In the early 60s, my Dad and I built a car that to me looked like an Indy car. I thought it was cool as hell. I got beat by the retarded kid in the troop who used the stock square body, colored with a crayon. Never recovered from that humiliation, that's why today I like customs with canted quad lights.
Best place for weight is to find the center of the car. There are formulas for how to do this. I also used tungsten weights this year. From what I've read, they are very high density. Most weight on the bottom with one weight placed toward the front on top the car. As Dan mentioned, after I found the center of the car I then placed some of the weight in front of and a few behind the rear axle. I also place two small weights in front of the front axle. You are right to work on the axles and wheels, but proper weight distribution wins the race. Good luck. We have ours next week.
Another trick we do is use the same wheels and axles each year. As they wear in, they seem to go faster and faster. The set we are using this year are from my '11 y.o. son's car from approx. 4 years ago.
I've always been curious about actual wheel mods. Being that the derby car wheels have a large contact patch, I was wondering if would be legal within rules to turn down the wheels in a lathe and leaving a thin contact strip in the center to reduce wheel to track friction? would this be legal within the rules?
Thats a great idea. We got my boys car dialed in and it took a while for the axles and wheels. He raced last night and won overall.......
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I also drilled holes deep into the body right above and in front of the rear wheels on the side. I drove a small tungsten weight into each hole. Another trick I've seen and this car was always the fastest at all the races I've seen. They took the block and drilled a 1/2" hole down the center. Then drove a 6" 1/2" pipe nipple down the center and carved the shape of the car around it. I don't know if it was the aerodynamics or the weight, but that car (kid used it multiple years) kicked everyone's ass.
What a great story. LMAO thinking of the visual of his car. In the end, there sometimes is no rhyme or reason to who wins. My boys have been beaten by a car that looked like Swiss cheese, a SpongeBob, and a carrot. I guess you got to be in it to win it!
lots of good information on this thread. One factor not mentioned, maybe because it is technically not addressing the car or its build, is track factors. After serving as "starter" at a couple events, it became very apparent that the equal and proper placement of the car at the start is critical. It is a big responsibility to be as fair and careful as possible in car placement. Some lanes may be faster or slower as well. Placing cars on different lanes as they progress though the heats is an attempt at providing an equal playing field.
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