Pinewood Derby at the $2012 Challenge?

SVreX wrote: You're gonna need a few more rules. Trust me. I suggest adopting one of the local BSA guidelines. They've done hundreds of thousands of them, and there is a very good reason most of their rules exist.

No, no, no!

We're about fast, not rules. The fewer the better. Throw out a few guidelines and let people exploit them. It's the American way. If you want rules, join the Boy Scouts.

How many D class rocket motors can you buy for $20?

Per Schroeder wrote: Remember, this will be done inside, in a public place, where there will be small children, etc. So, safe is good.

There go my plans for world domination.

Sweet. I have a PWD kit I got for Xmas. I wonder if I can spend more time working on that than I can my real challenge car.

I suspect that this could be awesome.

I suggest the following guidelines:

• Must be built from a BSA kit, no store bought hot rods.
• Any wheel modifications as long as you start with a OE BSA wheel.
• Powered and non powered classes.
• Spec weight for each class.
• Scoring based on (1) Speed (2) Panel Concourse Judging (3) Competitor Judging from alternate class.
• Bonus points for building replica of your competing Challenge Car ;)

Per Schroeder wrote: I hear by nominate Svrex as king poobah of the First Annual Inaugural Grassroots Motorsports $20.12 Challenge, presented by Log from Blammo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP0kWqJJZa4 (I also recommend using other people's rules-with the caveat that cars must look like GRM-type cars--and even better if they look like your challenge car) Remember, this will be done inside, in a public place, where there will be small children, etc. So, safe is good.

Oh my God, my wife started singing it as soon as I hit play. Not only that but she got a big smile on her face started dancing towards me and reaching towards my hootus.

tuna55 wrote:

SVreX wrote: You're gonna need a few more rules. Trust me. I suggest adopting one of the local BSA guidelines. They've done hundreds of thousands of them, and there is a very good reason most of their rules exist.

I disagree. Make it open. Bring a car that doesn't contain any motors or rockets or anything else to propel it. make it fit in this box. Make it weigh less than X - GO.

You added a rule.

No wait, you added 2. No motors, and it has to fit in a box.

Thanks for proving my point.

Per Schroeder wrote: I hear by nominate Svrex as king poobah of the First Annual Inaugural Grassroots Motorsports $20.12 Challenge, presented by Log from Blammo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP0kWqJJZa4 (I also recommend using other people's rules-with the caveat that cars must look like GRM-type cars--and even better if they look like your challenge car) Remember, this will be done inside, in a public place, where there will be small children, etc. So, safe is good.

Oh E36 M3...

In reply to SVreX:

In my line of business we call that being voluntold.

I'm with the minimal rule set as well. I wouldn't even go with the BSA kit as a starter, just "fit in this box and nothing to propel it". The box will not have a top. Describe the track so people can build around it. And unleash the hounds.

Pyrotechnics should be allowed as long as they do not contribute to propulsion. And if you want to build a DDWFTTW car, it should be allowed for sheer technical interest.

DDWFTTW? Don't Do What F'ing Tim Tebow Would?

Directly Down Wind Faster Than The Wind

I first read about in WIRED, it's a really interesting concept.

Here's a link to an article talking about the article, as far as I can tell (I just skimmed it).

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/08/ddwfttw/all/1

I'm planning on building a pinewood derby car for the challenge, let's hammer down the rules we're using.

I look forward to seeing the equivalent of the sucker 'Vette.

Keith wrote: I look forward to seeing the HoverVette.

We're not sexist around here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9jnuz3ui8w&feature=related

I want in, but I need to know exactly what the rules are before I start. No sense wasting 10 hours milling my wheels if I can't use modified ones, j00 know?

Curmudgeon wrote: I can see this inebriated bunch around a PWD track now. Wonder if the Hongs will have blazing bullhorns?

I call middle lane

We need to define "propulsion". Let's see - the car should be incapable of moving itself on a level surface with no ambient air movement. A hovercar would not have a source of propulsion in this case. Neither would a DDWFTTW car - and I'll never forget that acronym now, thanks John.

We should probably also state that the car has to stay within the required dimensions at all times. No Ben Hur hubs for skewering the competition.

Found these while looking for ideas

this one has two CO2 cartridges

Mouse trap powered cars?

Keith wrote: We need to define "propulsion". Let's see - the car should be incapable of moving itself on a level surface with no ambient air movement. A hovercar would not have a source of propulsion in this case. Neither would a DDWFTTW car - and I'll never forget that acronym now, thanks John. We should probably also state that the car has to stay within the required dimensions at all times. No Ben Hur hubs for skewering the competition.

Sadface.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

Keith wrote: We need to define "propulsion". Let's see - the car should be incapable of moving itself on a level surface with no ambient air movement. A hovercar would not have a source of propulsion in this case. Neither would a DDWFTTW car - and I'll never forget that acronym now, thanks John. We should probably also state that the car has to stay within the required dimensions at all times. No Ben Hur hubs for skewering the competition.

Sadface.

He didn't say those dimensions had to stay in one lane....

SVreX wrote:

tuna55 wrote:

SVreX wrote: You're gonna need a few more rules. Trust me. I suggest adopting one of the local BSA guidelines. They've done hundreds of thousands of them, and there is a very good reason most of their rules exist.

I disagree. Make it open. Bring a car that doesn't contain any motors or rockets or anything else to propel it. make it fit in this box. Make it weigh less than X - GO.

You added a rule. No wait, you added 2. No motors, and it has to fit in a box. Thanks for proving my point.

RULE CREEP! RULE CREEP! RULE CREEP! Whaddya think this is, SCCA IT class?

Keith wrote: We need to define "propulsion". Let's see - the car should be incapable of moving itself on a level surface with no ambient air movement. A hovercar would not have a source of propulsion in this case. Neither would a DDWFTTW car - and I'll never forget that acronym now, thanks John. We should probably also state that the car has to stay within the required dimensions at all times. No Ben Hur hubs for skewering the competition.

I'll just make a battery powered car that is switched on by a tilt sensor.

I think it would be simpler to just say "cars cannot have any energy storage devices onboard."

Tom Suddard wrote: I think it would be simpler to just say "cars cannot have any energy storage devices onboard."

Tom (or can I still call you Tommy since i met you in 2002?) -- a PWD car is an energy storage device. ;-)