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Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:52 pm

This is really cool. I was never in Cubs, but in school we made CO2 cars and they were tons of fun. We started with a wedge shape. I just rounded all of the edges on mine, sanded it, and buffed it. I then drilled out the bottom of the car but kept the exterior the same. So in theory I built a shell car. Everybody else put spoilers of some sort theirs, or reduced the mass of it as much as possible (no weight limit or min. just measurement requirements). I just polished my spindles, put graphite in the axle tubes and won every race. Mine was super light, but the perfect aerodynamic shape and smooth as glass.

When i was researching CO2 cars i came across a Wind Tunnel that you could buy for $25,000 I just built one in my garage to test my designs.

Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:54 pm

In the Outlaw class for us old farts, the only rules are that it still meets the 5 oz weight limit, its not more than an 1/8" wider per side then the wheels on a stock block, it also can't be more than 8 inches long or 6 inches high and must run on BSA Wheels and axles.

Next year if doing a bus, it will be either a DC or a pannel. Though right now I am leaning towards doing a Schwimmwagen or a Kubel :P

Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:11 pm

I just spent 3 hours last night typing up rules for my daughters Girl Scout Pinewood derby race. There's a bit of a story to this....

SO, 3 years ago my daughters GS service unit has a conflict with the BS troop as to who gets the use the track. It belonged to the BS troop so they got first crack, but kept changing their minds. And the track was in crappy shape and pretty plain. So, I decide to make a track (in addition to cars for my daughter, wife, and myself).

Features include:

(** = things upgraded this year)
4 lanes
Christmas tree style drag light **
electronic gate release **
electronic timer connected to digital display.
Everything connected to the laptop running competion software
Software handles all the heats, bracketing, and records times. Even gives scale mph for the cars.
We have a digital projector that puts up all the stats, whose racing, whose 'on deck' ect.....
Breaks down into easy to handle sections with one socket and wrench. Everything else comes apart with pins.

Things to add:
Photo Finish

(Did I mention I'm an IT guy with a woodworking/car/boat/gun habit?) :D

We ran 117 cars from the begining of registration/inspection to the final award being handed out in 4 hours. If you've ever been to a derby meet, thats dang fast. By keeping it moving, the kids stayed interested and didnt wander off.

We're running an 'Friends and Family' class as well as an 'Outlaw' class. Friends and Family must conform to all the standard rules, but Outlaw class only has 4 rules:

-Cars cant interfere with other cars.
-Cars cant damage the track (no Estes rockets, ect....)
-Cars must fit under the timing bar.
-Cars must roll.(No flying)
I'm thinking of building a ducted fan BatMobile. However, funds (and time) used on this project will be diverted from the Seebring...... :cry:

Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:49 pm

Four lanes would have been nice. They decided to run an average for 1 run per car per six lanes for my kid's derby this year. When we were kids they ran the track where 2 last place finishes eliminated the car regardless of the competition.

Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:37 pm

In our pack we run all the boys cars on each of the 4 lanes. (Lane 4 on our track tends to run slower) and average there times together to make there final time. Our fastest car ran a 3.74925 sec averaged lap compared to the slowest at 4.46925.
We also have an auto start drop gate starting system with a finish line digital display. Though our software does not calculate scaled speeds :( it sounds simple enough to program that so I think that I will have to add it.
:D

Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:54 pm

WD-40 wrote: Towel Rail wrote: Perhaps this won't matter, but per the rules, you're not supposed to *add* material to the block, just remove it, right?

It's been at least 10 years since my last pinewood derby.

Towel Rail wrote: I meant, as a structural thing, rather than the weight limit. I don't think I ever saw a pinewood derby car that had had pieces glued on -- every one I can remember started from the basic block, carved out the car, and painted it.

My green one had pieces added... and it was patterned after yours. :wink:

The one you made with the vents from the bottom - didn't it also have some pieces to direct air around the wheels?

Now that you mention it -- that idea didn't work out too well! :lol:

- Scott

Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:24 pm

Being an Eagle Scout now, looking back, I wish i would have made VW's for my pinewood cars...

I made a hummer and a car that looked like one of those 30's ford V8 hotrods.. the hotrod styled one won me a trophy for "best design" (it was the nice way to give me something since i came in last every race i guess)

but, when I got into RC Cars, I grafted a Bug body onto the proper clips for use..

Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:21 pm

westernair wrote: Glenn wrote: I thought it should be made by the Cub Scout?

I saw way too many of them done by the parent.

My son is doing his own car, the bus is mine, for the old duff race afterwards.

Jared has always done his own, he definatly doen't need my help.

Awesome, as an former Cub Scout and current Eagle Scout, I was about to bitch at you.

BTW, make sure he gets to Eagle before he discovers girls! Hanging out with a bunch of guys in the woods becomes a lot less fun when you realize you could be fooling around instead.

Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:04 pm

amen to above post...

They call it "the fumes" that deter em from making Eagle... The fumes being exhaust and perfume, I was already into my VW the second i got my drivers license, its such a distraction from making Eagle, but its one of the best things ive ever done, besides getting my 67

Tue Apr 01, 2008 7:10 pm

This past weekend was the Pine Wood Derby for Pack 928 (San Diego - Imperial Council). This is my son's first year as a Cub Scout and his first Pine Wood Derby.

I'd like to say that we worked on his car for a whole month, but we actually didn't start working on it until the morning of the Derby which was Saturday morning #-o . Under the gun now, I took the block of wood and cut a shape and we sanded it down, resawed grooves for the axles (were not 90 degrees), he painted it Gulf Blue L390, same as my 62 Notch, put the axles (nails) and wheels on, giving 16th of an inch clearance to the wood, checked the alignment, made adjustments, and away we went to the Derby.

Rule is nothing more than 5.00 ounces, and we weighed in at 4.30. Since I didn't have any weights, one of the pack dads, hooked us up with weights which we taped on the car, which wasn't pretty. So after getting it right, we weighed in at a perfect 5.00 ounces! Little graphite here and there on the wheels and we were ready.

My son won his first 3 races, we were stoked!! then was tied for second and forced in a race-off, and got third overall in his Den. My son was estatic, and I was really happy for him and to share these memories with him. Not bad for first timers and a Saturday morning project at that. So now my son and I have a prototype for next year to improve on. The first pic is of my son at the weigh in (right next to our Den leader), the overall winner for the whole pack was the red wedge with the side pipes on the first row, he will be going to Qualcomm stadium to compete with the rest of the pack champions in the County.

And here's our No.9 car...

Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:57 pm

This year I attempted to make a Herby bug for the pinewood derby races that will be held this weekend. Jared, my son, on the other hand did another sports car, his ended up looking like a C-6 vette. No question his will beat me down the track.
I guess mine is just a poser lowrider with narowed beam and shortened axles :P . The old farts races after the kids are done is always an interesting spectical.

Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:56 pm

Raced the bug today in the old outlaw race after the scouts went, she ran like she had a stock 40hp, up against v8's. My best time was a 3.986, the winner ran a 3.602. The cool thing of the day was that the 1st and 2nd place cars in the kids races were faster than that! Also that the top 6 kids cars were faster than the top 3 fastest from the adults.

Sun Jan 25, 2009 9:41 am

I loved the Cub Scouts when I was in! The pinewood derby was the highlight of my Cub Scout career.
I built my car almost entirely myself with just some pointers from my Father. He chucked the nails and wheels into the drill and held it so I could polish them. Some of my best childhood memories.
When we raced, we beat every car on the track until we got to the Scoutmasters son. The Scoutmaster gently placed his sons car onto the track, and then he slapped mine down so hard, all four wheels squatted down. That race, my car barely made it down the track. I was shattered.

My father just smiled at me and told me that cheaters never really win anything, out loud in front of the "winner" and his cheater dad. Even losing in such a rotten way, it is still one of my favorite memories.

Mon Jan 26, 2009 12:57 pm

Derek Cobb wrote: The Scoutmaster gently placed his sons car onto the track, and then he slapped mine down so hard, all four wheels squatted down. That race, my car barely made it down the track. I was shattered.

That is someone who should be an ex-scoutmaster.

I don't do scouts, but I do lead various competitions at my school. Anything that involves my own children is handled by another teacher.

Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:18 pm

This brings back memories - my girls obviously weren't in cub scouts, but the troups invited the girl scouts to participate. Mine didn't win, but they had fun. The only help I gave them was roughing out their designs on the band saw (didn't want pieces of fingers on my work bench LOL) . Was neat seeing what they would come up with. One made one that kind of resembled our Ranger pickup and the other made a stretch limo. They both came out better than I thought and the kids had a blast.

You had a couple over the top cars that Dads built for the kids, but most of them were the real deal - paint globs, rough looking cars. The kids had a blast and got to run a lot after the official races were over. That's when they had the most fun.....

It's nice when most of the folks keep in mind the spirit and purpose of these events.

Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:01 pm

Being the cubmaster I quickly realized how many of the dads were make their boys cars. (admittly I helped a little to much the first year when he was a tiger). It was because of this that made me instatute a parents race, I helped my son the first year no so much to help him win the race but because I enjoyed making the car. When the dads get to make their own, less is done by them to the boys car, that and the fact that the boys get to see how much work can go into them, this inturn makes them put a little more effort into their own.
Crazy I know but I have thought it would be a fun activity to have a VW show as well. Have each VW club put a few cars together and race for club bragging rights! I know the Yakima show has valve cover races where people take aircooled valve covers add wheel and then decorate them for a race.

Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:12 pm

westernair wrote: I know but I have thought it would be a fun activity to have a VW show as well. Have each VW club put a few cars together and race for club bragging rights! I know the Yakima show has valve cover races where people take aircooled valve covers add wheel and then decorate them for a race.

I was just going to post the same thought. I saw valve cover races at Jerome and thought it was a cool idea. Although there is much more you can do, style-wise, with wood.

Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:33 pm

westernair wrote: Being the cubmaster I quickly realized how many of the dads make their boys cars.

Or worse, buy them:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ULTRA-FAST-PINEWOOD-DERBY-CAR-...7C294%3A50

I find this guy particularly disgusting because he not only profits from cheating, he besmirches _my_ profession at the same time! Teachers who encourage cheating should lose their credentials.

Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:02 pm

GeorgeL wrote: westernair wrote: Being the cubmaster I quickly realized how many of the dads make their boys cars.

Or worse, buy them:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ULTRA-FAST-PINEWOOD-DERBY-CAR-...7C294%3A50

I find this guy particularly disgusting because he not only profits from cheating, he besmirches _my_ profession at the same time! Teachers who encourage cheating should lose their credentials.

Humm, I guess I am a block head, I never thought someone would actually make cars and sell them. That dude is over the top! I wish I knew how to lookup emails for all his past customers so I could send them to the BSA council. What a jerk!
Hey Jonny since I do not have the time to help you, or do it for you. I will buy you a winner! no expenses spared for my boy!

Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:58 pm

westernair wrote: GeorgeL wrote: westernair wrote: Being the cubmaster I quickly realized how many of the dads make their boys cars.

Or worse, buy them:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ULTRA-FAST-PINEWOOD-DERBY-CAR-...7C294%3A50

I find this guy particularly disgusting because he not only profits from cheating, he besmirches _my_ profession at the same time! Teachers who encourage cheating should lose their credentials.

Humm, I guess I am a block head, I never thought someone would actually make cars and sell them. That dude is over the top! I wish I knew how to lookup emails for all his past customers so I could send them to the BSA council. What a jerk!
Hey Jonny since I do not have the time to help you, or do it for you. I will buy you a winner! no expenses spared for my boy!

Apparently this guy's cars were getting a reputation because his later ads emphasize how his cars now have a "ANYONE CAN BUILD IT LOOK" as he says in his subtle all-caps style. Funny how he now considers this important.

Since he is selling "hundreds" of cars at $150+ a pop perhaps it might be more effective to talk with the IRS than to the councils.