Urban Vehicle Design Competition

From hEUStory

The Wally Wagon was designed and built by a team of UBC Engineering students for entry into the 1972 Urban Vehicle Design Competition. The criteria for this continent-wide university competition called for the design of a safe, low polluting commuter car which would be maneuverable in city traffic and have low mass production cost. The Wally Wagon took about a year to build by a team of undergraduate engineers with the financial help of many organizations. When the judging was completed in August, 1972, at Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Wally Wagon beat out 92 entries from Canadian and American universities to win the over-all award for excellence. The UBC car also won an award for safety performance and was cited for excellence in maneuverability, parking and braking performance.

The Wally Wagon is a sporty, two-seater with fibreglass body and four-cylinder Fiat engine modified for liquid natural gas. Besides giving up to 30 miles per gallon, the car:

• meets 1976 U.S. automobile emission standards;
• forces the driver to be safety conscious by not starting unless seat belts are fastened;
• takes a collision at 10 mph without damage to front or rear bumpers;
• prevents drunk drivers from entering or starting the car by a digital door-lock and starter system;
• and keeps a driver safe in a sturdy passenger compartment in collisions up to 50 miles per hour.

The vehicle, in case you were wondering, is named after UBC President Walter ("Wally") Gage.

Chief Members of the Design Team:

Dean MacKay, Ken Biss, Jerry Lim, Chuck Nichols, Dave Stasuk, Garry Summerfield, Mike Chapman, Heather MacKay, Don O'Connor, Mike Stidwill, Mike Tratch, Brian Weeks, Magne Strandegon, Steve Cousins, Greg Johnson, Steve Lazlo

Vehicle Specifications

General:

• 2 passenger with cargo space
• Fiberglass body
• Steel box section frame and roll cage
• Service module accessible from rear, checks all fluid levels and engine condition.
• Anti-theft and drunk protective push-button combination door lock and ignition.
• Top speed 80 mph.

Engine:
4 cylinder internal combustion (68 cu. in.) engine transversely mounted (50 hp) capacitive discharge ignition triggered by a photo diode.

Fuel:
Liquid natural gas - range 250 miles

Transmission:
4-Speed all syncro shift front-wheel drive

Exhaust Emmission Equipment:

• Thermal reactor
• Water injection
• Electronic spark advance
• Center-fire spark plugs
• Polished cylinder head and ports

Safety:

• Computer designed frame and roll cage, frame designed to absorb collision energy with collision exceeding 10 mph
• Interior amply padded
• Steering column collapsible
• Energy absorbing bumpers front and rear. Front uses air bags which will compress, rear uses replaceable honeycomb material which deforms with collision