Pinewood derby: Difference between revisions

The idea behind the pinewood derby is for the parent, usually the father, but occasionally the mother or grandparent, to spend time helping the child design, carve, paint, add weights, and tune the final car. However, it is often the case that the parent takes over the construction of the car, an aspect of the event that was lampooned in the 2005 film ''[[Down and Derby]]''. The quest for a fast car supports a cottage industry that supplies modified wheels, axles, and blocks as well as videos and instruction books. While a pinewood derby car kit costs around $4, a set of modified wheels and axles can sell for more than ten times that amount. These [[Aftermarket (automotive)|aftermarket]] items are legal under some Pack rules since the parts originally came from an official BSA kit. Complete cars can be purchased on [[eBay]] and elsewhere for around $100 to $200.<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url =http://reviews.ebay.com/Buying-Pinewood-Derby-Cars-Kits_W0QQugidZ10000000000122092 | title =Buying Pinewood Derby Cars/ Kits | format = | work = | publisher = eBay | accessdate =March 18 | accessyear =2007}}</ref> Although these cars violate the spirit of the event, if not the rules, enforcement can be difficult.