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Post by spartanga on Nov 13, 2008 14:47:22 GMT -6
when I was a child' I won districts with a car where the front of the car was raised so that it contacted the starting 'stick' and immediately started moving forward when it was lowered gaining a starting jump.
My thought of using this idea on a new car design is making a tank where I cut the back end short and add a turret that extends out to the required length of the car. This turret would be about 1.5 inches high at the front (angled up from a low profile body) and would contact the starting post.
Anyway try this approach? This turret would not offer much wind resistance.
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Post by Lucky 13 on Nov 13, 2008 16:59:50 GMT -6
when I was a child' I won districts with a car where the front of the car was raised so that it contacted the starting 'stick' and immediately started moving forward when it was lowered gaining a starting jump. My thought of using this idea on a new car design is making a tank where I cut the back end short and add a turret that extends out to the required length of the car. This turret would be about 1.5 inches high at the front (angled up from a low profile body) and would contact the starting post. Anyway try this approach? This turret would not offer much wind resistance. Spartanga, Welcome to the DerbyWorx Forum !! Your design idea would really depend on the type of starting system that will be used for the race. If you are using the newer electronic or spring loaded starting gates then a "cheater bar" styled car serves no purpose. The gate will actually fall faster than the car can react. If you are using an old style manually operated start system then you design may have some advantage. Lucky 13 |
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ichiban
Head in the Pine
Posts: 138
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Post by ichiban on Nov 13, 2008 18:08:28 GMT -6
Lucky 13s advice is right on!
We went with fast start bars this past season. For pack it was made out of wood and for district we removed the wood and replaced with piano-like wire from a hobby store. I don't believe we gained an advantage as even the one wood track at District had a spring loaded starting gate. And all aluminum tracks I've seen have at least spring loaded starting gates.
If you're still going for it, the book, "Pinewood Derby Speed Secrets: Design and Build the Ultimate Car" by DK Publishing (copyright 2006) suggests using a paper clip and a piece of tape sticking back horizontally to trigger the finish line sensors.
However, regarding your design; removing wood from the back will limit how far back you can place your wheels and weight. Even if you're not allowed to move your wheels back, you definitely want to put your weight as high up the track as possible so leave the wood and use wire.
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