Ninja Warrior

[Gameday]

My son takes karate lessons and is totally consumed with everything karate. So, this year he wanted to make his car to resemble a Ninja. He drew it out, we made a template, and he (we) built the car. The car should be fast since we used tungsten weights (COM is .75 inches in front of rear axle); it uses the new lighter wheels; is a rail rider that drifts 2" over 4'; and is an extended wheelbase. His race is on 1/23. I'll post results after that. The pics:

[pwrd by tungsten]

Very Nice

[firsttimederbymom]

That's one cool looking ninja. Your son must be super proud he designed it himself.

[sporty]

Looks really good !

Are the legs the front of the car ?

Are you placing anything in the middle ? a car or something for the start gate peg ?

Sporty

[Gameday]

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Sporty, yes, the feet are the front of the car. It is slightly under weight so tonight my son will glue a small bar acoss the bottom of the frontmost part of the feet. You raise a good issue regarding the starting pin. Thanks.

[sporty]

I like or have seen used a old credit or debit card or wal-mart gift card used to glue on the bottom and have just that small thickness as the front. when i have seen cars like that or one recently who had a super point tip for the front. Which would not work right on the starting peg. Car would fall off before the start gate was even clipped or just as it was starting to be used.

It worked nicely.

Sporty

[Gameday]

Sporty, excellent idea. Thanks!

[Gear Dog]

Great build.
I think it's great that he made his own design. I'm working on a Sponge Bob with feet as well. I'm thinking of either gluing a piece of clear plastic over the top or maybe a twist tie. I was thinking because of the legs clear plastic on the top would help launching sooner as the pin drops.

[FatSebastian]

I'm thinking of either gluing a piece of clear plastic over the top or maybe a twist tie.

GD, if your finish line gate is triggered by the interruption of an optical device (most are), ensure that your proposed solution is substantially opaque at the leading edge of the car to interrupt the sensor at first contact. You want feet-first Spongbob's time to be determined by when his feet cross the finish line, not the crotch of his pants!

[Gear Dog]

You want feet-first Spongbob's time to be determined by when his feet cross the finish line, not the crotch of his pants!

Good to know

[Gameday]

Thanks FatSebastian,

Per Sporty's suggestion we cut a piece out of a credit card and glued it under the front-most section of the car. The material is black and should trigger the sensor. I'll post results tomorrow. My son's top objective is to win a design trophy, but I think he'll win a speed trophy as well.

[Gameday]

Well, my boy didn't win one of the 3 design trophies but he did take 1st overall in the Pack for speed. The car was very fast and had a similar time to last year's district winner (the track we used at Pack today was used last year at District). He ran his car today with absolutely no alignment. We'll work on that between now and the District race and I think we'll shave off quite a bit of time.

[FatSebastian]

He ran his car today with absolutely no alignment.

but he did take 1st overall in the Pack for speed

Thanks for reporting back your Pack results, and let us know how he does at District.

[ciodude]

Credit/gift card- great idea! I had a split front on my 2010 Centennial racer and ended up cutting a peice of coat hanger to set against the starting pin, but I like the card idea better! Something else to save and throw into my derby kit!