DON'T CHEAT!

[Halo Blu]

Thanks Derby Chip,
My Sons won, and G'Sons see the trophies, and want one of their own.
I guess, what I need now, is QUICK/SLICK advise, that will WIN the whole deal within the confines of strict rules.
Right now- I'm going "slim to win", slick, polished, tuned, weight low/ and 5/8 weight in front of back axle, and every little nugget of info from here...
"Back in the Day"- LOL! All you had to do was cut a wedge, to win! /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

 

[HMH Racing]

You can still win it all. Sadly we have a couple of the same rules. Axle and wheel prep still important and there is plenty of info on this site. If you have the silver bullet you should still be able to drill your holes with a cant and still be reasonably flat. You just have to use a smaller pin. We did this last year and had no problems. A set of Dynasty BASX wheels will pass inspections but you can prep the stock ones yourself. If it is like our local races you have already spent more time researching than 95% of the other racers.( I think that is why they keep these crappy rules) Just remember to have fun with junior and build those memories....and a winning car /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

 

[Halo Blu]

Win, Lose, or Draw.
Halo, and I, start 6 cars tomorrow.
Plan is... 3 BSA blocks- cut in half, length wise.
Then, 6 cars built, with each one, being a unique car, depending on its origin/wood grain.
6 FAST cars built, by an inspired 6 year-old.
Halo Blu would like ANY advise you can give me, I need it!

 

[Chief]

Find an axle that is not very straight and use it as the DFW axle for alignment. Alignment is critical.

 

[Halo Blu]

Thanks again, Chief.
Anyone know? An un-dectable cant degree, or bent axle ratio, that still drives the wheels- UP- on the axles, without being obvious?
Hmmmm... I digress. Sorry, I'm grasping at illegal straws now.
We'll figure it out.
I'll post results in 3 weeks!
1/31/15 race at 10:30 a.m.

 

[3N1 Racing]

Halo, if you use the silver bullet or block, instead of the pin use a business card. Slide the business card under 1/2 an inch. It gives just enough cant on the axle so the wheel will ride up the axle but the wheel will remain virtually flat.

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

Get a plug N play body. I can drill it with a MOG cant (1 degree) with a raised wheel so it will be a rail runner and have an undetectable cant. Narrow the dominant front side. Use the 92 BSA axle and some 1.180 BASX and you will destroy everyone. That is except for the ones that get let through breaking the rules. In this case I would build 2 cars thinking more about it. One really breaking the rules and then the one I described. No bent axles but you have to use the kit axles... LOL

 

[5KidsRacing]

I can drill it with a MOG cant (1 degree)

I see what you did there/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif lol!

 

[ngyoung]

"If axles- ARE!!! CANTED!!!!!!!,(DERF!) wheels MUST remain flat, on surface."

That's seriously quoting from the rules? DERF!?

Also light sanding the wheels doesn't significantly change the weight. The rule is allowing you to smooth out blemishes and mold marks but restricting you from removing material for the purpose of making the wheel lighter or reshaping it so the tread isn't flat, ie rounded, V'd or H cut.

Sorry I am slow, what does "MOG" stand for?

 

[Quicktimederby]

When you lathe wheels you find that with how bad some mold #'s are. You can take a lot of weight of just trying to make them round. You can go from a 2.6gr. to a 2.4gr no problem. I guarantee that over 50% of the boys axles will be bent or canted in the slots, not on purpose but that's just the way they go in. I love the rules for rule to try and make it fair, when all it does is make it so the can disqualify someone if someone else cry's foul

 

[Vitamin K]

No Canted axles. BUT!(Quoting Rules!!!)- "If axles- ARE CANTED wheels MUST remain flat, on surface.

Good night, what a horrible ruleset. Somebody needs to start a Pinewood Derby hall of shame for gems like this.

 

[derbychip]

I love the rules for rule to try and make it fair, when all it does is make it so the can disqualify someone if someone else cry's /QUOTE]

WELL SAID

 

[3N1 Racing]

Sorry I am slow, what does "MOG" stand for?[/QUOTE]

ng, MOG is Masters Of Gravity, a championship race in another league that uses a specific rule set just for that race.

 

[BulldogRacing]

When I was a cub my dad got pissed that the same dang guy kept wining. We tried everything. My dad was a craftsman and also very competitive. I built cars side by side and put many hours into it with him. Always second to this one guy. This winning guy even raced the same car with different sons every year! Well, my old man would walk up tell the guy how awesome the car was and congratulate him and his son. He taught me to be a good loser. Then we found an add in the back of boys life magazine around 1990 about speed pine wood derby parts. We won for many years after that, and the other guy knew exactly what was happening. He just bit his lip, and turned red and took home the 2nd place trophy. Thanks dad for not giving up and blaming our loss on others, with out that example I'd be blaming others for my slow cars. The good old days back when you ordered stuff out of a catalog.

 

[quadad]

Gosh, the lack of rules and lousy rules brings back memories. Not necessarily good memories ...

It does seem like the spirit of your rules are to allow the minimum cant (used to be about 1 degree or a little more) such that the wheels are still flat on the ground at rest or during a hand roll. John can do this for you hands down, or a pin in the 0.09" to 0.095" diameter territory should do it with the silver bullet. (You can always practice this on some sprare wood - drill the cant and check the wheel action.) If they lead people to raise a wheel and then have (near) straight axles, you can have some collisions going on with cars that jump out of their lane !

Most importantly, enjoy the time with your grandson. Teach him as much that you can about the right attitude and doing your best, while you teach him to make a fast car.

 

[Halo Blu]

"The Good Old Days"- That's funny! (1990???) I thought, "The Good Old Days" happened in the late 1960's!!! We bought our stuff from Famous and Barr Dept. Store. They sold EVERYTHING! (Lol!) "Everything", included the 3 pieces of wood, 4 axles, 4 wheels... (Axles, were placed into a separate section of wood, that was added to the block later.) (The Kit cost 35 cents, in 1970.)

Back in- "The Good 'Ol Days" The wheels were SKINNY! The rules were LOOSE! And my Dad was a Chemist! (NOT! a woodworker...)
I BUILT THE CAR. With NO help from Dad.
My oldest Brother Mike had a cool car that looked like a 'soap-box derby car', but Grandpa built it, NOT Mike.
I have about 10 cars, from the good 'ol days. I'd like to see a return to that day- with modern rules, tools, and materials. The wheels were solid, and seem easy to lathe into a fast runner.
It might be cool if the B.S.A. did a class of cars made the way they were, when the Pinewood Derby was developed.
Maybe, something like- "The Old Timers Race" You know... us, old, 40-50 somethings + That actually had to build, paint, race their own cars!

 

[bracketracer]

Halo, I believe that Beta Craft still offers those old style wheels at least.

 

[BulldogRacing]

Halo, I bet there are times all of us would like to return to and have a second crack at.

 

[Halo Blu]

It just keeps getting better!
LAST NIGHT... at our Pack meeting- (The race is THIS! Saturday.)
"Family cars can weigh - No MORE< than 1 POUND!!!"
REALLY!!!??? Kinda late on that little nugget of information!!!

I've made 2 cars exactly the same weight,(5 Oz.) and stuck to these B.S. Rules.(Boy Scout) /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif
Now, In 2 days, I have to, more than double the weight, of one car.
If I don't, it will lose...
I've spent countless hours testing, calibrating, tweeking weights, and measures, AND JUST WHEN I NAILED IT- 11 more Oz. needs to be added! And, somehow, still look 'cool' / part of the plan.

I HATE the look of weight added "LATE", messy, taped on, glued on, etc.
Any last minute ideas for an additional 11 Oz. added to an extremely skinny car?
Extended wheel base. With a Round-ish front end, with a tube, to a Round-ish back. the weight now, is a tungsten oval canopy, with more- Hidden inside/under/around the rear axles???
Overall, it's about 3/8 inch thick, with a skinny circular tube. The Top/Down view, kind of resembles a circle-tube-oval- with the canopy on top of the oval(Front to back)

Please help! Time is running out.
(...STUPID RULES!...) Keep Changing! I need a Time Machine!

 

[Rocket car]

6.5 oz car is all you need with the oil process,rail riding and good wheels and axles. We killed a 6 pounder last year. Any more weight and you will actually slow the car down.