My youngest son, Darion, is in Cub Scouts and has to build a Pinewood Derby car every year. This year, he decided he wanted a Fiero for his car, so we went about tracing and cutting, until you see what we ended up with. He did the paint, except for the Formula side logos, which I had a steadier hand for. He loves it, and even said that it can grace my Fiero shrine cabinet here at the house after the derby is done. What do you think?
Awesome! I like everything about this except you say he "has" to build one every year....has to?!? Gets to! I cant wait to have a son some day so i can build pinewood derby cars again.
Tell him he did a great job, i hope it was fun making it.
(I should see if i can find some pictures of my old ones...no fieros but i had a wiener mobile, a roll of lifesavers, and a skateboard car)
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07:28 PM
Tony Kania Member
Posts: 20794 From: The Inland Northwest Registered: Dec 2008
Hum I remember being in Cub Scouts about 50 years ago and we had the same race. I didn't do so good but the winner added weight to his. I'm wandering if there is a weight limit to keep things fair. The Formula looks really nice, you should be proud.
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09:40 PM
G-Man Member
Posts: 271 From: Indianapolis, IN Registered: Aug 2008
My daughters' (yes thats plural) Brownie troop has done the derby the last two years so I've had to build two cars each year. The first year I got some 1/4" or 5/16" thick balsa from Hobby Lobby and glued that to each side of the car so they actually had wheel wells. One was a NASCAR truck and the other was like a 40's era sedan. The sedan got 3rd that year.
Last year, just did a couple wedge designs. Got 2nd and 3rd.
There is a whole set of rules on how heavy, how long and how wide that the car can be. I think its 5 oz max weight and the car basically has to fit the box it came in as far as width and length. I don't think there is a height restriction.
Yours is already done so you can't do much in the way of getting all the wheels parallel. Just be sure to lube the axles with powdered graphite and work that stuff in good.
Good luck Gary
eta: If the car is under weight and you're going to add some, you want it as far back on the car as possible.
[This message has been edited by G-Man (edited 01-05-2011).]
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10:19 PM
farming for fieros Member
Posts: 72 From: hilbert Wisconsin Registered: Oct 2009
Our scouts typically have a rules car, and an anything-goes car. And it's not just the boys. It's also ALL the men under age 60 or so. Not really anything goes, we have size limits, and no fire power, like rockets. But carbon dioxide cartridges stacked on top and in the back are "de rigeur" Likewise using lead instead of wood. I'll try to get some pics, if anyone is willing.
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12:23 AM
Rallaster Member
Posts: 9105 From: Indy southside, IN Registered: Jul 2009
Thanks for the compliments everyone. The races are on Sunday, and I will post videos in this thread of his races. We weighed it tonight and have to add almost 2 oz. to it.
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08:45 PM
Jan 7th, 2011
fieroguru Member
Posts: 12130 From: Champaign, IL Registered: Aug 2003
Thanks for the compliments everyone. The races are on Sunday, and I will post videos in this thread of his races. We weighed it tonight and have to add almost 2 oz. to it.
To get it to the exact weight, my dad and I drilled holes in the back, then used those lead anchor-thingies (Things that you stick in the wall to screw screws into) You could probably reach yer weight using a quarter or something taped on the bottom...
Are you allowed to use lubricants? Either teflon or powdered graphite inside the axles! (the area of the nail where the wheel rests on)
[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 01-07-2011).]
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02:49 PM
Hulki U. My-BFF Member
Posts: 5949 From: Back home in East Berlin, PA Registered: Apr 2008
To get it to the exact weight, my dad and I drilled holes in the back, then used those lead anchor-thingies (Things that you stick in the wall to screw screws into) You could probably reach yer weight using a quarter or something taped on the bottom...
Are you allowed to use lubricants? Either teflon or powdered graphite inside the axles! (the area of the nail where the wheel rests on)
Thanks for the tip. Yes, I lubes the axles (nails) with graphite powder. I don't know how the car will do, but I know it will look good doing it, and Darion loves the car so he's a winner already.
They run by gravity I guess (the track is a downhill) ?
Wider is not always better--you want minimum cross section-IOW, minimum air resistance, skinny tires with least amt of contact patch would be most desirable, with a very sleek (pointed) front end--(nose looks too blunt too) but I realize it is a derby entry, and a fun thing for the Scouts more than all else, and that's the only important thing.
I used to watch the videos of belt sander races. Still waiting for someone to disquise one as a little electric Fiero.
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10:52 AM
McTamney Member
Posts: 273 From: Tallahassee, Fl Registered: May 2010
Yes, the kids having fun and making good memories is most important. Ours will be on the 27th and 28th, so I still have time to whip something up for the unlimited class. Those of us old enough to have kids participating in the official rules class aren't doing rules cars. Fine by me.
Adults play this game too. Here's my car from a fundraiser event I was involved with
a few speed tips for you, raise one of the front wheels [not a rear] so the car balances and rolls on 3 wheels [reduces friction, your enemy], get the center of gravity as far rearward as possible, you want the weight to push the car down the hill as long as possible, tweak the axles so you have slight negative camber at all 4 corners [reduces friction], make sure car rolls straight and true, if you have a wheelbase and total length rule, get all the over hang at the front of the car, the car is rolling down the hill longer with the wheels as far back as possible.
good luck and have fun
link is broke, i'll fix it later
[This message has been edited by av8fiero (edited 01-10-2011).]
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01:33 PM
Isolde Member
Posts: 2504 From: North Logan, Utah, USA Registered: May 2008
Fixed the link, I finished fourth out of a 100+ cars, I took home best engineered as well. Another pinewood speed tip is to rub the graphite all over the wheels, sides especially, as they rub on the track lanes. The slicker you can get the car the faster it will go
[This message has been edited by av8fiero (edited 01-10-2011).]
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05:53 PM
Hulki U. My-BFF Member
Posts: 5949 From: Back home in East Berlin, PA Registered: Apr 2008
Well, the results are, Darion came in third place in his den, and we are extremely proud of him! I did shoot some video, just have to get it off the camera. I'll do that tomorrow night and put them up here. He did win an award for most realistic car.