Need some advice.... Pinewood derby time!

[chatterbox]

Is fast approaching!
Harrison wants to do a camo paint scheme on his car.
I really want this to come out good. There is no time pressure, as his race isn't until in March.
This is gonna be the last one, so I want it to be super special. I need advice from you guys on how to stencil a camo pattern on this car.
Now this is small scale. I'm also thinking about putting an OG sticker on it since you guys are all honorary uncles, and have seen him grow up!
Thanks in advance,

Mike and Harrison

[sugarray]

Here ya go, Mike.

http://pinecar.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/P3978/page/4

[Gamblinman]

Wrap it like the car and boat guys do. With a heat gun, you can stretch it to fit anything like a glove.


Gman

[Old Gobbler]

Make sure to put Graphite lube between the axle /nails and wheels  and properly align them for lowest friction - Make the car as heavy as they will allow

I did one as a boy scout when I was young , and won the thing easy , I think I still have it laying around somewhere

[chatterbox]

Make sure to put Graphite lube between the axle /nails and wheels  and properly align them for lowest friction - Make the car as heavy as they will allow

I did one as a boy scout when I was young , and won the thing easy , I think I still have it laying around somewhere

It's addictive, I tell ya!
Shannon,

Do you have any small OG decals that would fit on a pinewood car?

[chatterbox]

Here ya go, Mike.

http://pinecar.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/P3978/page/4

Perfect Ray! He will love that!

[mossy835]

Take some pictures when it is done

[handcannon]

I was gonna say a vinyl wrap in mossy oak obsession but the link that sugarray put up has some pretty sweet camo on it. I've always wanted to build one for the heck of it. I bet it is fun.

[Old Gobbler]

Make sure to put Graphite lube between the axle /nails and wheels  and properly align them for lowest friction - Make the car as heavy as they will allow

I did one as a boy scout when I was young , and won the thing easy , I think I still have it laying around somewhere

It's addictive, I tell ya!
Shannon,

Do you have any small OG decals that would fit on a pinewood car?

Our decals are too big for something like that it would wrap around the whole thing -it wouldnt look good  

BTW Im going to be cranking out some 2012 decals in a month or two

[chatterbox]

Make sure to put Graphite lube between the axle /nails and wheels  and properly align them for lowest friction - Make the car as heavy as they will allow

I did one as a boy scout when I was young , and won the thing easy , I think I still have it laying around somewhere

It's addictive, I tell ya!
Shannon,

Do you have any small OG decals that would fit on a pinewood car?

Our decals are too big for something like that it would wrap around the whole thing -it wouldnt look good  

BTW Im going to be cranking out some 2012 decals in a month or two

Yeah, I figured they would be. I didn't get a chance to show him the camo, but he's gonna love it!

[catdaddy]

The first year Cole entered we were a miserable failure. I vowed that the following year would be different. I sent myself to Pinewood Derby" school. I bought a book and found the author. I called him and he gladly talked to me at length about how to build the car--this guy eats, breaths and lives Pinewood cars. The next year---WE WON!!! It was a very well attended race with a number of heats. I swear there would have been some trouble if there had not been an electronic eye to determne the winner of each heat--many of the heats would have been too close to call without it.

Here are some tips:

* You either need to go for looks or speed--not both. Some kids had some very intricate cars carved to immulate a Batmobile or Spaceship. Cool yes--fast---no. Our car was shaped liked a  simple wedge. Wind resistance is not your friend.
* Drill a hole and put the lead weight just slightly behind the rear wheels.
* Weigh the car with postal scales--you want it to weigh 5 ounces--no more --no less.
* Polish the axels with very fine sand paper--get them as slick as possible
* You can't use oil--so lubricate with graphite
* Perhaps most important-------the day you totally finish the car will be the fastest it will ever be. DON'T PLAY WITH IT!  Put it away and let the next time it rolls be down the track on the first race. 

Good luck       

[CSAW]

* You either need to go for looks or speed--not both. Some kids had some very intricate cars carved to immulate a Batmobile or Spaceship. Cool yes--fast---no. Our car was shaped liked a  simple wedge. Wind resistance is not your friend.
* Drill a hole and put the lead weight just slightly behind the rear wheels.
* Weigh the car with postal scales--you want it to weigh 5 ounces--no more --no less.
* Polish the axels with very fine sand paper--get them as slick as possible
* You can't use oil--so lubricate with graphite
* Perhaps most important-------the day you totally finish the car will be the fastest it will ever be. DON'T PLAY WITH IT!  Put it away and let the next time it rolls be down the track on the first race. 

Good luck       
[/quote]

All those things!  Plus we always had fast cars by running them with only 3 wheels toughing the surface. 

[pappy]

Mike.....you can make your own decals if Shannon says it would be ok, just buy a pack of decal paper, you can find it on the ebay or online, then just print what you want, ie: Old Gobbler decal, on a jet ink printer, then follow the directions for turning out the decal. I use clear decal and if you do this, make sure the area you apply it to is white, so it will show through, or you can purchase white background paper.

[allaboutshooting]

Is fast approaching!
Harrison wants to do a camo paint scheme on his car.
I really want this to come out good. There is no time pressure, as his race isn't until in March.
This is gonna be the last one, so I want it to be super special. I need advice from you guys on how to stencil a camo pattern on this car.
Now this is small scale. I'm also thinking about putting an OG sticker on it since you guys are all honorary uncles, and have seen him grow up!
Thanks in advance,

Mike and Harrison

That brings back a lot of memories. My 2 sons and I built those cars for a few years and then I worked with a group of Royal Ambassadors for a couple of years on those races.

Our winners were always very low profile, cut as slim as possible and then hollowed out. I filled the last several with Hevi-Shot and glued it in place then covered the top with paper and sprayed it with several coats of enamel. We used postal scales as recommended to get them exactly the right weight.

If rules allow, some do and some don't, it's also an advantage to thin the wheels, polish the surfaces and use more graphite than you'd ever imagine on the axles (polished), especially on the hubs.

What fun!

Thanks for bringing back those memories.

Clark

[flintlock]

We had a guy years ago that MURDERED everyone with the pinewood derby.  He ended up telling me he sanded the wheels, so that only a small rim touched the track.   Not sure if that is legal on a regulation track, but that is what he said was THE trick.

Good luck!