Pinewood Derby Racecar

[packerbacker]

My son and I have been showing my grandson how to build a pinewood derby car for Cub Scouts. His race is the 18th and it still needs the wheels mounted and aligned. The car doesn't look like a 7-year-old did much work on it but he did. He learned how to use a spraycan, sandpaper, and used the drillpress to file, wetsand and polish the axles. Then he learned what graphite was for. He also learned how to fix some paint runs and learned how to cuss.

 

[RON (PA)]

That is one sweet pinewood derby racer...It looks a lot better than mine did many years ago. I hope he wins the biggest trophy. Great looking car.

 

[Ray S S]

Wow! Packerbacker, that is a right smart job he's done on the car. Congratulations to him for such a good job. And I say the
same to you for the guidance on your part for him. That is great. Some good quality time together.

All the best and lots of luck to him in the derby.

Ray

 

[Michaelangelo]

That sure is one great looking car. Got to win for best in show!!!
Brings back memories from my days in Cub Scouts. Good for you and your son-it's a great organization.
Keep us posted!!

 

[Produce Guy]

That's a great looking car,my son made one years ago that looked like a giant pencil and our den mother made one that looked like a foot with painted toenails and a toe ring.

 

[packerbacker]

Thanks for the nice comments everyone. Yeah, some folks get very creative making these things. I've seen some before that look like outhouses and coffins. Went to the hobby shop over the weekend and saw they were selling the cars already carved out; just needed sanding and painting. I guess that's ok if you don't have access to tools etc. I have also seen some very sad looking cars and you can tell the poor kid didn't get much, if any, help on the project. I've had my boys offer the use of their graphite on race day just to show good sportsmanship. Who knows, my grandson's car could jump the track on the first race but at least he learned the basics. He has used tools and painted other projects in the past so it wasn't all new to him.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

cool! You are a great dad!


Looks like a 4H project to me!

 

[fossis]

Quality time with family, thats what it's all about.

Fossis.............

 

[packerbacker]

Yep, the three of us did a lot of bonding over the weekend and then, last night, my grandson and I put the wheels on, lined them up best as we could and epoxied them in. Car's maximum, legal weight can be 5.0 ounces and the finished car came in at 4.9. That leaves a little room for differences in scales. I'm going to try making it to the race tonight and, if I do, I'll try to get a few more pics. (Maybe one with a trophy )

 

[packerbacker]

I guess last night wasn't the big race, it was only my grandson's pack testing their cars out before they compete against other packs. Good thing as his car would have probably made third place out of only 10 or 11 cars if they had been keeping track. We're going to have to make a few adjustments before the real competition next month.
Here are a few pics from last night so you folks that don't know what I'm talking about can get a better idea of what it's about.

 

[berkshiregold]

Sweet! Congratulations!! Good luck!!! bg

 

[whynot]

Nice job on your pinewood derby car... Just my luck.... Both of my sons also competed this year... Here are their concepts... (Yes, Daddy did the routering for the pickup)... Most time my boys have spent time away from the computer and video games. Well worth the effort!!!
HH
-whynot

 

[packerbacker]

nice cars whynot! It's amazing how many body styles can come out of a little block of wood that is restricted to certain measurements. I'd like to see a National competition sometime just to see all the cars. Kinda like a show for real cars but it would be cars that kids were involved in building.

 

[olegoat]

packer--isnt this the little fellar that was helping you on the tractor?
he should have had no trouble working on the racer---lol
one thing its not hardly as greasy as the tractor was

 

[DPBOB]

Nice job on that car.
Here are some I did with my kids years ago.

 

[packerbacker]

WOW!..see what I mean??.............folks can get very creative. Great looking cars Bob.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Love the cars...but love the memories you are making with them better....