What is the fastest Pinewood Derby car design?
The Black PRO Car is our fastest pinewood derby car. It pushes the Speed Limit! It is track-tested car ready to race featuring our race winning PRO friction-free BSA Ultra-Lite graphite-coated wheels and PRO BSA graphite-coated grooved axles.
How heavy can a derby car be?
MAX OUT YOUR CAR’S WEIGHT AT 5 OZ First, the basics: Your car should weigh as much as it’s allowed. In most races, a Pinewood Derby car’s weight is limited to 5 ounces. If your car weighs less than that, add coins or other weights.
Is Heavier better for pinewood derby?
Weight and Distribution One of the most fundamental rules in the Pinewood Derby is the maximum weight limit of 5.000 ounces, or 141.643 grams. Simple physical principles dictate that a heavier car will run faster.
What’s the best shape for a pinewood derby car?
But aerodynamics rule the day, and the best shape is a simple wedge. Just like a spoiler on the rear of a sports car, the wedge shape allows as much air to flow over the top of the car without hinderance while keeping the car pinned to the track.
What tools are needed to make a derby car?
2.1 Axle hole tool. 2.2 Axle insertion tool. 2.3 Axle Press. 2.4 Wheel bore polishing tool. 2.5 Hub tool. 2.6 Wheel mandrel. 2.7 Wheelshaver. 2.8 Outer hub shaver.
What cars are banned in demolition derby?
Imperials were banned from demolition derbies because of these advantages. Nothing else is built like these cars. The interior is trimmed with real wood veneer, cowhide leather and chrome.
How long do car Derbys last?
Normal heats can last anywhere from 10–30 minutes, while an entire event can take place over the span of a few days. The last running car that makes contact with another driver wins the event.
How fast do derby cars go?
The Speed of Pinewood Derby Cars The distribution plot below shows a range of speeds from 177 mph to 229 mph, with most cars exceeding 200 mph.
What cars make good derby cars?
Chrysler Imperial — The 1964 – ’68 Imperial is notoriously tough, to the point that most derbies banned it. Ford LTD/Crown Victoria — The Panther chassis is stupid cheap, and cop car tough. Chevy Impala — Box or bubble, you can’t go wrong beating on an Impala.
Should I sand my Pinewood Derby wheels?
Running the drill at low speed, carefully sand the tread area of the wheel just enough to take off the mold “flash” at the outside edge of the tread and smooth the tread area down to take out the “dimple” which is typically where the wheel was cut off the “sprue” or mold tree.
How long does it take to build a derby car?
How long does it take to build a pinewood derby car? Plan on at least one day to cut and sand the car, another day to paint it and a third day to add decals and the wheels and axles.
What makes a derby car go faster?
Put all of your weight in the back. Lube the car at the body/wheel friction point. Spend a fair amount of time on axle prep. Make sure your wheels are ready. Finally, once your wheels are mounted, check their alignment.
Does a longer wheelbase make a pinewood derby car faster?
The longer the wheel base, the greater the turning distance (a short car turns much more quickly than a long car). A pinewood derby car should go as straight as possible, so a longer wheel base is an advantage.
What weight should I use for my derby car?
Tungsten is the best weight for your pine derby car because it allows you to pack more weight in a smaller area giving you more flexibility in your car design and more accurate weight placement for speed. Package contains eight 3/8″ diameter cylinders with chamfored edges for easy insertion.
Why is a heavier Pinewood Derby car faster?
Weights. One of the most important ways to make a fast pinewood derby car is by adding weights. Because the cars are relatively light, they need to overcome friction and air resistance when navigating down the racetrack. Most modern tracks feature an initial slope followed by a long, flat section.
Should you bake your Pinewood Derby car?
Per the Pinewood Derby rules, the weight of the car shouldn’t exceed 5 ounces. One way to ensure your car doesn’t go over the weight limit is to bake the block! Naturally, wood holds water, and water adds weight. You’ll want to help your Scout by baking the block in an oven at 250 degrees for one hour.
Where is the best place to put weight on a derby car?
Best Location to Weight Your Pinewood Derby Car When deciding on where to weight your car, you should try to reach a final balance point of the car 1 inch or less in front of the rear axle. To achieve this, place 2/5 of the added weight behind the rear axle, and the remaining 3/5 in front of the rear axle.
Can you steer a soap box derby car?
Whatever method of steering you use, it is not wise to limit it to the range of your car. The derby will be run on a straight course so that there will be little need for sharp turns. Please do not design your car to turn on a dime, it is not safe and may cause your car to flip.
How do you add weight to a derby car?
Sand and paint your block but do not add the wheels. When the paint has dried, mount the weight on the top of your car as far to the rear as possible. The weight should not extend past the rear of the car. Glue bottom weights to the bottom of the block to bring the total weight (including wheels and axles) to 5 oz.
What makes a pro street car?
Pro Street is a style of street-legal custom car popular in the 1980s, usually built to imitate a Pro Stock class race car. Pro Street cars should appear to be more at home on the drag strip than the street, while remaining street legal and not gutted like a Race Car or Bracket Race car.