Hobbies And Interests
Car Shape
Looking at cars in the real world, to see what designs are common in race cars and what designs are not, such as slopes and broad faces respectively, is a great way to see what is and is not an aerodynamic shape. While the principles behind real car designs and pinewood designs will not translate perfectly, it provides a strong foundation.
Maximizing Weight
When building your car, you will be provided with a weight that your car is not permitted to exceed in the current competition year. As weight can prove vital in building speed, it is important to ensure that you do not leave weight unspent, and that the provided lead weights be used to push your car right to the limit.
Weight Placement
In addition to the amount of weight the car brings with it factoring into its speed, where that weight is carried can also play apart. Ideally, you should seek to have as much of the weight as possible situated low and near the back of the car. You should also strive to make your car's center of gravity centered from left to right to ensure it moves straight.
Sanding
Sanding the car can seem like a minor step for anything more than aesthetics, however a smooth car is a fast car, as the smoother a car is, the less drag it will have. For final sanding, use a fine grit paper, and rub with the grains.
Axle Care
In addition to sanding the car, smoothing the axles can shave valuable fractions of a second. To polish an axle before use, rub it down thoroughly with a piece of steel wool. This will smooth the axle out and allow it to spin with less friction inside the car.