DON'T CHEAT!

Rocket car said:
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.

Absolutely correct.
I did a test with both an SS and an UNLM, starting at 5 oz, and gradually increasing by 1/2 oz increments.
6.5 to 7.0 oz is the fastest. From theron, both cars gradually increased their times.

However, tests were with oil.
 
Halo Blu said:
"Family cars can weigh - No MORE< than 1 POUND!!!"
Does that say that the cars can weigh "No More than 1 pound", or does it say "No More and no less than 1 Pound"? I expect the former, but the less-than symbol is casting doubt.

If you do not have to:
Do not take it over 7 oz.

Like Opa said here, once you go beyond 6-7 oz, the times begin to slow. A boy here used our test and tune night last year to test the difference in weight and its effect on speed for a science project. This was on graphite, and the same results.

Truth be told, you could very likely have left the car at 5 oz and still won the whole thing. The careful addition of another ounce or so would only solidify that victory.

To repeat the last page full of advice here:

Do not raise the weight in your car to 16oz. It will be slower.
 
Chief said:

Yes, It is kind of like that!!! 3years of building 100's of cars and some people don't trust us. He needs to look at the title of this section again.
smile
 
I get it. (No need to bang head...)
I'm racing at 6.5 oz on the "Family Class" car.
I got caught up with our extremely LATE rule change, and thought a 1 pound car would smoke anything lighter. Thanks for all of your advise once again. I'm here to learn, and fortunately I've got extra Tungsten(From my Boss!) that got a quick paint job, and added in such a way that drew my COG back to 5/8".
Thanks guys! (Tuesday, I thought my cars were finished/completed/ready...) After 2 hours work last night, and 1 hour today, I'm ready once again.
Wish my G'Sons luck on the race!
Wish me luck when my wife sees another graphite mess on the Kitchen table!
blowup
 
I dont normally get to Xcited about stuff, but I just cannot wait to hear the results from this topic...HAHA
 
We took 3rd, and 4th place out of 62 cars, in the BSA race. The cars that won, looked identical to ours, but... alas, they did something a little better.
Our "Family" car took first place out of 23. (It won every race by 2 car lengths/at least.)
So... 3 medals(Participation) and 2 Trophies- First in Family, Third in Pack.
What really kind of pisses me off, is NO 4th place trophy...(BSA)
They reward the slowest/last place car with an identical trophy as first place for--- Get this--- BEST EFFORT! "Do Your Best" Trophy??? Why? Come in dead last, and that earns a Best Effort???
This seems like political correct B.S. when 4th place seems like a better effort, than DEAD LAST!
I might be old/old school, but losers don't gain anything by being rewarded, for doing the least!
Thanks to EVERYONE! Even when you thought I wasn't listening, I attribute our success to this forum.
THANK YOU ALL!
 
The track was old, dirty, wooden that killed many cars(off the sides) before it hit the flat.
Our "Family" car, hit a seam in the track, that yanked out a super-glued axle, by almost 1/4 inch.
We still won, but DANG!
One car fell off at the top, into splinters. A "Hammer-Head Shark" styled car hit another, and sent it flying off taking another 2 cars with it. Hammer Head won in half on/half off, as it passed finish.
8 re-races because of crap track/or 1 out of 8 had to be re-run.
 
Congrats on placing. Quite good out of 62 cars, just think what you will do next time. Also congrats on the family car...by the way how much did the other cars weigh in at???
 
For "Family" cars, they only stated - Less than 1 pound, as the weight.
Ours was 6.8 on their scale, weighed 6.5 on mine, while the BSA cars weighed identical on both... ?Who Knows?
 
Halo Blu said:
The track was old, dirty, wooden that killed many cars(off the sides) before it hit the flat.
Our "Family" car, hit a seam in the track, that yanked out a super-glued axle, by almost 1/4 inch.
We still won, but DANG!
One car fell off at the top, into splinters. A "Hammer-Head Shark" styled car hit another, and sent it flying off taking another 2 cars with it. Hammer Head won in half on/half off, as it passed finish.
8 re-races because of crap track/or 1 out of 8 had to be re-run.

Wow, that's just ugly. Really, they ought to address that. I'd feel ripped if I sunk time and money into a well tuned car, only to have it destroyed by a craptacular track.
 
haha I love that...Can I use that for my next car name??? "Craptacular" That's funny!!!!
 
Halo Blu said:
I've asked our Pack Master 2 months ago for a set of "Pack" - Pinewood Derby Rules.
I caught him last night, and asked again... His answer was- Don't Cheat!
I told him when my Son's were in Scouts, I had to change the axels and wheels 5 minutes before the race, because they deemed the wheels, "too rounded".
He said don't worry about that... 5 oz. and under, and you're GOOD. (PERIOD.)
I asked about 3 wheels, and he said, "No, you need all 4 wheels... (I think.... Duh...)", "and they need to be BSA wheels only!"
Me-"O.K. What about one wheel lifted?"
Him- "Uh.... What do you mean?
Me-"Forget it, I need a set of rules, I don't want to do last minute changes."
Him- "We're not going to go anywhere, after this... No District, Council, Etc. You can race a BRICK, as far as I'm concerned."

O.K Guys, What would you do?
I don't even want to cut the block, until I see a set of rules.

To be honest if that was the responses I was getting from our pack master I'd be talking to counsel looking for a new one. Everyone knows pinewood derby is the most memorable time for scouts. Above almost anything else a cub scout does, making these cars are what they remember most. If the pack master can't isn't willing to give you rules to make it fair for everyone, sounds like he's a little lazy.