60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

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ah8tk
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60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by ah8tk »

Did you know May 15, 2013 celebrates the 60 year anniversary of the 1st Pinewood Derby, in Manhattan Beach, California?

Randy Davis of Maximum-Velocity started my sickness, in March of 2008 when he wrote the article on Pinewood Derby Kit History

A couple of years back Mark (Whodathunkit) Robison showed us his collection of Pinewood Derby kits. I started looking to eBay for old kits. Some older kits (even kits that aren’t so old) are waaaaay overpriced on “the bay”. I even got into a bidding war (even though I did not know I was bidding against him) with Mark on a kit I needed (and still need), but the better man won, thanks Mark.

I had planned to put together a display that would include pictures from the 1st derby, Boys Life articles, other Pinewood Derby articles, Articles about Don Murphy, Don Murphy’s obituary, a progression of building a pinewood car display, drawings of the first kits, and changes to the Pinewood Derby kits through the years. I did purchase the book ”Pinewood, The History of the Pinewood Derby” by Donald W Murphy. This is an excellent book telling about the history of the first Pinewood Derby in Manhattan Beach, California.

Being this PWD season is the 60th anniversary of the 1st Pinewood Derby, I decided that I needed to get my display of the kit history completed so I could display it at the Pinewood Derbies that we assist during the PWD season. I really wanted the kits themselves to be on display so the Cub Scouts, along with their parents could see the metamorphosis of the kit from the original to today’s kit. So I planned ways to show the individual parts in each kit. I eventually want to have the “instructions car” for each of the 5 major step changes I found in the kits. The car will be on the back of the display sitting above the box, something like this:

Image

I knew I wanted the base of the kit displays to be made of clear pine, but I wanted them to contrast the pine blocks that would be mounted to them with dowels. I found a stain from Varathane called “cabernet” that is a nice burgundy color. I have not had any luck (skill?) staining wood, but I figured I would give it a try. I purchased the stain, some wood conditioner and some crystal clear polyurethane. I like the water based clear as it does not impart an amber hue to the finished product like solvent based polyurethane, it remains crystal clear. It actually came out pretty good.

Here is the first kit display I put together I know the box and the number sheet are not correct, it is what I found in the shop at the time:

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If you look at the blocks that come in the kits, especially in the older kits, the blocks do not look very good. The edges are all torn up from the cutting process. This does not really matter when you use the block to make a car because you cut away the block and the car magically appears. So I took the quick way out, I took 6 new bare blocks from Maximum Velocity and machined them to be what I was looking for. That meant I had to make the small parts like axle struts and the cut outs for cockpits.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted for the background of the display, so I showed the display until I came up with something better, this is one of the first times out:

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I had been working on some ideas for signs detailing the years the kits were used and a description of kit to kit changes. I had decided to split a Pinewood Derby block and add a printed trophy plate. This was the original plan for the signs, the gold background showing through a black mask:

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Then I was informed that TrophyKits could not print the black mask on the trophy plates I wanted, they said the process did not always work, so I needed to redesign. Here is how they turned out:

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I cut the axle slots so they looked more like Pinewood Derby blocks. I like the way they turned out.

Here is a picture when the background was being finalized. The background was then printed on vinyl

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Here is the first kit display showing the kit contents, the kit packaging, and a car made from the kit. Not pictured are the kit instructions (these are displayed in front of the kit display):

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During the assembly of parts I decided I needed to make a wheel display. This display has cutaways of the wheels showing the changes throughout the 60 years (OK the 57 years of commercially available kits). I cut the wheels in half and sanded them smooth. I custom made a wood plate to mount the wheels to. I also had a trophy style plate with some CAD style drawings I created printed onto the plate:

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I noticed, in the picture, I have the last 2 wheels placed incorrectly.

Here are some of the other items that are presented on the table with other articles from Boys Life and other pinewood articles (I am hoping that additional items will be thought provoking):

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I must thank Mark (Whodathunkit) who I asked many questions of during this process. Mark also reviewed my kit signs and the background graphic to make sure they were historically correct.

I’m just trying to get this information out to as many as I can, being this is the 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby. Something we all admire here at DerbyTalk.
Last edited by ah8tk on Fri Nov 24, 2017 6:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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FatSebastian
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by FatSebastian »

This would make an incredible addition to the National Scouting Museum's Pinewood Derby exhibit.
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by DerbyDash »

Awesome job!! This is a great visual history of the PWD which I'm sure everyone enjoyed seeing! I know I enjoyed just seeing the pictures!
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by pgosselin »

Awesome job. That's a great collection of information and beautifully displayed.
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by BallBoy »

Fantastic job! I agree with FS that it is a museum quality piece. I like what is presented and how you present it.

Andy, you are a gift to the pinewood derby community, both in terms of car design age workmanship as well as in presenting historical information in such a remarkable way.
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by Derby Gurus »

Beautiful display! Nice work.
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ah8tk
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by ah8tk »

Thanks guys for all of the compliments on the display. I enjoyed putting it all together.
BallBoy wrote:Andy, you are a gift to the pinewood derby community, both in terms of car design age workmanship as well as in presenting historical information in such a remarkable way.
:oops:
Wow, thanks!
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by whodathunkit »

Andy & Noah,

Randy Davis, also started my sickness when he wrote the article on the Pinewood Derby kit history.
I can recall writeing a letter to him asking him if I could use his news letter when ever I displayed the kits that I had collected.
(To my luck he told me yes and that I had to display the news letter in full.)

To this very day when I display the kits I still display his news letter in full also.
Image
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Though my display set up is nothing to the likeing of what you & Noah have put together.
I would like to say thank you.. for offering me a display stand set up also..
And yes.. I would sure welcome the much needed improvement to haveing a History Display Stand
built from the two of you guys.
As I would proudly display it along with what Randy has done also with his news letter.


However Andy & Noah. it was you guys who showed me how to quote like this!
ah8tk wrote: A couple of years back Mark (Whodathunkit) Robison showed us his collection of Pinewood Derby kits. I started looking to eBay for old kits. Some older kits (even kits that aren’t so old) are waaaaay overpriced on “the bay”. I even got into a bidding war (even though I did not know I was bidding against him) with Mark on a kit I needed (and still need), but the better man won, thanks Mark.
I’m just trying to get this information out to as many as I can, being this is the 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby. Something we all admire here at DerbyTalk.
So I'm I .. Andy & Noah "ah8tk"
Would you Guys please send me a PM with your address..
There is a little something I've been holding on to and want to mail out to you guys to have for your History Display!
Image
All three of these kits.. even the one we both were biding on Andy
Look's like the better man.. who won was you after all..

There is one photo that I shared here on DT that you are useing also in the display
that I myself knew nothing about.. this August of 1955 kit ad photo:
Image
Marking the availability of the car kits.
I did not know this guys..so thank you for the info.
FatSebastian wrote:This would make an incredible addition to the National Scouting Museum's Pinewood Derby exhibit.
:agree: FS, What a Job they have done with there 60th anniversary History Display!!

You know FS, to this day when I ask the kids at Cub Scouting Pinewood Derby events..
if they know who founded the Pinwood Derby and why they are raceing the car.
most of the kids just do this :idk: and some of the kids try to answer my questions.
But you know when I take a look back at my very first Pinewood Derby Race as an adult
& over what happend that day...
I found my very self asking the same questions.. of why the kids were raceing the cars..
and telling myself I wish I knew more about this event.

So in my next try with this event.. and with a little help from Randy on the kits from the news letter,
I knew that this was something that I wanted to share with the kids and adults alike in my area.
Little did I know where my research or collecting of all things pinewood derby would take me.
So Thank You for showing me how to post photos here on DT & for giveing me the nick name of Whoda... FS, .

And gpraceman, Thank You for shareing the multiple image resizer with me..
so that I could resize the Photos I've shared with you all here on DerbyTalk.

Mark Robison.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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whodathunkit
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by whodathunkit »

Andy,
It's kits and not kilts as seen in the photo below
You never shared this photo of the display with me to be historically correct.
ah8tk wrote: Image

I must thank Mark (Whodathunkit) who I asked many questions of during this process. Mark also reviewed my kit signs and the background graphic to make sure they were historically correct.

I’m just trying to get this information out to as many as I can, being this is the 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby. Something we all admire here at DerbyTalk.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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ah8tk
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by ah8tk »

Thanks Mark, I fixed it. But not before I printed it on the good paper, at least I didn't laminate it yet.
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by whodathunkit »

ah8tk wrote:Thanks Mark, I fixed it. But not before I printed it on the good paper, at least I didn't laminate it yet.
Looking back I wish I would have done that with my oversized photos and miss spelled words
also.. But hay mistakes happen ;)

Guys...
If any of you ever get the chance to see this History Display "ah8tk" has put together up close.

Let me be the first to tell you guys.. that it's some first rate work!

Thank you for the History Display Andy & Noah.

Whoda.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by whodathunkit »

ah8tk wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:57 am Image
Image

I must thank Mark (Whodathunkit) who I asked many questions of during this process. Mark also reviewed my kit signs and the background graphic to make sure they were historically correct.

I’m just trying to get this information out to as many as I can, being this is the 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby. Something we all admire here at DerbyTalk.
Andy & Noah, I know i'm late with saying this to you now.
I was looking over your history display and at the car plan drawing you sent to me back then..

Today after all the time has pasted by.. I noted this in the drawing .
In the car drawing specifications the one with the measurements seen just under the Boy's Life Oct 1954 drawing.
That the wheel base measurement is show as 5 1/2'' center to center for the axles .
To be historically correct with the page seen in Don Murphy's book Pinewood this measurement is seen as 5 1/4''.

Not picking on you guys in anyway .. just wanted to share this with those looking to build a vintage racer.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by Eagle »

Well Whodathunkit started me down the historical/kit collection. While I have no intention of amassing the full collection he and others have I do appreciate the historical value and your super cool display setup. Not sure how I missed this thread when I scoured the forum, but I am glad you posted here again Mark. Otherwise, I would not have gotten the great info and pics here. I am even more inspired to share the history of PWD.

Looking forward to 2023. Hope http://www.TheWestCoastGrandPrix.com can be a big part of the 70th year celebration.

And, for all those that love the vintage cars and would like to see them race please join us March 17, 2020 in person or via proxy.
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by Speedster »

Mr. Eagle, is the race on March 7th or did you change it to St. Patricks day? I didn't know you were Irish.
Looking forward to the truck racing.
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Re: 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby

Post by ah8tk »

whodathunkit wrote: Sun Dec 29, 2019 5:58 pm
ah8tk wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2013 9:57 am Image
Image

I must thank Mark (Whodathunkit) who I asked many questions of during this process. Mark also reviewed my kit signs and the background graphic to make sure they were historically correct.

I’m just trying to get this information out to as many as I can, being this is the 60th anniversary of the Pinewood Derby. Something we all admire here at DerbyTalk.
Andy & Noah, I know i'm late with saying this to you now.
I was looking over your history display and at the car plan drawing you sent to me back then..

Today after all the time has pasted by.. I noted this in the drawing .
In the car drawing specifications the one with the measurements seen just under the Boy's Life Oct 1954 drawing.
That the wheel base measurement is show as 5 1/2'' center to center for the axles .
To be historically correct with the page seen in Don Murphy's book Pinewood this measurement is seen as 5 1/4''.

Not picking on you guys in anyway .. just wanted to share this with those looking to build a vintage racer.
Thanks Mark for pointing this error out. I have fixed it on my drawing, not sure how that happened. I have uploaded the fixed drawings.

Andy
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