Pinewood Derby Q&A

How to make the fastest pinewood derby car?

I have three boys in cub scouts building their first pinewood derby car. Any suggestions as to how to make it fast?

Public Comments

1. Thats funny my brother was just working on his yesterday. I think my brother tends to add a lot of weight and tries to make it streamlined.
2. keep it simple,bearings if possible,thin wheels and a streamlined shape,three wheels if possible,light as you can and lubricate any moving parts! happy racing
3. Just try to make it pointy in the front and larger as you go back, kind of like a ramp. Usually the cars have to be 5 ounces or so. Meaning they weight them before the race. Get some weights from the hobby shop and just glue or tape them on if you are pressed for time. Put most of the weights on the front then the middle and a few on back. Good luck to your kids..
4. Make the car as thin and aerodynamic as possible, and put the weight as far forward as possible.
5. keep it low to the ground
6. Try to get the car to maximum weight (5oz). Most of the weight should be at the back. 3/4 of an inch forward of rear axle should be center of gravity (the car will balance at this point). Sand 600+ grit sandpaper to the wheels to remove imperfections. Polish the axles to a mirror finish. After cutting and sanding the body, bake at 200 degrees for about 2 hours. This will remove any moisture from the wood so you can put more weight at the back. I hope my son is not racing your sons! Search the web for design ideas. There are site out there to purchase some of these tips.