Jr. is in second grade. But it is his first year in scouts. So, consequently, it is also our first year entering the Pinewood Derby. We really wanted to make a strong showing, especially since we got disqualified for using “out of the box thinking” during the Rocket Launch Regatta. Our rocket won “Best Appearing” but we got disqualified on the launch for reading the rules for what they didn’t say.
Now with the Derby, Jr.chose to design our vehicle after my Father In Law’s 54 F250 Farm Truck. Jr. has a fondness for this truck because my FIL promised it to him when he turns 16. More on that later.
For the build, we wanted to recreate, in miniature, as much of the real truck as possible right down to the very rough Patina on the body. In doing so, we used pieces and parts from a Monogram 55 F100 model kit since that was the closest I could find. This allowed us to use the signature fenders and bumpers and grill along with portions of the bed.
Since the buckeye Boys Rod and Custom Shop doesn’t have a current major project happening right now, this became it!! There is a TON of fabrication in this thing. So much so that we started on it the week before Christmas and honestly just finished it this afternoon. The Derby is tomorrow.
Our plan all along was just to try to match the real truck moreso than worry about how well this thing was going to go down the track. But in talking with other parents at the last meeting, I learned that practically no one else had started on theirs yet, and we were almost ready for paint. So the last two weeks were then spent doing everything I could find to make it as fast as possible without altering the appearance.
While I did all the cutting and fitting, Jr. did all the gluing and painting. Here is what we came up with.[attachment=1]PWD front resized.jpg[/attachment
Feel free to post up and show us what you’re building or have built in the past. I’ve already decided that next year’s vehicle(s) is/are going to be simpler and strictly focused on performance. Reason why I pluralized the words here is that Little Brother will be in first grade and might be interested in scouts too. I might be involved with two vehicles next year.
As for the F250 itself… FIL picked it up off a Virginia farm about 3 years ago. It ran enough to drive it up onto the trailer. It was complete, all the glass was good, the body was super solid and the Patina is to die for if you’re into that sort of thing.
So far I’ve talked him into leaving it that way. Best part was the price $500 and he is the third owner. 80K miles.
It has a later model 292 Y-Block with the 4 spd with creeper gear and somewhere in the neighborhood of a 4:88 banjo rearend. I gave him a little assistance going through the top of the motor, the brakes, fuel system, and a few other things. We REALLY need to do something about the rear gears though. WAY TOO STEEP!!!
I’m thinking it might end up under our ownership sooner than later. If that is the case, the plan would be to update the steering and add disc brakes, rewire it and I’d like to convert it over to a half-ton and lose the 8 lug wheels so wheel choices would be greater. I’d drop it down about a foot but leave the body AS IS! It would then become our shop truck.
Very cool project Mark. The best part of these projects is working with your kids. My son and daughter with my help have covered the gambit of projects. Building flashlights, windmills and even the earth project. Their grandfather helped them build a wooden fire truck and a wood airplane. Since his passing these have made their way into the curio cabinet for safe keeping. Family memories is what it’s all about. Enjoy it, I sure do.
Steven
I loved building pinewood derby racers with my Dad. My fastest one was shaped like a carrot. We used a wind up rabbit (without the legs) as the driver. That was so much fun.
Mine was more like a TR7 - The shape of things to come. I put all of my lead on the bottom with more on the front wheels. I did 99% of the work myself and came in second because I should have used more graphite. Back when I did it you could only use the block of wood and wheels that came in the kit.
Way cool, Mark. While mine isn’t a Scout, we love that kind of project. Currently working on one of two Estes rockets that have been waiting for "dad to be at a stopping point " on the car. Good times, kids. Nothing has taught me more than being a dad has.
Cool derby car. I don’t know if I still have pics of the Cougar we did two years ago. Unfortunately we’re all done with the derby, except I’ll still be presiding over it. We always talked about organizing a no holds barred dads derby with beer and wings instead of donuts and cash instead of trophies. But it never came together.
There’s a ton of speed tips online if you search for them. Most important, make sure you’re as heavy as is allowed.
Wow that’s a wicked cool derby build. Back when I did my first as a child it was pretty much a wood block painted blue with STP stickers on it. LOL won 1 round and ugly as sin. Years later with our childern the first was a Black Buick Grand National. Took home 2nd place overall. Next year both boys were in Scouts and they had a class for yuounger kids to run a car so we had 3 entries. 2 for the boys and 1 for our daughter. The boys each had a Dukes of Hazzard Chargers and our Daughter raced a 65 427 Cobra with Marvin the Martian at the wheel. LMAO. They each won a few races. They still have the cars after all these years too. Here’s the Marvin Cobra…LOL
Weighed in at 5.1 oz as we purposely went heavy so I had room to work with. Once we fixed that small problem, it cleared the minimum height and minimum wheel width measurement golden, but then it FAILED the box test. I gotta believe their box was not up to spec. I mean, I figured by my measurements that the leading edge of the front fenders might be very close. But we ended up having to grind about a 1/16th an inch off of BOTH sides. It took three tries with the grinder to make it fit the box. Then it was well underweight. Added back the weight I removed earlier. Had I known all this, I would have brought the paint with me and my shop hair dryer and repainted the sides.
Come race time, the electronic scoring wasn’t working right. again… So they ran the cars as heats while putting the winners aside after each heat until each den had a “fastest car.” We finished 2nd in our heat and that was the end of our racing portion of the day.
When it came time for the awards, each den’s fastest car was awarded a trophy. There were also trophies for “Best NASCAR Inspired,” “Best BSA Inspired,” “Funniest”, “Kid’s Choice,” “Leader’s Choice” and “Best Original Design.” Jr. won “Best Original Design.” That’s the main goal we were shooting for anyway. The fact that we weren’t embarrassed in the speed department was a bonus.
In the pic. below you can see where the fenders were clearanced by the white plastic showing. Today, Jr. repainted the reworked areas and it is sitting up on his bookshelf with his trophy. We had A LOT of parents and grandparents coming up to us telling us they’ve NEVER seen anything like it. I think that having a small poster with pics of the real truck helped our cause.
Wow sounds like the Pinewood derby has come a long way with electronic timing. Back when we ran you couldn’t have the body extend to/over the wheels. Had to work with the narrow block of wood and that’s it LOL. Good they opened things up a bit and allowed some changes. Makes for a more interesting car build. That’s a wicked cool truck and the time with the kids is something they never forget. It’s great fun. I don’t think I’ve ever spent more time polishing nails and testing lubricants. Thanks, that old Cobra ran 13 years ago. I’m amazed it’s still around in one piece.
Overall length not to exceed 7 inches.
Minimum Width between the wheels 1and 3/4"
Minimum Height 3/8" of body (which was a problem for us as I originally had the Effie slammed pretty low.)
Overall Width not to exceed 2 and 3/4"
Maximum weight 5.0 oz.
You’re allowed to add anything to the body as long as it falls within the tolerances.
Good to know thanks. Our 2 Grandsons will be heading to Cub Scouts once they are old enough. Do you have to use the derby kit wood body or can you make your own long as it fits within the regs?
The derby rules are generally set by the individual Cub Scout pack. The rules for our pack are different than Mark’s and likely different from the pack your grandsons will be part of. The only rules that are really universal are the weight, the width between the wheels and the overall width. The weight just seems to be an accepted standard, the other two have to do with clearance on the track.
I don’t really know that answer. We started with the block they issued and the wheels. But then we (I) made a major cut and screwed it up after already hollowing out the underside. So I went to the Hobby Store and bought another basic kit. It came with much cooler (5 spoke) looking wheels, full width axles and another block. We needed a 5th wheel anyway for the spare tire. I was afraid we’d get blasted for not using the wheels that came with the original kit or the axle (nails). But if I was to do it all over again in the configuration we had, I’d start with a balsa block instead of pine since I added so much weight to it anyway. :shrug:
It took three tries with the grinder to make it fit the box. Then it was well underweight. Added back the weight I removed earlier. Had I known all this, I would have brought the paint with me and my shop hair dryer and repainted the sides. 
