Downhill/gravity powered race
- Thread starter hpman66
- Start date
Wow! I don't know where that is, but what a rush! And it looks pretty dangerous, too. Crazy people.
Pretty cool. One hell of a Soap Box Derby hill 
RSIno1
Hunter
We put one on in Monrovia CA in the 1990s. We used a park in the foothills that produced some good speeds. The cars were SCCA Formula 440 (big go karts) with the drive belts removed. The guy who spearheaded it called a couple months ago to see it there is any interest in doing it again (old age boredom). He suggested we use a twisty steep hill in AZ where Ford does their towing tests.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XObf3KBcJo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XObf3KBcJo
RSIno1 said:
I've had some F500s over the years. Even with the belt off it would take some setup to make it gravity powered. Get some motorcycle or scooter rims, set the ride height to "almost scrape", alignment, tape up the radiator inlets. It'd be fun after you figured out the line and where all the bumps were.
Plus having mirrors might be handy.
That and not driving into a SUV in the first 100 feet........what a dork!
That looks like a fun time. Would definitely give it a try if the opportunity presented itself.
RSIno1 said:
hmmm... Davis Dam?
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
That guy at the start runs into the back of an SUV. Dude, watch where you are going. Those carts could use some streamlining.
The vid looks like so much fun, for younger folks.
When I was a kid, we had a pretty good hill in the neighborhood. Great for sledding in the winter.
Jim's comment reminded of the Soap Box Derby wheels. We would nail some boards together & scrounge lawnmower wheels to coast the hill in the summer. Rope steering & no brakes. Just a tobacco patch to slow down in if we made it to the bottom.
One kids dad came up with some 12" tall derby wheels with 1/2" wide hard rubber tires & premium bearings. We put them on my jalopy.
The dad repossessed the wheels after my first trip & I didn't care as I wasn't going to ride them again. I thought about those wheels in this vid. They'd probably exceed those speeds by quite a bit. But doubt they'd corner worth a hoot. Likely death traps. And that's what I thought of them that one trip. Thought I wasn't scared of anything then, the derby wheels scared me.
When I was a kid, we had a pretty good hill in the neighborhood. Great for sledding in the winter.
Jim's comment reminded of the Soap Box Derby wheels. We would nail some boards together & scrounge lawnmower wheels to coast the hill in the summer. Rope steering & no brakes. Just a tobacco patch to slow down in if we made it to the bottom.
One kids dad came up with some 12" tall derby wheels with 1/2" wide hard rubber tires & premium bearings. We put them on my jalopy.
The dad repossessed the wheels after my first trip & I didn't care as I wasn't going to ride them again. I thought about those wheels in this vid. They'd probably exceed those speeds by quite a bit. But doubt they'd corner worth a hoot. Likely death traps. And that's what I thought of them that one trip. Thought I wasn't scared of anything then, the derby wheels scared me.
gunzo,
I don't understand your problem with the Derby wheels.
I build and raced a Derby when I was 12. After the derby was over I modified it so that I could install my Dad's 3HP garden tractor eng. He was not to happy about that. I used the derby wheels since I couldn't afford to buy nice blow up wheels. The derby with that eng. would go 35-40MPH. I had it hooked up direct drive with a V belt and pulleys. It was real death trap on the back roads by todays standards. Cops were always giving me a hard time in town. I didn't wear that stupid Derby helmet either. Later in school shop class I built one a little better, but not much.
I don't understand your problem with the Derby wheels.
I build and raced a Derby when I was 12. After the derby was over I modified it so that I could install my Dad's 3HP garden tractor eng. He was not to happy about that. I used the derby wheels since I couldn't afford to buy nice blow up wheels. The derby with that eng. would go 35-40MPH. I had it hooked up direct drive with a V belt and pulleys. It was real death trap on the back roads by todays standards. Cops were always giving me a hard time in town. I didn't wear that stupid Derby helmet either. Later in school shop class I built one a little better, but not much.
Slyk Willy
Single-Sixer
What a rush. I'd love to do that.
Jim,
The wheels made my coaster extremely fast. It was a long steep paved hill with cars parked on both sides of the street. No brakes & rope steering like a horse reins.
The adult that furnished the wheels & then took back, said he wanted us to have fun, but somebody was gonna get hurt with those.
I too progressed to gasoline the next year. A lengthened pedal car frame, for the steering mainly, an axle & wheels from a self propelled reel mower for the drive & an old cast iron 5 HP Briggs for power. A fun summer for an 11 YO.
The wheels made my coaster extremely fast. It was a long steep paved hill with cars parked on both sides of the street. No brakes & rope steering like a horse reins.
The adult that furnished the wheels & then took back, said he wanted us to have fun, but somebody was gonna get hurt with those.
I too progressed to gasoline the next year. A lengthened pedal car frame, for the steering mainly, an axle & wheels from a self propelled reel mower for the drive & an old cast iron 5 HP Briggs for power. A fun summer for an 11 YO.
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
I also had one of those lawnmower powered carts. I saved up to buy an 8" pulley and 'V' belt to fit around an idler pulley and then the motor pulley, so I had a clutch on the left side, the throttle on the right side and steering with my feet. Looked like one of those Can-Am bikes. I wore down several wagon wheels racing around the block and through several parking lots behind our house.
bobski
Hunter
so how fast is 96 km.?
bobski said:
Ballpark 60 mph
Selena
Hunter
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bobski said:
96 *.621371 = 59.651616 mph
Fast enough to get kilt. :wink:
RSIno1
Hunter
We welded up a couple coaster specific cars but they looked like the ones in the video and didn't have much crowd appeal.Dave P. said:
The guy who staged it ran 440s and had a shop selling & maintaining them. This gave people another outlet to enjoy their cars. Set-up was basically just over inflating the tires to reduce the contact patch and rolling resistance. They would hit close to 50 mph in one section of the track.
