0. Introduction

Data Logging... a 1950’s sportscar... Top gear... University?! All these seemingly unrelated things have come together for us lucky members of the Oxford Universities Motorsport Foundation over the last 2 months. My last report/update was written just after the Donington Historic Festival where the extremely kind people at Haltech and Race Winning Brands sponsored the team with a Haltech Nexus S2 and the climb up the Data Logging/Race Engineering learning curve began. The push to install sensors and study the produced lines has not slowed any. But I will pick up where we left off and even though this story starts quite similarly to the last one it definitely does not end the same.

1. Acquiring A Data Logger

Data Logging has become one of the most important aspects of modern motorsport and being quite keen on becoming a race engineer I thought it was high time to dive into it. Looking around the HQ of the Oxford University Motorsport foundation I saw two primary forms of acquiring data: 1. The Vbox which only outputs video and speed via a gps and 2. A Motec data Logger from 2003 that sadly no longer fully functions. Not letting myself be defeated so soon I went to Ding with my query and he duly reminded me that I may have an opportunity to get a new data logger at the race retro motorsport show. Upon looking at the list of stands at race retro my ambitions to acquire the squiggly lines was re-lit with Haltech being in attendance.
At race retro we were met by Martin Stelleman and Mark Luney who both jumped right on board in my quest to learn proper race engineering and graciously allowed OUMF to ‘have a play’ with a Haltech Nexus S2. Not getting too personal, but my excitement was through the roof. 11 analog inputs! 6 SPI’s! A MAP sensor!?!? Once the Haltech (which is what I will refer to the Nexus S2 as from now on) was with us we put it on display at the Practical Classics Restoration Show at the NEC with many ooo’s and aahh's from not only the students in the club but many a show goer. I was just ready to crack on and get the thing into one of our cars!