[s-cars] alignment Q

[pkrasusky at ups.com]

thanks Lee

my online surfing seems to reveal that yes all the way in back provides the most kinetic energy but yes does offer float to the front.  SO, next best is just fore of the rear axle.

HOWEVER

our design dictated minimal cuts to the supplied block and then adding balsa flares and cockpit - so we were WAY OVER WEIGHT.  So we swiss cheezed the bottom, with most of the holes in front, then center, then shallower near rear axle.  We're right @ the 5oz max and distributed with a rear bias nicely.

I told him from the get go tho we're going more for best in show than speed.  Winning both would be teets tho 8-).

YES - I most certainly DID make him do 'some' of EVERY step.  I held his hands running it through the jigsaw.  He power sanded.  Etc.  Just that I had to take over quickly as his little puny girly mon 6yr. muscles would fatigue.  Oh and I did all the drawing of the profile and shaping of the flares.

Wet sand clear coat tonight heh heh.

Issues.

I'll post up pics when we finish it Fri.

Thanks!

-Paul


-----Original Message-----
From: Lee Levitt [mailto:lee at wheelman.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 4:09 PM
To: Krasusky Paul (WQQ2PXK); s-car-list at audifans.com
Subject: Re: [s-cars] alignment Q



Can't tell you about alignment. I can tell you that weight
distribution matters a lot. I think the prevailing wisdom is low
and in front, but it would be fun to test that with your son.

You can hollow out the car and then place weights (if this is
still legal) to put the weight where you want it.

I found that having a couple of test vehicles was helpful...the
junior partner gets nervous when his car turns into swiss cheese
during testing. :)

Also, by the way, the physicists in the group will run extensive
calculations to tell you why having the weight in the back
provides more acceleration. What they don't realize is that road
holding turns out to be more important than the incremental force
of gravity -- if the car doesn't stay on the track, etc.

Have fun. It's a great bonding experience. And let the junior
member do some of the work. :)

Lee