Eircooled Soapbox Derby
- Thread starter Kevin O'Brien
- Start date
Just thought you might like 79 thats all..............
Shit. That's a good idea! I'll consult with my teammate Mr. Danzig. We'll stay 22 for the moment
out of interest, is there an expenditure cap or is it a free for all?
i.e.
If anyone spots any parts (wheels, seats etc) for sale that they're not buying themselves that might be useful to others, they should be posted here. The SFV rules re weight, brakes and safety are interesting, should we have a scrutineer to review photos before the inaugural race? It would be a shame to turn someone down on the day because they included an "aerodynamic aid" that was basically a six foot long skewer to the front of their car when a word of advice a month in advance would solve the problem.
I don't want this to get too red-tapey and tear the arse out of it fun-wise but I'd hate for someone to get hurt and for that to call a halt to any future messing. This could turn into a regular thing and personally, I think I'd really knock a bit of craic out of it
Maybe set a date say a month before the date of the first race, by which time all the cars must be finished. Pics of completed cars can be posted and then inspected by a scrutineer. That will give sufficient time for any changes that need to be made before the first race.
Would anyone like to volunteer to be scrutineer?
(ehem...Trev)
Car construction rules (adapted from SFVISBF)
1. All cars must have 4 or more wheels.
Your car must have 4 or more wheels that are used in the stability of the car. Things like bicycles that have training wheels or faux wheels are not allowed. Skate boards, luge boards and their wheels are not allowed. No Trikes, they are unstable, prone to washing out, flipping and do not fare well in collisions and friendly bumping that occurs in every race. No lean-steering cars, they simply cannot react quickly enough and are prone to accidents.
2. Cars cannot have a motor or drive train of any kind.
No gas motor, no electrical, no solar powered, no shifting counterweights, pedals, etc. Nothing. Get it? Gravity is the only source of power and speed attainment that is allowed. Do not get any clever ideas; you can’t be clever because you’re considering doing this in the first place.
3. All cars must have a braking system of some kind.
Braking systems must be on a minimum of two wheels. Single wheel brakes are not acceptable.
Types of acceptable braking systems:
You must have at least one of these on your car.
You must have at least one of these on your car.
- Scrub (a plate or pad applied directly to the wheel)
- Drum (a drum with a set of shoes that grab the drum)
- Disc (a calliper and rotor set up much like a car)
- Band (similar to a drum brake, utilizing a band around a braking surface)
- Bicycle (drum, disc, V, U, Y, centre pull, calliper, coaster)
Types of unacceptable braking systems:
You will not be allowed to run with these systems.
You will not be allowed to run with these systems.
- Drag (utilizing the ground as the braking surface)
- Feet (no Barney Rubble, stay home)
- Anchor (a heavy object cast from the car to create drag)
4. Vehicle weaponry of any kind is forbidden.
No spikes, no Ben-Hur chariot style spinners, nothing that shoots or drops stuff, no oil slicks, flour tossers, Paintball guns, ketchup shooters, etc. Nothing.
You may have bumpers on your car, nerf bars around the wheels etc. It’s just you, your car and the road, that is all that is allowed and all that you will need.
You may have bumpers on your car, nerf bars around the wheels etc. It’s just you, your car and the road, that is all that is allowed and all that you will need.
5. Cars can be excluded because they are grossly too big, heavy, have spikes or other weapons, or are obviously unsafe.
All cars will be scrutinised to make sure that everyone’s car is safe. They will be checked for sharp objects, braking systems and other unsafe things. If the Scrutineer wants to look at your car, you need to show him/her. If the Scrutineer deems your car unsafe, you can’t race. Refusal to let the Scrutineer check your car, you don’t race.
Other things that you should not have:
Sharp edges, giant Rat-Fink style break levers, wings, fins, or other protrusions that could potentially gash or impale other drivers in a wreck. Look at your car and think, “Would I be ok if that thing hit me?” If no, then you need to make changes.
A driver should be able to load their car unassisted into a truck or van, if you can’t it’s too heavy. A car should not be so big that it requires a special vehicle to cart it around in, no car chassis, etc.
Cars will not be excluded just because they are markedly faster, tougher, or cooler than your car. Nor will a car be excluded just because you don’t like the driver. We’re big kids: child-like, not childish. When in doubt, a group vote determines the eligibility of a given car.
Other things that you should not have:
Sharp edges, giant Rat-Fink style break levers, wings, fins, or other protrusions that could potentially gash or impale other drivers in a wreck. Look at your car and think, “Would I be ok if that thing hit me?” If no, then you need to make changes.
A driver should be able to load their car unassisted into a truck or van, if you can’t it’s too heavy. A car should not be so big that it requires a special vehicle to cart it around in, no car chassis, etc.
Cars will not be excluded just because they are markedly faster, tougher, or cooler than your car. Nor will a car be excluded just because you don’t like the driver. We’re big kids: child-like, not childish. When in doubt, a group vote determines the eligibility of a given car.
6. No deliberate weighting of one’s car is allowed.
You can not add weight to your car; it must be run at its natural weight. No ballast.
This means, no lead weights, no weight-lifter weights, jugs of water, no sandbags, no bags of topsoil, etc. In addition you cannot load your frame rails with lead shot, sand, water, topsoil, sleeve more metal inside them, or anything else just to make your car heavier. Nor can you weld three frame rails together when we all know one will do. Do not build your car with excessively thick tubing or solid stock.
No electric horns, lights or sound systems. They take batteries, batteries have lead in them, they are weight. Don’t try and clever with this one. A car with low rolling resistance and a good aero package will carry the day; you do not need a 500 lb behemoth to get to the cones first.
Do not try and cheat, if you get caught cheating we will destroy your car. This is a safety issue. If you watch the races, you’ll see that in crashes little objects flying this way and that. Those objects are often times weights that have been ejected from the car. A ten-pound weight going 40+ mph can pack a wallop. Also, heavier cars will not be able to manage turns well nor will they be able to stop. Do you want 400, 500, or 600 lbs of car and driver ploughing into you if they can’t stop? No, you don’t.
7. You must have a loop on the front and rear of your car so we can tow it.
This means, no lead weights, no weight-lifter weights, jugs of water, no sandbags, no bags of topsoil, etc. In addition you cannot load your frame rails with lead shot, sand, water, topsoil, sleeve more metal inside them, or anything else just to make your car heavier. Nor can you weld three frame rails together when we all know one will do. Do not build your car with excessively thick tubing or solid stock.
No electric horns, lights or sound systems. They take batteries, batteries have lead in them, they are weight. Don’t try and clever with this one. A car with low rolling resistance and a good aero package will carry the day; you do not need a 500 lb behemoth to get to the cones first.
Do not try and cheat, if you get caught cheating we will destroy your car. This is a safety issue. If you watch the races, you’ll see that in crashes little objects flying this way and that. Those objects are often times weights that have been ejected from the car. A ten-pound weight going 40+ mph can pack a wallop. Also, heavier cars will not be able to manage turns well nor will they be able to stop. Do you want 400, 500, or 600 lbs of car and driver ploughing into you if they can’t stop? No, you don’t.
7. You must have a loop on the front and rear of your car so we can tow it.
You will need a loop front and rear so you can attach a tow strap to your car and someone can attach a tow strap to you. This is a logistical concern. If we have a bunch of cars and vans going up the hill, it’s a mess. You can tow 6 cars and 6 drivers up the hill with one van and that will make the set up time between races much shorter. More races, closer together means less interaction with the locals and thus less chance for things to go wrong.
You’ll need to have a tow strap in your car that is secured so it won’t fly out or unfurl during the race. Every car must have this.
You’ll need to have a tow strap in your car that is secured so it won’t fly out or unfurl during the race. Every car must have this.
8. No bullshit.
The no bullshit rule is left to be vague for the guy that is looking for a loophole in the rules to gain an unfair advantage. Just because every possibility was not covered does not mean you should go on and do it. We reserve the right to DQ your car for any reason. We will be fair.
Everyone is subject to the rules, please follow them. Just stop being a pussy and race.
Everyone is subject to the rules, please follow them. Just stop being a pussy and race.
Anyone got any suggestions for a date for the first race? I was thinking sometime in March. This would give plenty of time for car building over the winter without having to down tools on whatever other projects you might have on the go. It would also give time for any changes that might need to be made post scrutineering.
kobat79 you sure you want to be 22?...................
When I first read this post and replied it was on my phone, and the bold text doesn't show up on my phone! That's why I didn't cop it and was wondering why you were asking...doh