Soapbox (car)
This article is about a motor-less vehicle. For information about the East German automobile with plastic body panels sometimes referred to as the "Soapbox", see Trabant. |
Children racing soapbox cars |
A
soapbox car (also variously known as a
soapbox cart,
billykart) is a motor-less vehicle capable of holding a driver (usually a child) built for the purpose of racing or recreation. Propelled by
gravity, soapbox cars can reach upwards of 30 miles per hour. Originally, soapbox cars were built from orange crates and rollerskate wheels, but have grown more sophisticated over time, with materials like
aluminum and
fiberglass being utilized.
In the
United Kingdom a soapbox car is called a
buggy,
trolley,
cart or
cartie. It is also sometimes called a
go-kart, although that more properly refers to
a similar vehicle with a motor. In Scotland they are described as a
"bogey".
In addition to being something often built by children, there are organised competitions and races ("soapbox derby") that often engage the enthusiasm of adults. However, these things are usually entered into in a spirit of fun rather than serious competition. Often these will be fund-raisers for
charity. Many, but not all, events impose the following rules:
*The car must have no
motor*The car must have at least 4
wheels
*The car must have some type of
brakes
*The driver must wear a
helmet*A push at the top is allowed for extra speed
*Materials must cost less than $300.00
Soapbox cars weigh an average of 150 pounds and reach top speeds of 19 to 30 mph.[
1] Many cities have permanent tracks where drivers compete for prizes.
|
An official Soap Box Derby racer from 1967 |
A typical soap-box cart is made of
wood, and has four
wheels, arranged as a fixed rear
axle, and a steerable front beam axle - usually with a very simple single central
pivot. A seat is arranged at the back, and perhaps the seat area is enclosed, as in the original soap-box design. More sophisticated designs might employ a fully-enclosed body. The types of wheels employed vary according to what can be obtained easily - wheels from baby carriages, pushchairs, prams, and discarded
bicycles being common. Ready-made wheels are also available from hardware suppliers. Steering is typically effected using foot control, or perhaps using a rope connected to the ends of the steerable beam (which can then double as a useful manual pulling device).
More sophisticated steering methods are rarely seen.
Brakes are also not commonly used, though some soap-box cart racing contests require these. Often a simple friction brake operated by a lever which bears on one of the tires is all that is needed, which will be of dubious effectiveness.
Soap-box carts are unpowered, and are either pushed by willing helpers, or are run down a suitable slope. Races will usually take place downhill and the most efficient and skillfully driven cart will win -
gravity applying equally to all.
Soap-box carts also make great construction projects for children, requiring only an intuitive sense of
engineering, and a few basic construction skills. There are also predesigned kits available, though for many this defeats the purpose of the exercise.
In
1933,
Dayton Daily News newspaper photographer
Myron Scott of
Dayton,
Ohio had covered a race of boy-built cars in his home community and was so taken with the idea that he acquired its copyright; the national-scale
Soap Box Derby grew out of this idea. In
1934, Scott had managed to persuade fifty cities across the United States to hold soap box car races and send a champion each to Dayton for a major race, later held in
Akron. Scott later went on to work for
Chevrolet.
In the UK, soap box derbies have recently become more popular, brought to the masses by large events such as the
Red Bull race and that held between 2000 and 2004 at the
Goodwood Festival of Speed. Now, many small hilly communities organise their own races, such as the
Catterline Cartie Challenge in Scotland and the
Belchford Downhill Challenge in Lincolnshire.
*
pushcart derby*
Pinewood Derby*
Thomas Kreuzer (soapbox stuntman)
*
Goodwood Festival of Speed (hosted its own soapbox derby between 2000 and 2004)
*
Red Bull Soap Box Race *
Wagon*
"The Object at Hand," Smithsonian Magazine, May 1995*
Educational Resources for Children (with pictures)*
Zero Error Racing,Inc. - Tips, tricks, aftermarket parts, advise, and tools
*
The Catterline Cartie Challenge. - Cartie racing near
Stonehaven in the North East of Scotland.
*[
2] Soap box racing in Belchford, Lincolnshire, UK.
