Exclusion of other car manufactures.

[BigSilver]

Quick question, Do any of you allow open use of any car kit for your race? In other words is there a valid reason for only using BSA cars. Do the car types offer any advantage over others due to wheel size, axle configuration, ect. Or is the exclusion due to uniformity and patronage of BSA vendor? This can expand to include all vendor kits as well. I have several families in the pack who are building Awana cars and that results in many families building multiple cars.
Thanks

[Stan Pope]

Depends on applicable local rules.

Here, there is no restriction on parts source. Many are homemade, such as wheels, or adapted from other applications, such as small ball bearings.

[gpraceman]

I have several families in the pack who are building Awana cars and that results in many families building multiple cars.

It does depend on your local rules. Often these are adopted from district or council rules.

We have run in pack and Awana races and we've just changed out wheels and axles. However, it is good to ask and make sure it is OK. Afterall, a block is a block and you are building a new car for the year, so why have to build two (unless you really want to)?

[BigSilver]

I want to clarify that I am seeking to simplify next years Pack rules as we do not have any District level PWD. Thought I could simplify requirements and make things easier for my busy families that would need to build multiple cars to comply with the current rules. Swapping out wheels and axles is certainly and acceptable solution for this years race. I am also curious if any of the kits offer measurable advantage or disadvantage due to wheel / axle combination.

[Stan Pope]

I think that some of the wheels come out of the box better than BSA wheels. Also, some have lower inertia. If you leave it open, folks will gravitate toward the best performing wheels regardless of manufacturer, but there will be some justifiable grumbling among the newcomers.

[gpraceman]

I am also curious if any of the kits offer measurable advantage or disadvantage due to wheel / axle combination.

Personally, I think you should stick to a standard set of wheels and axles. There are enough differences between the wheel/axle combinations that you end up with an uneven playing field. Some may grumble about Awana axles being used (machined pins not nails) and others may grumble about the one piece PineCar axles and yet others would grumble about using Royal Ranger wheels (very narrow). Best to let everyone start with parts from the same kit.

[BigSilver]

Thanks for your comments. I have just learned that one of my Tiger Den parents sold Pinecar pre cut kits to our Tiger Den. The Tiger father had asked me if I had a problem with the standard Pinecar block kits if we used the BSA axles and wheels and I had not understood that he intended to sell our Tigers the pre cut kits. I will have a polite talk with him at my next builders work shop to make sure all our Tigers have the Pack rules and explain to him that he inadvertently cut into our Pack's funds for the trophies. We sell the BSA car kits at the Pack meeting for $4.00 and used the difference in cost from the Scout Shop to help defray the cost of the trophies. The Tiger father is new to Scouting and is well meaning but I can tell I will need to hone my communication skills and work up a modification to our Pack rules to limit the use of precut kits. I also have a Webelows father that showed up at our builders workshop with one of Maximum Velocities precut cars, axles, and BSA wheels and had to agree that it was acceptable within our current rules but that there was very little for his son to learn by taking the precut car path. He was clearly buying his way to the top and didn’t understand the learning process he and his son were missing out on. Again thanks for the great comments and suggestions. This is a great resource and the site has the right focus in the true Scouting spirit.

[ranman106]

Our District allows pre-cut cars from other manufactures but they have to use BSA wheels and axles. Our pack rules state BSA only. To match District, our rulles will probably change next year. I can't remember another manufacture winning a District derby though.

[ranman106]

I also have a Webelows father that showed up at our builders workshop with one of Maximum Velocities precut cars, axles, and BSA wheels and had to agree that it was acceptable within our current rules but that there was very little for his son to learn by taking the precut car path. He was clearly buying his way to the top and didn’t understand the learning process he and his son were missing out on.

I see it happened to you as well. One of these "kit" cars dominated our Pack race this year. The District is Saturday so we will see what happens. IMHO, he will dominate there as well. Dad spent $30.00 to buy his son a few trophies.

[SpinDoctor]

Our pack gives every scout a BSA kit (acutally I think the district may give them to us).