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Here are the most important things to make sure you get right:
#1 Make sure your wheels are on straight. Some people claim that putting your wheels slanted will make it faster by reducing friction, but I don't agree. Straight wheels mean your car will go straight and won't rub the guide rail.
#2 Make your car body light, then add weight to the back end. Try to get your car's center of gravity (balance point) as far back as possible without making it pop a wheelie. This is simple physics - The back end of your car will be at the top of the track at the starting line. The farther back your weight is, the more potential energy your car will have. Get your weight as close as possible to the maximum weight allowed (usually 5 ounces). We weigh cars at check in on an accurate digital scale, and my cars are always 5.000 ounces.
#3 Polish your axles and use graphite powder. I polish my axles with a series of sandpapers, from coarse to ultra fine, then finish off with some chrome polish. After your wheels are mounted, apply some graphite and then spin each wheel by flicking it with your finger A LOT to "work in" the graphite. Then leave it alone. Don't apply more graphite on race day.
Other general tips:
- Aerodynamics are really not that much of a factor on cars this small. Thin wedge-shaped cars tend to be faster because their weight is to the back, not because they have less drag.
- DON'T get any glue or paint on your wheels & axles! Put the wheels on after everything else is done and dry.
- Make sure no part of your car drags on the track or rubs against your wheels.
Well, what I did to win the derby back in '82 was to cut most of the back half off, and glue it on top of the front half, leaving enough of a flat bed in the back for the rear axle (it comes out looking like a big-rig, without the trailer). So then slap some blue and red paint on it so it looks like Optimus Prime, and let her rip.
The fun little surprise is when the cars are sitting on top of the track, all 4 wheels are touching. But once released, the front-heavy truck actually races with only its front wheels touching the track. Without the back end touching, the resistance is lessened, and the beast hauls. This was a total surprise to me, as at 8 years old, I was just trying to make it look cool. But it was a total blow-out. Won every race by a mile.
The next year, I wanted to make a sleek little Delorean looking thing, which I did. It probably would have done so-so as it was, but it was way under the max allowable weight. So then my mom stepped in with the idea of hollowing out the center of the car from the underside, and gluing in enough quarters to bring the weight up to max. The low, central center of gravity got me a repeat of the previous year, only this time, all wheels touched.
The following year was going to be something sick, as I had planned to remake the truck only this time deliberately balanced with quarters. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the scouts after that. So, unless they have changed the rules in the last 20 years, this'll probably blow them all away.
The shape is one of the least important aspects of a fast PWD car. I'm the PWD coordinator for our Pack and the father of 2 Scouts who make very fast cars. The car design did not play as much a role as weight, friction and alignment. Weight needs to be in the back - just think about a marble on a track - will it go faster on the incline or the flat part of the track - the incline so move the weight to the back so it is accelerating for the max time. Mount the weight across the car (not front to back) to reduce rotational force required as the car moves down the curve of the track. Do not have a pointy nose to the car or they may run it down the track backwards.
The theoretical maximum speed of a PWD car is governed by friction and gravity. The track starts 1.2192 meters (4 feet) up and is 12.8016 meters (42 feet) long. Gravitational acceleration is 9.8 meters/sec^2 (32 ft/sec^2). A perfectly frictionless car would be going 4.89 meters/sec after falling 1.2 meters (4 feet). Going at that speed, it would take 2.62 seconds to go the length of the course. That is a car and track with no friction - not going to happen in real life. My son's car had a best time of 4 runs of 3.5004 seconds, which is 74 percent of the theoretical best speed. He beat 30 cars at the Pack and 160 cars at Districts. His car was a modified wedge - the Ground Effects Machine on this site.
His car has an extended wheelbase with titanium weights in the back - high density, non-toxic. Three wheels were on the track and the axles were deburred, straightened and polished with 1500 grit emery paper and 1 mil polishing compound. Silver polish would probably do a good job for final polishing. He took the mold marks off the surface of the wheels. The only lubricant was powdered graphic. No nickel plated precision milled axles, no milled Teflon covered wheels with coned hubs. Aside from the paint and the weight, everything came out of the box. Aside from the bandsaw, my son used all the tools and did all the work.
It is all a "by chance" last year my son did not do well, he shed tears. We talked about winning/losing and how to improve. I looked up some tips and tricks, this year he placed 2nd for Den 3rd in pack. (and I am sure they played VERY little in his chance to win, but it made my son feel better knowing we tried our best to build a winning car even if it did not do well)
What else can I help you with?
Where should the weight be placed on a pinewood derby car for optimal performance?
The weight on a pinewood derby car should be placed towards the rear for optimal performance.
What is the main fuel for a pinewood derby car?
gravity
How much can a pinewood derby car weigh?
5 ounces.
Where should weight be added to a pinewood derby car to improve performance?
Weight should be added to the rear of a pinewood derby car to improve performance, as this helps increase traction and stability during the race.
What makes your Pinewood Derby car move faster?
Make it small light, and stylish.
How can you make wheels for a pinewood derby car?
dude you can't make e'm, you have to buy them.
Where should weight be added on a pinewood derby car to optimize performance?
Weight should be added to the rear of the pinewood derby car to optimize performance. This helps increase traction and stability, leading to faster speeds and better overall performance.
Were do you find a Mustang pinewood derby car?
If you are looking for a Mustang Pinewood Derby Car to build, go to Google and do a search on the words "Maximum Velocity Stallion". The first link will take you to a site were you can purchase the Stallion kit, that was modeled after the Ford Mustang.
How big is average pinewood derby stop stick?
If you are referring to the stop section on a Pinewood Derby track, the average length is about 4 feet; however, if you are good at making fast Pinewood Derby cars, it will take nearly double this length to safely stop your car. Because of this most Pinewood Derby races place a pillow or a jacket at the end of the stop section to abruptly stop those cars that over shoot the stop sections.
How can I add weight to a pinewood derby car effectively?
To add weight to a pinewood derby car effectively, you can use small weights like lead or tungsten, strategically placing them in the car to achieve the desired weight distribution. Be sure to follow the rules of the competition regarding weight limits and placement.
Where is a pinewood derby cars?
Pinewood Derby cars are popular for young boy scouts or anyone who is interested in soap box car racing. You can purchase them quite cheap online and they are sure to be a fun way to spend a day or few.
How tall is a pinewood derby car?
7 inches 7 inches is the length of the car, not the height (aka tall). Pinewood Derby cars are generally less than 3 inches in height; however, the actual height varies based on the electronic judge sensors that attached to the finish line of the track. The cars run under these sensors, so it is the height of the sensors from the track that determines how tall a Pinewood Derby car can be. I've seen some that can accommodate cars that are 6 to 7 inches in height.
