards additional materials for our car as well as materials needed to train new members. The Motorcats sincerely appreciate anything you can contribute. 

Let’s build a car!