Bill Cosby got me and my brother into soap box derby cars when we were kids... almost died, twice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nyRqn_OuSE Sam.
That sound just like my first "car". It was an oak 1x12 with wagon wheels. It had a huge cast iron gear for a steering wheel connected to a 2" pipe for the steering column and rope steering. Had a wooden cowl, wooden hood and grille and fake "headlights" made out of wood. I think it had tennis shoe brakes or maybe a stick on the back wheels. Looked alot like some of the speedsters I see here. My dad and I built it when I was 7 or 8 years old. The only thing wrong with it was that it was real heavy and I had to push it back to the top of the hill. I bet not too many dads these days would let their kids coast down a dirt road with a rigid steering column and a big tooth busting gear for a steering wheel!
Also remeber when you're a kid a few blocks of steep hill seems monsterous. These hilss are between 1/2 mile and near two miles long, this is some serious bomb here. There are more wicked hills out there for sure but we have to think for the group and we want to race next month as well!
Build a couple, the first race is free, then you have to build your own! That will get you off the groud pretty fast.
We are going to the junk yard Saturday, will be building this weekend. I will post pic's when I have something to see. this will be the best fun for cheap I can think of !!! that and the minibike build-off I have planed this summer. I have wanted to build one right after the first video was on the HAMB, NO IT'S GO TIME! Blake P.S. What are the best braking set-ups?
Please post pics when you are done I would like to see it. Also alot of us use scrub brakes(something rubbing against tire). Disc brakes are good. Some of us the use bicycle wheels just use bike brakes...
You're going down bitch! Better bring a body hammer to take the dings out of your moon discs when I smash them in. Pink paint all over your car for sure this time! btw: You hit your brakes, you loose!
I'm in! Ill be done with my car in a couple days. Hey, Deadlights. We should go do Erbes in Thousand Oaks because were from the same area, thats gonna be my maiden voyage.
Certainly reminds me of when I was a kid. But, I don't see any orange crates with tin can headlights! We made one that had wheels from an old hospital gurney. They were thin hard rubber and real heavy, for a kid anyway. It was pretty fast and the only brakes were your shoes. Now...you kids watch out for cars!!
We do watch out for cars. We watch them look at us like we're from outer space as we drive around them.
So, who's going to build the first Saran Wrapped Roadster in tribute to these guys? It's sick and I love it. May have to go into the mountains and scout out a few locations.
I wanna see somebody bomb Potrero Road behind CSUCI (previously Camarillo State Hospital)... it may be me soon, but not this month... damn. I'll be out at the race on Sunday with a palmcorder, though.
Check the site for what makes a good course and what doesn't. We're racing 25+ cars now so it's a different game. www.sfvisbf.com
SHHHHHH.....Don't let Ralph Nader know about this.. Remember the thread a little while back of what the new tend would be? I think we've all seen it now. These hoodlems are definately leading the pack. That wheel barrel tub is just too much. HMMMM....Gold chainers? I don't think so... Here in the flatlands, I'd have to figure out how to make it rubber band powered. Just don't let the aides at the hosp know you've escaped. HellRaiser
I've run Conejo Grade with about twenty roadies on the way back from a 100k ride down the coast. Was pretty crazy switching lanes between the buttons to pass traffic at about 70mph on sew-ups. Can't believe none of us ate crap or got run over - it was 5pm on a Saturday. No way I'd consider it in a coaster cart, but the Sepulveda Pass... hmmm... well, it's more developed now than when I was a kid. When we get a few more cars done up here in Ventura County, we'll have to start our own runs on the fourth Sunday of each month so we can run every other week or so. I have some great ideas for places to run... Ventura foothills, Ojai, Santa Paula, Camarillo Heights, Newbury Park, Simi... oh yeah...
Excellent, another Chapter. That would be great. Taking over the world with soapbox racing one county at a time.
Done! Testing last night went good. I need to make a few changes then its ready to go. Tonight im off to some big hills. See you fuckers on Sunday!
Hey Paul Looks like we have some NEWBIES this Sunday !!!!!! I just want to say one thing, " LET THE NEWBIE KNOCKEN BEGIN" EVIL ED,S.F.V.I.S.B.F. SINCE DAY ONE !!!!!!!!!!!
The Jalopy Journal
