Pinewood Derby Car - Built to WIn!

This car is designed with winning in mind! According to the best sources out there, the fastest derby cars have these characteristics:

1. A center of mass slightly ahead of the rear axle (about 1 inch).
2. Lightweight wheels.
3. Aerodynamic shape.
4. Polished Axles.
5. Lift one wheel.
6. Ride the rail.
7. Lubricate with graphite.
8. Canted (bent) axles.

This model addresses many of those issues by offering near infinite adjustability to the weight, the location of the center of mass, the axles, and the steering.  Here are the design features of this model:

1. Adjustable front and rear wheelbase allows you to widen the rear wheelbase to keep the rear wheels off the center rail when rail riding.
2. Axles mounted at 2.5 degrees, so no axle bending is required.
3. Front steering is micro-adjustable with an Allen wrench.  Make the car run very straight, or control exactly how much it turns into the rail for rail riding.
4. Ballast weights can be moved to adjust the center of gravity of the car. Ballast spacers hold the weights in the place you want.  Move the weight forward or back to tune the car for ultimate speed.
5. Long wheelbase makes a straight running car.
6. Easily add or remove weight in minutes by opening the weight compartments.
7. Wheels and axles can be easily removed for servicing, replacement, or upgrades.
8. Can be configured with the right front or the left front wheel lifted for rail riding, or with all 4 wheels equally on the deck.

All of these adjustments are available at any time. Nothing is glued permanently in place. This gives you the ability to test multiple configurations and find the best and fastest setup for your car, right up to race day.

Personal Note: Just before making this car I helped my grandson build a wooden derby car following these same guidelines.  He won every heat by about 10 car lengths!  You can see it race here in this video. This is how you make a winning car.  I started this 3D design shortly after my grandson's victory.  It was an interesting challenge to see if the race cars can be improved with technology.  The biggest improvement in this model is its adjustability.  You don't have to build a new car to try something different.  Just use your Allen wrench and make the adjustments on the spot. 

One good location for buying wheels and axles is here at this link.

The best ballast weight for this car design are the tungsten weights frequently sold for Pinewood Derby cars.  You can find them here at this link.  These are a perfect fit for the ballast chambers in this car.

Check your race rules before attempting to enter a 3D printed car. 

There is a second print profile that includes a space for adding a wood body. Reduce your pinewood block to 14 x 14 x 32 mm and insert it into the printed body frame.  Shape to fit.

Please visit my complete collection of Pinewood Derby Tools.