The Pine Car Derby is an annual cub scout event: build a car out of a standard kit and race them on an inclined track.

My woodworking skills are meager, and my son's car wound up looking like a Scion. Nonetheless, here's Monty in pine.

 

Good thing aerodynamics isn't important. Hope he does well!

 

Awesome PCD car. I used to love that about cub scouts.

 

wow, that's an aggressive offset you got there on those wheels.

nice job on the car. hope you win!

 

That was sarcasm, right?

 

On the short pine car derby track, nah. Our cars were pretty unaerodynamic and did ok.

The trick is to remove the burrs on the nail heads (aka axles), angle the axles slightly so the wheels are pushed out away from the body, and use plenty of graphite powder.

Most importantly in these events, though, is decals. Every good scout knows that the more decals you have, the faster the car will go.

I'm a believer in that too...I'm eyeing some flames for my MCSC

Paul

 

Actually, aero is very important, all other things being equal (polished axles, alignment, and weight). The less drag, the better.

 

A few years ago there was a guy on the OL that made this one with his son...

 

I did these things as well as polished the axes. The only additional thing that matters, IMO, is that the car roll straight so that it does not chafe the track on the way down.

All other things being equal, perhaps, but it's a second order effect. If the wheels spend a lot of time rubbing on anything (the car's body, the track lane), aero means zilch.

 

Nice job. I'll let you know how we fared.

 

Certainly, but everybody knows this. Once you've done the basics, the only design decision you have is the shape of the body. And form follows function is a good lesson to teach a 10-year-old.

 

Yes, polishing the axles with very fine sandpaper is a biggie. Smooth the flared (nail head) part of axle that will come in contact with the outside of the wheel. Also, polishing the wheels themselves so that they are very smooth helps to cut friction. And graphite all ovverthe axle, wheel assembly.

 

We never won anything for speed. We were well known for the styling though. The "Diller Killer" was the best that came out of our design house for Pinewood Derby. It was glossy black with side pipes. There was a skull and cross bones painted on the read.

 

That looks like a lot of fun to do with your son. Good luck racing it. (and that isn't sarcasm)

 

Actually, I'm being facetious.
Better be safe, wax the whole car!

 

Performance update: We did OK. It was double elimination: 2 losses and you're out. We lost the first race, won 2 more, then lost the fourth.

Sadly, they only give prizes for placing 1,2,3; nothing for design.

 

If they know it, they sure don't show it. Every year has wheels that fall off and cars that swerve so bad that they jump the track. This year one car split in half . It was a formula 1 design that dad drilled too aggresively to insert the weights; when it crashed, it shattered.

Still, for all my know-it-all-ness, my kids have never won. But we do have fun.

 

That's all that matters.

 

This thread is fantastic!!! Brings back some fond memories... Not one, but two examples of Pinewood derby cars made to look like Minis!!!

 

Nose shape can give you quite an advantage in Pine Car Derby. Go back and take a look at the suggested car design. Having a nose that comes up (having the point of the nose above the bottom of the car) will give you an advantage off the line. I like to get the angle just right so that the front wheels are off the track as the car is on the starting line. It can give your car a 1/8 to 1/16 inch advantage on the line, and totally within the rules. Then polish those axels and use plenty of dry graphite lube on race day. Also get the car as close to the max weight possible. If you use decals put them under a layer of clear coat and then add weight after the paint is on the car.

 

Look at this piece of work! Not a MINI, but still cool:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...3/DSCF0020.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...3/P3170017.jpg

That's rediculous!
-Cody

 

There are two schools of pinecar competition:

1. Ought and ought competition with their aerodynamic teardrop shapes
2. Something that looks like an actual car

 

I had a great time at the Pinewood Derby with my son. As I recall, my husband ended up leaving me alone with my son as I was getting a bit crazy. We ended up in second place and a great time was had by all. Really, we just kept winning and we couldn't stop laughing about it since we literally forgot about it until the morning of and actually made the thing in like 30 minutes. It still sits up in his bookshelf in a place of honor!
Graphite, we need more graphite!!!
Annette

 

My older boy made a car shaped like a wing (#1), while my younger did the MCS (#2). The wing did perform better. I was upset when #1 son, at the urging of one of his friends, raced his car backwards and lost. The lesson learned is that changing strategy on game day is a mistake.

 

Cool Thread! Our Cub Scouts had a series of races for the GROWNUPS in addition to the kids, which I thought is a cool tradition. So both years we participated, Dad AND son each built cars.

Here's our efforts from 2003, my (fully functional) extension-ladder design in Cub Scout "blue and gold" tones, and my son's ping-pong ball cockpit dragster with toothpick mounted wing .

Note the headlights on J's dragster, it had tail lights too lol, and the abundance of decals (for increased speed, just like his color choice!).

Now I gotta go see if I can find the pics of the surfboard/skateboard cars we did, in 2004!

Tatt