Demolition Derby.
I was talking to Dave the Wrecker not too long ago. He was reminiscing about his days as a
Things to do and know if you want to WIN!:
* Remove all glass and all plastic fittings, wiring etc, both external and internal. This saves you picking shards of it out of your hands and torso..
* Weld or chain all doors shut. Nothing to ruin your day like a front door flying at your face.
* Run chains or wire across where the windscreen used to be. They'll catch that flying passenger door.
* Replace bodywork bolts with sturdier versions that will be less likely to shear off.
* Cut a hole in the bonnet to allow easy access to engine fires.
* Remount exhaust manifolds upside down so that exhaust emerges from the hole in the bonnet to keep the engine bay cooler n to facilitate mad flames from the bonnet to scare all the little children in the crowd!
* Reroute the fuel lines and main power so as to refit the fuel tank and battery into the space formerly occupied by the back seats. Electrical sparks + petrol = BAD!
* Paint your drivers door white and put a number on it. Opponents caught intentionally striking this door may be disqualified.
* Run lengths of chain across the back of the drivers seat, particularly if it is a benchseat. Repeated big hits will cause the seat to buckle. Without the seat for support you will very likely pull the steering wheel off and break your nose with it when you smash it thru your helmets visor.
* Illegal mods such as pouring concrete into doors and other car body cavities will lead to disqualification...
* Use tall, bias ply, inner-tubed tyres. A real champion Demo Derby Driver finishes on his inner tubes!
* Weld the diff gears together or get a locker differential. Two wheels = more traction!
* Turn the idle up real high so the engine doesnt stall and so your car sounds like a mean, revving its tits off, hardarse motherfucker!
* Install thermo fans. They will not seize the engine when they get smashed to pieces.
* Cocoon all coolant hoses in duct tape to help prevent ruptures.
* Bash creases into the bootlid, bonnet, front and rear guards. This allows these areas to bend upwards and mangle along desired and predicted lines, facilitating longer integrity.
* Replace rear coil springs with leaf springs where possible on rear wheel drive vehicles. Leaf springs can be bent sideways and still maintain a hold on the cars driveline. Coils springs tend to shoot out sideways and kill spectators.
* Rear wheel drive cars tend to be sturdier, yet are incapacitated more easily due to damage to the tailshaft and rear axle housing. Front wheel drive cars tend to be less sturdy but can take repeated rear end impacts without damage to the front end driveline.
* Most Demo Derbies have a speed limit of 50kph/30mph. This can be enforced by the disconnection of all but the 1st, 2nd and reverse gear linkages on a manual vehicle, or the disconnection of 'Drive' on an automatic. An older vehicle with a two speed auto can be both disadvantageous and not.
* The Demo derby field is usually water saturated to create a muddy surface. This helps slow participants down, allow vehicles to slide when impacted and it also tends to soak up the oil, water and various other fluids that haemoragging vehicles tend to spew from torn workings. Despite this many European countries have banned Demo Derbies for environmental reasons.
* If you are really game, there are also Demo Derbies for cars towing caravans, combine harvesters, busses and ride-on lawnmowers...
* 'Free-for-all' demo derbies are popular in the USA, Canada and Australia. In Europe and Great Britain, 'Banger Races' are more common, these being actual circuit races where participants can impact each others vehicles. Invariably, most banger races become free-for-all demolition derbies.
* In the USA, popular cars have included Chevrolet Impalas, Ford Crown Victorias, Pontiac Parisienne', Oldsmobile 88's .
* In the UK, popular cars have included Ford Cortina's, Ford Granada's, Nissan Bluebirds, Vauxhall Cavaliers.
* In Australia, popular cars have included Holden Kingswood's, Ford Falcons, Chrysler Valiants Holden Commodores.
* In recent rears demo derby has changed a lot, as older sturdier vehicles are rare and to use them in such wanton destruction is seen as unethical. Thus demo derbies featuring Corolla's, Astra's, Peugeot's, Camry's and Accord's have become more common.
* 1960's Chrysler Imperial's are internationally banned from car demo derbies as they are too sturdy and cannot usually be beaten by other car impacts.
* Volvo's are renowned international Demo Derby Champions... as you might expect.
* Drive hard; spend a lot of time in reverse; dont stop when you hit, keep pushing and keep moving!
* Take a week off work after each derby so you can regain movement of your neck.
Things to do and know if you want to WIN!:
* Remove all glass and all plastic fittings, wiring etc, both external and internal. This saves you picking shards of it out of your hands and torso..
* Weld or chain all doors shut. Nothing to ruin your day like a front door flying at your face.
* Run chains or wire across where the windscreen used to be. They'll catch that flying passenger door.
* Replace bodywork bolts with sturdier versions that will be less likely to shear off.
* Cut a hole in the bonnet to allow easy access to engine fires.
* Remount exhaust manifolds upside down so that exhaust emerges from the hole in the bonnet to keep the engine bay cooler n to facilitate mad flames from the bonnet to scare all the little children in the crowd!
* Reroute the fuel lines and main power so as to refit the fuel tank and battery into the space formerly occupied by the back seats. Electrical sparks + petrol = BAD!
* Paint your drivers door white and put a number on it. Opponents caught intentionally striking this door may be disqualified.
* Run lengths of chain across the back of the drivers seat, particularly if it is a benchseat. Repeated big hits will cause the seat to buckle. Without the seat for support you will very likely pull the steering wheel off and break your nose with it when you smash it thru your helmets visor.
* Illegal mods such as pouring concrete into doors and other car body cavities will lead to disqualification...
* Use tall, bias ply, inner-tubed tyres. A real champion Demo Derby Driver finishes on his inner tubes!
* Weld the diff gears together or get a locker differential. Two wheels = more traction!
* Turn the idle up real high so the engine doesnt stall and so your car sounds like a mean, revving its tits off, hardarse motherfucker!
* Install thermo fans. They will not seize the engine when they get smashed to pieces.
* Cocoon all coolant hoses in duct tape to help prevent ruptures.
* Bash creases into the bootlid, bonnet, front and rear guards. This allows these areas to bend upwards and mangle along desired and predicted lines, facilitating longer integrity.
* Replace rear coil springs with leaf springs where possible on rear wheel drive vehicles. Leaf springs can be bent sideways and still maintain a hold on the cars driveline. Coils springs tend to shoot out sideways and kill spectators.
* Rear wheel drive cars tend to be sturdier, yet are incapacitated more easily due to damage to the tailshaft and rear axle housing. Front wheel drive cars tend to be less sturdy but can take repeated rear end impacts without damage to the front end driveline.
* Most Demo Derbies have a speed limit of 50kph/30mph. This can be enforced by the disconnection of all but the 1st, 2nd and reverse gear linkages on a manual vehicle, or the disconnection of 'Drive' on an automatic. An older vehicle with a two speed auto can be both disadvantageous and not.
* The Demo derby field is usually water saturated to create a muddy surface. This helps slow participants down, allow vehicles to slide when impacted and it also tends to soak up the oil, water and various other fluids that haemoragging vehicles tend to spew from torn workings. Despite this many European countries have banned Demo Derbies for environmental reasons.
* If you are really game, there are also Demo Derbies for cars towing caravans, combine harvesters, busses and ride-on lawnmowers...
* 'Free-for-all' demo derbies are popular in the USA, Canada and Australia. In Europe and Great Britain, 'Banger Races' are more common, these being actual circuit races where participants can impact each others vehicles. Invariably, most banger races become free-for-all demolition derbies.
* In the USA, popular cars have included Chevrolet Impalas, Ford Crown Victorias, Pontiac Parisienne', Oldsmobile 88's .
* In the UK, popular cars have included Ford Cortina's, Ford Granada's, Nissan Bluebirds, Vauxhall Cavaliers.
* In Australia, popular cars have included Holden Kingswood's, Ford Falcons, Chrysler Valiants Holden Commodores.
* In recent rears demo derby has changed a lot, as older sturdier vehicles are rare and to use them in such wanton destruction is seen as unethical. Thus demo derbies featuring Corolla's, Astra's, Peugeot's, Camry's and Accord's have become more common.
* 1960's Chrysler Imperial's are internationally banned from car demo derbies as they are too sturdy and cannot usually be beaten by other car impacts.
* Volvo's are renowned international Demo Derby Champions... as you might expect.
* Drive hard; spend a lot of time in reverse; dont stop when you hit, keep pushing and keep moving!
* Take a week off work after each derby so you can regain movement of your neck.