Pacific coast Datsun Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 My oldest daughter has an upcoming gran-prix wooden car race next week at church so we teamed up to design it. She said.."dad lets make it look like your green car" so thats what we did :D Gonna add a few details tomorrow as soon as the clear dries. And yes it has blue & purple flake :cool: I think i have her convinced that Datsun's are the koolest vehicles ever:lol: Quote Link to comment
jefe de jefes Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Nice Are you going to run mini-minilites?:D Quote Link to comment
WagDatto Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Carve in some wheel wells and make that thing sit flush! Going for a fairly heavy car ends up with a fast product. My brother made an uber light model and finished last, haha! Quote Link to comment
510er Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Thats awesome! i loved makin those with my old man I made a semi truck one year used weights for the exhaust and bumpers it was bad ass! Quote Link to comment
Pacific coast Datsun Posted February 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I was gonna do the wheel wells but the rules say we have to use the axles that were in the "kit" gave to us. Prob gonna get a silver paint pen & try to replecate the bumpers & trim :thumbup: Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I think i have her convinced that Datsun's are the koolest vehicles ever:lol: :thumbup: BTW im stealing her idea for our next pinewood derby. keeping the axles true is key. also not sure what the best lube is...dry graphite? Quote Link to comment
73dat Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 do not forget the datsun logo.............................:D Quote Link to comment
Pacific coast Datsun Posted February 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 May use Datsun grease on the axles & yes she painted the logo's along with flames :thumbup:...i added the small details [lights & grill:D] Quote Link to comment
LeX Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 looks sweet! Quote Link to comment
dat521kid Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 that looks real cool mark Quote Link to comment
mklotz70 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) There's usually a burr on the backside of the axle(nail) head....chuck it into a drill and spin it against a file. Polish the axle contact point with the finest grit you have, ...make it shine like polished aluminum! Chuck the tires into the drill with a screw/nut......while you spin them, file/sand a crown(very subtle is just fine) into them to lessen the contact point.....also helps to compensate for untrue alignment. You can hit them with really fine grit too to try to get them to shine back up. While you're at it.....make sure there's no burr on the inside lip of the tire...polish the inside lips so they won't drag on the guide rail. Get a digital scale.....drill holes and hot glue fishing weights into the underside until it's really close to the weight limit. I had an extra hole or two for the smallest weights so I could add some extra if it was a bit light. Take a pocket knife with you so you can either dig out a weight or whittle some wood off the bottom if it's over. .....uuummmm......yes, my kid's won.........why do you ask?? :) It's not about the winning......it's about making the other kids cry!!! :) j/k!!!!!!!! It's just really nice if your own kid isn't the slowest one....that's a hard one to take!! Mine were the slowest the first year cause I didn't know you could add weight......so the next year...I over compensated a bit!!! :) Edited February 26, 2009 by mklotz70 Quote Link to comment
BEEBANI Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 So true Mike! I helped my nephew build one a few years ago, I polished the shafts and cleaned up the holes in the wheels. He won a couple of heats, but ended up coming in 3rd in the end. Looks good Mark, these things are a lotta fun if the car does well, and a lot of fun to build with the kids. Quote Link to comment
Duke Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Looks sweet. Listen to the tips that Mike gave. The graphite grease is the real trick. On the one that my dad and I built we drilled a few deep 3/4" holes in the bottom and filled them with lead shot. We then used plastic plugs to hold the shot in. This made is very easy to change the weight. My favorite one that we made was a modeled after a sprint car, complete with roll cage made from welding rod. Quote Link to comment
datrod Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Nice job Mark. Good luck. :D Quote Link to comment
mklotz70 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Just to be specific....it's the graphite powder...not grease...but yep...it's key :) I like the lead shot idea!!! Much better!! Quote Link to comment
Pacific coast Datsun Posted February 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Thanks for the love guys. I appreciate all the "tricks" youve shared. The car ha sbeen delivered to the church for next weeks race. Ill get pics for sure..:cool: Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 & yes she painted the logo's along with flames :thumbup:...i added the small details what?!!? no rising sun on the hood? :P Quote Link to comment
johnbureezu Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Ha! That's effin cool man! Now you need flames on yer goon. lol Quote Link to comment
Tedman Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 (edited) Nice! Put all your extra weight high in the tail- increases the potential energy, which gets converted to kinetic energy by gravity, and it will come on strong in the last third of the track. :thumbsup: Edited March 1, 2009 by Tedman grammer Quote Link to comment
thisismatt Posted March 1, 2009 Report Share Posted March 1, 2009 Nice! Put all your extra weight high in the tail- increases the potential energy, which gets converted to kinetic energy by gravity, and it will come on strong in the last third of the track.:thumbsup: High or low, it still moves the same vertical distance ;) Yup - fluid lube will slow it down, so graphite is a good idea. Quote Link to comment
Pacific coast Datsun Posted March 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 Ok good news..my daughters car won 1st in the speed class & 3rd in design! The guy announcing the race even called it a RRRRatsun :lol: Quote Link to comment
dat521kid Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 thats awsome news mark Quote Link to comment
hang_510 Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 congrats to your daughter and you (and the woody :lol: ) Quote Link to comment
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