Have any of you ever entered the Soap Box Derby? If so, did you build your own or use one of the pre-fab kits they have nowadays?

Its something I regret never having done during my childhood. They should have a geriatric division!

 

Now are you talking the REAL soap box derby?

I was thoroughly disappointed recently. My friend's son asks me if I can help him build one for Scouts (his dad can't operate a key, let alone a saw ) and of course, I said yes.

I was hurt when he pulled out this "pinewood derby" box. It was a balsa wood model about 6 inches long.. I couldn't understand how they came to call this a soapbox car?
Needless to say, all my dreams of this kid winning the race on an independent suspension, big block soapbox went right out the window (this kid could prob build it himself, he's smart little monkey.)

Besides, a REAL soapbox derby, today? HA! You wouldn't need confetti at the finish line, guaranteed. There'd be lawsuits flying waist deep! Endangerment, hurt feelings, scraped elbow, letting the kids use tools and more lethal than a Nerf ball... Heaven forbid!!

 

I would hope not, but things are different these days.

What prompted this post was going to an Albertson's grocery store recently and seeing a Soap Box Derby racer (the 'real' ones) on display. This looked to be a purely kit style racer, with a plastic molded body. The entire thing looked as if it could be assembled in 10 minutes.

Do contestants still build your own racer or is the entire race predicated on using these plastic kit cars?

 

Over in Waynesboro Virginia they recently had a major soapbox race, so yes the old-time soap box racers still exist. Here is a link to the soapbox derby organization which runs these races (and has since 1934!).
http://allamericansoapboxderby.com/

 

Yup!
3 sons= 3 soap box racers
A group here in town holds a couple of races every year.
We had the ugliest group of racers there last fall, but we cleaned up on the prizes.
I made the racers out of 3/8 ply from a couple of scrap signs I had and some old shopping buggy wheels that were too ratty for shopping buggies (my day job is a grocer )
I made the steering out of a broom handle with some cable wrapped around it then connected to the front axle.
The kids got into the design with one cart having the sides jigsawed in the shape of a flame- job, which he painted red and orange.
Second One is sort of boxy with a hood scoop on it and is painted purple.
The other has a cool curved nose with tailfins about 5 times bigger than a '59 caddy, and an a-oog-ah horn from grandpa's model A
Total out of pocket cost for all three racers was about $20 for some hardware and cable.

In last spring's race only the twins ran (in flame car and tailfin- mobile) and they took first and second in the 10 and under event.

In the Fall event, my oldest won the 10 and over race (there was about 10 entered in that one) and the twins got 1st and 3rd The way the draw worked out, they ran against each other in the semi-finals.There was 30 racers in that division

Anyway, now in true racer's fashion, they have decided to outlaw the wheels we were using, and call for a common type of wheel to be used by everyone. Now i have to lay out $30 per car to get them racing again I even offered to share my buckets of mis-fit buggy wheels with everyone!

 

rmwade, thanks for the link. Went over there and dang, I still have the urge to do that. I even found they have some upcoming races in Colorado this summer. "Hey daughter...I know you got your driving permit... but your old dad has a great idea for you........(to be continued).

Fordzlla,
That sounds like a good, old fashioned, run-what-ya-brung kind of racing. Your kids will likely, talk about those races for years to come. What a great father/son event.

 

My youngest son and I watched a local soap box derby race in Sand Springs a couple weeks ago. We plan to enter one or two cars next year. They had some official bullet shape and lots of modified and fun looking cars. I took lots of mental notes on what works and what doesn't. We don't plan to spend a lot and will make as much as possible without buying too much. Some of those racers were very serious and were doing it for money. We'll do it just for fun and for my two sons to bond with me. Anybody have any real world advice?