Pinewood Derby Cars Fathers and Sons - Part 2

Hopefully now your father-and-son project has taken shape. If not, refer back to Part 1 before proceeding with the following steps.

The next few steps in the pinewood derby car process are a matter of debate and discussion in the world of derby racing. Appearance itself is a hotly contested topic in its own right, but the placement of weight and wheel installation is a matter wholly devoted to by numerous websites and "professional" gurus.

It should be pointed out at this point that there should be no time in which your son is not included in the project. It is noted that most men and boys are driven to compete and winning at all costs is a factor. There will be no doubt plenty of fathers and sons in your den, pack or district that go beyond the father-and-son project to create the ultimate racing machine. They may win trophies, but if they don't work together to build "their" car, they have missed the point altogether.

That said, here is some advice on what to do now that your car is cut out and ready for phase two. Speed is what wins races and the placement of weight on your car is the key to how fast it runs. As mentioned earlier, there are several camps on this single matter. The general consensus though is that your car should be as heavy as your rules allow and this weight should be as far back as possible while still allowing for the front wheels to remain on the track.

The current BSA rules allow pinewood derby cars to weigh no more than 5 ounces. A popular method of determining the placement of additional weight is to measure and draw a line 3/4 of an inch in front of the rear axles. Once this is completed, place the car on a small object such as a pencil along the line just drawn. If the car tilts forward, more weight is needed in the rear of the car. If the car tilts backwards, more weight is needed towards the front. This is all a matter of judgment and can take a few tries to perfect.

Once you have determined where the weight is needed, you will then need to determine what kind of weight you will add. There are external weights such as coins, washers, screws and commercially available weights. My personal preferred method is to conceal all the weight within the body of the car. This gives the car a smooth and faster look and may add a minute aerodynamic advantage.

To place weight inside the car, locate items such as lead fishing weights, which is what I use. Drill a hole(s) where you believe the weight should be placed and the proper size to allow for the kind of weight you have. Now you need to weight the car (with the axles and wheels) and add a sufficient amount of weight to the scale to reach just under the maximum weight allowed.

Place a small amount of either hot glue or carpenter's glue in the hole and then insert the proper amount of weight. Add a few more drops of glue and then let the car sit to dry. Once it is dry, cap the hole off with wood filler and allow it to dry. Weigh the car again and determine whether or not more weight is needed. If you added too much weight, you may need to hollow out the front of the car with a drill and then cap it off with wood filler.

Now you are ready for sanding and painting.