2015 car 1970 Rebel Machine
- ah8tk
- Master Pine Head
- Posts: 340
- Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:23 pm
- Location: Minneapolis, MN - north
2015 car 1970 Rebel Machine
My 16 year old son, who has been a Boy Scout for 5 years now, still likes to make Pinewood Derby cars every year. This year he decided to build the American Motors, 70 Rebel Machine. It seems odd a boy that was not alive when American Motors Corporation was still in business, would decide to build a car from a 27 year defunct company.
We have a 1966 Marlin and last summer Noah went along with me and my dad, to the Kenosha homecoming. Kenosha, Wisconsin is the place where AMCs were built from their inception back in 1954 up till the end, in 1988. At this show there were all kinds of AMC, Nash and Hudson cars. Noah thought the Rebel Machine and the SC Rambler were very cool in the red, white and blue livery.
Noah decided to make his own plan this year, traditionally he has drawn his plan on paper and I have created my plan in Visio. He worked almost a week to get his plan for his car completed on his computer:
I think he weighed every block we have in the shop to find the lightest block. He drilled the axle holes, tested the drilling by adding wheels and running the block down the test board. He then glued a pine block to the top. He then cut out the weight reduction pocket from the block. Then he then cut the wheel wells out and glued the side pine blocks to the side of the main block (the sides are long as I didn’t check the measurement when we cut the side blocks on the chop saw). At this point the weight was at 10.47 oz.
Then everything was trimmed up on the sides and ends. At this point the weight was at 7.96 oz.:
The plan drawings were traced to the side, then it was cut out on the band saw (I knew I did something on this). Then the top cots were marked and cut out. At the end of this the weight was at 4.79 oz.:
Noah then used the forstner bit to recess the DFW in approximately 1/16”:
Then the carving and shaping started. At the end of this the weight was at 4.52 oz.:
Then the filling, sanding and priming started. The car is primed and sanded 3 times to make sure the wood grain does not show back through:
We then made the aluminum bottom and painted the white and the blue on the car. It was time to add the aluminum tape to replicate the chrome on the car. Noah drew all of the decals for this car, we printed them on clear decal paper and applied the decals.
The wheels were painted blue, sometimes hard to see the blue against the black wheel. The axles were polished, the wheel bores were polished and waxed, and it was lubed and run down the test board. It was set to steer 3” in 4’, it was ready to race.
Finally, pictures of the completed car. The reflection one is my new favorite:
The Rebel Machine was 8th place in the stock class (out of 15 cars) and 5th place in the Real Street class (8 cars). We may have to play with it some more before we race this one again.
We have a 1966 Marlin and last summer Noah went along with me and my dad, to the Kenosha homecoming. Kenosha, Wisconsin is the place where AMCs were built from their inception back in 1954 up till the end, in 1988. At this show there were all kinds of AMC, Nash and Hudson cars. Noah thought the Rebel Machine and the SC Rambler were very cool in the red, white and blue livery.
Noah decided to make his own plan this year, traditionally he has drawn his plan on paper and I have created my plan in Visio. He worked almost a week to get his plan for his car completed on his computer:
I think he weighed every block we have in the shop to find the lightest block. He drilled the axle holes, tested the drilling by adding wheels and running the block down the test board. He then glued a pine block to the top. He then cut out the weight reduction pocket from the block. Then he then cut the wheel wells out and glued the side pine blocks to the side of the main block (the sides are long as I didn’t check the measurement when we cut the side blocks on the chop saw). At this point the weight was at 10.47 oz.
Then everything was trimmed up on the sides and ends. At this point the weight was at 7.96 oz.:
The plan drawings were traced to the side, then it was cut out on the band saw (I knew I did something on this). Then the top cots were marked and cut out. At the end of this the weight was at 4.79 oz.:
Noah then used the forstner bit to recess the DFW in approximately 1/16”:
Then the carving and shaping started. At the end of this the weight was at 4.52 oz.:
Then the filling, sanding and priming started. The car is primed and sanded 3 times to make sure the wood grain does not show back through:
We then made the aluminum bottom and painted the white and the blue on the car. It was time to add the aluminum tape to replicate the chrome on the car. Noah drew all of the decals for this car, we printed them on clear decal paper and applied the decals.
The wheels were painted blue, sometimes hard to see the blue against the black wheel. The axles were polished, the wheel bores were polished and waxed, and it was lubed and run down the test board. It was set to steer 3” in 4’, it was ready to race.
Finally, pictures of the completed car. The reflection one is my new favorite:
The Rebel Machine was 8th place in the stock class (out of 15 cars) and 5th place in the Real Street class (8 cars). We may have to play with it some more before we race this one again.
Last edited by ah8tk on Fri Nov 10, 2017 7:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: 2015 car 1970 Rebel Machine
Very nice.
Great work. Son is just like father.
you guys got great skills.
Best builders I've ever seen.
Great work. Son is just like father.
you guys got great skills.
Best builders I've ever seen.
Re: 2015 car 1970 Rebel Machine
and here I thought I had a lot of patience. I don't even come close. That is absolutely beautiful.
- whodathunkit
- Pine Head Legend
- Posts: 2477
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
- Location: Forgan, OK
Re: 2015 car 1970 Rebel Machine
WOW.. Noah!
Keep up with the good work.. You shure can build some real show stopers.
And I always enjoy seeing the cars and semi trucks the two of you guys make.
Whoda.
Keep up with the good work.. You shure can build some real show stopers.
And I always enjoy seeing the cars and semi trucks the two of you guys make.
Whoda.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Re: 2015 car 1970 Rebel Machine
That might be the coolest car I've seen. I love the AMC build. I'd love to see a Pacer next...
Re: 2015 car 1970 Rebel Machine
Very nice! Cool that the boy scout still likes making pinewood derby cars.
birddog
birddog
- ah8tk
- Master Pine Head
- Posts: 340
- Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:23 pm
- Location: Minneapolis, MN - north
Re: 2015 car 1970 Rebel Machine
No Pacer, but another AMC, coming soon....davet wrote:That might be the coolest car I've seen. I love the AMC build. I'd love to see a Pacer next...
- ah8tk
- Master Pine Head
- Posts: 340
- Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:23 pm
- Location: Minneapolis, MN - north
Re: 2015 car 1970 Rebel Machine
Noah sets a display of our cars almost every weekend, during pinewood derby season. He discusses the builds with scouts and parents, as they ask questions:birddog wrote:Very nice! Cool that the boy scout still likes making pinewood derby cars.