ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

General discussions for car and semi-truck racers.
livgren65
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ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by livgren65 »

Love to begin a group of RA racer Derby fans, car builders, etc. Let's see what you have!! Visit the website Grand Prix Central and check out the 10th, 11th pages of the Visitor's photos section to see some Georgia RA cars! Post your own! Would love to see what other folks are doing!!!
The Best to you all! Grace and Peace from Livgren65
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FRANKLIN WHALEY
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by FRANKLIN WHALEY »

LG65, Welcome to the board! I've been involved in RA's in S.C. for five years. This is my son's last year as a Crusader. Next year he'll move up to our youth/challenger program. He's done pretty well over the years. He's been to the state race twice and won it all both times. We have the honor this year of hosting the state race, so we hope he can three pete. It will be held on April 22nd. PM me if you want to come, I'll send you directions. You can see his two state champ cars on the photo thread.It's under the heading 2004 and 2005 RA Racers. Also, I have my mobile home car posted. Our cars are nothing to compare with the workmanship of yours on the Gran Prix site. The wheels on the King Tut car look like Razors. If those were milled from standard RA wheels, someone did a great job. From the design of the car and wheels it looks like it would have been very fast. We have not been having a design competetion, but from the looks of your success, we may have to start one. Good luck with the RA car site. Most aspects of building RA cars are like BSA cars, but there are some differences that could be discussed.
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livgren65
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by livgren65 »

Razors they are. We are allowed to "mix and match" wheels from different kits, but only in the Craftsmanship competition. This car would be illegal in a race. Does SC have church, association, region, and state levels? Georgia has 8 regions and so by the time we get to state, most of the cars competing in speed run so close together, there is almost noe seperation, until the finish line. Thank goodness for Grand Prix Race manager timer. We don't do double elimination. Lane rotation on four lanes. Here's where my year got a bit crazy. 6 weekends in a row from mid-Feb to mid-March did I do derby! Wife hated it!!!!!!!! First weekend it was helping run Pack 486. Next weekend it was running both our church and association RA derbies. Next weekend it was the Pack 485 derby (my son and I are in this one.) The next weekend it was the District derby, which my son won in speed. Then I had a full week of a mission trip doing Hurricane katrina relief work in Alabama. Day after I got back it was the regional RA derby, located 1hour away. Finally, the next weekend it was the huge state derby, an all day affair. For this year, I am DERBIED OUT! (Oh, the week following the state derby we had to take pics of cars and send them off to Lowe's Dremel Derby design competition.) One more year of Cub scouts derby, then we are finished there. One more year of RA derby until my son is a youth, then we'll probably just race as adult and Challengers. My son says he wants to make an intricate banana split car. I want to make a precise Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, or if not that a Dr. Suess inspired car that is half animal and half car. The trick is that I want to make it a fast car as well. Better get to work carving this summer, heh?
The Best to you all! Grace and Peace from Livgren65
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FRANKLIN WHALEY
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by FRANKLIN WHALEY »

Sorry it took so long to get back to your questions! We only have church and some assoc. races. Then the state race is open to everyone. It's usually done in conjuction with a track meet held by our state Baptist Conv. office. This year they decided not to have the track meet part. So I have been given the task of putting on the state car race. It's alot of phone calls and emails, but hopefully all the work will produce something that will grow Ambassadors For Christ. I thought those looked like Razor wheels. Those are much better than anything that can be produced from kit wheels. They wouldn't be legal in our race either. It sounds like you are even more busy with RA's and Scouts than me. I didn't think it was possible. Let me know if I can help! I can always find some more time for a good cause!!
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by RMoose »

Hello Livgren65,

Sounds like Georgia RA's are very active! :D

I have worked for about 6 years with RA's in NC. We used to do church, association, and then 3 regional races, but no state-wide race. Three years ago they merged the regional races into 1 state-wide event - so now it is church, association, and the state race. Only the top two finishers in the association races are eligible for the state race. We race RA's & Challengers; but also GA's and Acteens at the state race.

For the past two years, my church has hosted our local association race and the state event. This year we had over 200 cars at the state race. Three events to help plan and carry out is about enough for me along with the other activities going on! Sounds like you are even busier thought, so God bless and keep up the good work! :bigups:
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livgren65
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by livgren65 »

Tell me something. What year did the North Carolina RA Racer derby Day patch come out? Is it the same one every year? Also, if you are interested in trading for some Georgia RA patches for North Carolina patches (and that goes for anyone from other states reading this) contact me at wmbeaver@hotmail and maybe we can swap. :roll:
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by RMoose »

The NC RA Race Day patch started 3 years ago when the state-wide race began. Before that, the boys got a RA Congress patch since the races were a part of the three regional Congresses: Western, Central, and Eastern, that were held at that time. When the single state-wide race was started we needed a new activity patch for it.

The patch does not have a date on it and has been the same patch each year. :( I think it would be nice to have one with the year on it, but I understand that would increase costs. Unfortunately, I do not have any extra ones, only the one on my vest. Since they are the same each year I have not bothered to get a new one each year.

If you're still interested next year, I could pick up some extra ones then. Might be a good idea to remind me. Our state race is usually mid-March to early April.
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by Stephen's Dad »

Does Royal Ambassador make their own cars? I have only ever seen the official BSA Grand Prix & Pinecar kits. How does RA differ from these?
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by FRANKLIN WHALEY »

RA car kits are made by two companies. Raracers.net in DeSoto TX. That's where we get our cars. The other is RoyalRacers.com in Sparta TN. The main difference in RA and BSA is the wheels. RA wheels are much thinner and come to a point on the tread surface. Similiar to the size of Razors. Don't get me wrong, they're nowhere near as good as Razors. Especially the hubes. But if you buy an extra set, chances are you'll end up with four very good wheels. The axles on the other hand take alot more work than BSA. Some have deep scratches where the hub would run. They all have egg shaped heads and have to be rounded and straightened. But everybodies using the same kind, so it's fair. As of right now, no company I'm aware of makes after market wheels or axles for RA cars. And the BSA stuff can be spotted from across the room. So we don't have to worry too much about ebay cars. "Yet"!
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by RMoose »

In NC we order kits from RoyalRacers in Sparta, TN since the state rules direct you to use them. I think on their order form the RA wheels are called 1/4 inch tapered wheels - which is a pretty good description. Otherwise the kits are nearly identical to BSA kits in appearance. I would agree with Franklin that the axles are rough and need a lot of work. Interestingly, the wood blocks are not pine - but a wood that is softer and lighter. I would guess popular or basswood.

The NC RA rules are put out by the state each fall. They require the "RA" wheels, cars must have an RA emblem clearly displayed, and the current year must be stamped or carved on the bottom of the car. Our rules also allow car length to be up to 7 and 3/8 inches. Other dimensions are typical of what you see with BSA cars, which by the way, are strictly outlawed! I think RA rules vary from state to state, so these apply only in NC. We have no restrictions on lubes either, but cannot modify wheels except for light sanding - so the Georgia RA cars with the razor wheels would be illegal in NC!
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livgren65
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by livgren65 »

I have heard it said at our Georgia state derby that there is talk of hosting a national RA Racer derby in 2008, our 100th anniversary. But I am not sure that would work. For one thing, getting all the folks there to the national site...and where would that be exactly? Also, what rules would we follow? each state has its own RA racer derby rules. So to take a car that has won at the state level under that state's rules, and run it against another car from a different state, just isn't right. It's racing apples versus oranges. Nobody wins.

Now, JUST FOR FUN, at each national Southern Baptist Convention, there can be a FUN national derby for those who remember to bring their cars. Race them in two divisions: Standard wheelbase division and extended wheelbase division. Only RA racer derby kits wheels allowed. No razors. Wonder how many folks would bring cars?
The Best to you all! Grace and Peace from Livgren65
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by livgren65 »

By the way, anyone know where UI can visit on this site or on the web to get an education about "rail riders" derby cars? I am intrigued, but a little confused. What does a rail rider car look like (top and bottom). How many wheels does it run on? Where is the wheelbase set? Where is the weight? Are any wheels not touching the track? And if all four have to be on the floor, so be it -- just, what does a rail rider car do, theoretically?
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by RMoose »

Livgren65,

I have heard talk of a national race to celebrate the 100th anniversary of RA's, but have not heard anything official. I also wonder how they would be able to have a fair race with the different state rules. Your idea for a race at the national convention sounds like a good idea to me. Once word gets around I would expect there would be a lot of interest!

For the rail riding, you can search with "rail riding" or "rail hugging" and find a lot of the conversations for that topic. I think the post which started it all was a few months back under the forum heading "Car & Semi-Truck Construction" with the title "alignment and 3-wheelers" if you page far enough there you should find it. Happy Hunting!
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by PW Grasshopper »

RMoose wrote:Interestingly, the wood blocks are not pine - but a wood that is softer and lighter. I would guess popular or basswood.
I am happy to find a few BSA blocks that are 80 grams. Do you know how much the RA blocks are?
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Re: ANYONE ELSE INTO ROYAL AMBASSADOR DERBY CARS???

Post by RMoose »

PW Grasshopper,

I only have a couple of the Royal Racers kits left: one with a full size block that weighs 90.6 grams, and the other is a wedge shape, basically half a block, and it weighs 47.0 grams.

Not sure if these are representative or if they are high/low. They have not been modified, just left lying out in the workshop.

Now these two are lighter than the kits from RA Racers in TX, I have a few of their kits from past years and they weigh in the 135-140 gram range for a full-size block.
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