Pinewood derby build ideas

In reply to Son_Of_Toyman:

Does the outlaw class specifically outlaw using cast iron?

How 'bout lead?

Here’s the one I built with my step son.

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We called it “A Dime Short” as we didn’t have access to accurate measuring equipment and added a coin at the last minute to hit the weight limit.

The rules indicated that nothing more than what was provided in the kit could be used so I cut the block horizontally in three sections and used two of the sections to create wheel fairings to reduce drag and frontal area.

Time and resources permitting, we could have taken the concept further by enclosing the inside of the fairings and recessed the ballast into the body.

As it was, we came in second and first place went to a wildly un-aerodynamic car so as others have indicated, rolling resistance is everything.

I remember when I did it, Dad took it as an opportunity to show us how to paint, sand, use a saw (coping saw), drill, etc. The only thing that he did on his own was the design of the car (plotting it on graph paper, because to this day I am horrible at drawing--we picked what it was going to look like) and melting lead for the weight. Everything else, we did it all under his supervision.

Outlaw class you say? seems like just the thing for some sneaky electrics....or a solid rocket booster.

WOW Really Paul? wrote: In reply to Son_Of_Toyman: Does the outlaw class specifically outlaw using cast iron?

8 oz limit.

I was thinking a 56 bus look alike for mine.

In reply to 84FSP:

If you have them paint on a couple coats of sealer/primer and sand them down nice it hides the wood grain and the paint comes out better.

In reply to Son_Of_Toyman:

I have an idea that would need experimenting with for something like that....lol

Wall-e wrote: In reply to 84FSP: If you have them paint on a couple coats of sealer/primer and sand them down nice it hides the wood grain and the paint comes out better.

I was thinking the same thing but they were positively vibrating to decorate their cars after sanding them out. My inner geek gave way to happy Dad letting the boys do their thing.

Nothing to help with speed issues, we were always slow when I was a kid. As for looks, my dad was a shop/building trades teacher, so we made some pretty cool looking stuff. Probably the best was a scale-sized banana with wheels, complete with a Chiquita sticker.