Prop Rod 2022 (a CEF contest idea)

It would be cool I never built a powered land-based vehicles using an airscrew(s) for propulsion.

As with all contests there needs to be a Contest Director. Are you volunteering Roddie?

I'm in if we have until April to run/video/YouTube the runs. I'll need that long to build in 30 minute increments between all the other stuff I'm doing.

I recommend two classes. The first is a single Babe Bee in any frame. The intent is to make this easy for anyone to jump in. Speed is the contest.

The second class is Unlimited. This one is the really interesting one for the "Braggadocios" to entertain us...anything goes.

Or, just like the Engine of the Month contest, vote for fan favorite. If this is the only criteria, then I propose it must be functional, and verified by video. Otherwise we are voting on shelf art. RSV Bob's 3 engine biplanes may be the the winner...if they skate along (yep, pitched because I want to see at least one move )



I'll be watching for the rules. Mine will run.

This sounds like a riot. If I can find the time I'd participate. It'll be a bit of a rough expedient build. Thinking of using one of the Cub scouts gravity car block of wood kits. Bolt a bee on like the photos above show and go.

I am in

I'm in too, but I ain't bird dogging the thing. But I will contribute a prize for the winner.

Since this post come on I have resisted the urge to enter. I have three motorcycle projects on the go , from small to all out, my brothers race bike is in a million bits as we complete engine and frame mods, my washing line needs repairs blah blah etc etc. But then reading the post again (actually several times) I realised it doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a Cox Bee type engine on a simple chassis with the emphasis on speed. I can do that.
Okay I'm in

Will rocket assist be allowed in unlimited class

Cribbs74 wrote:As with all contests there needs to be a Contest Director. Are you volunteering Roddie?

No I'm not. I'm sorry if I gave that impression by coming up with this contest idea. Some of you may have noticed that I don't post nearly as much as I used to. My job is about to get VERY busy.. as I have been promoted to Senior CNC operator and I'm told that there's a HUGE amount of work coming.

I would however; gladly give my input on some rules/guidelines.

944_Jim wrote:
I recommend two classes. The first is a single Babe Bee in any frame. The intent is to make this easy for anyone to jump in. Speed is the contest.

Sorry Guys...I'd like to make one change. Strike Baby Bee and replace with "reedie." I don't want to fight a recalcitrant fuel pickup tube on a pusher configuration. I think a cube tank will be easier to manage,.especially if hand built. For those that want to use a Bee, go right ahead as it IS a reedie.

What says CD, and players?

Rules:
We need a line length. I'm not familiar with the Shrike beyond thinking as futuristic as it was, it just didn't grab me as something I just had to have.

Since reedie can also imply a Queen Bee, should we limit displacement? Frankly, I'd like to see a QB do it's thing. I don't have one, so it could be an automatic win. Or the size of the crate it pushes may offset the increases displacement. Again, CD, participants...what say you?

From my limited experience line length depends a lot on the weight of the car and the speed it can achieve. The car that is my avatar I first ran on 4.5m line and soon found that was too short. The car once up to speed was only running on the outside wheels as the inside wheels had lifted off the ground with the centrifugal force from the tightness of the circle. I went to a 6.5m line and then all wheels stayed on the surface and the car tracked well. Easier on the tires too.
Dave

944_Jim wrote:Since reedie can also imply a Queen Bee, should we limit displacement? Frankly, I'd like to see a QB do it's thing. I don't have one, so it could be an automatic win. Or the size of the crate it pushes may offset the increases displacement. Again, CD, participants...what say you?

I have a queen bee, though I’m not too interested in the lower power to weight or seeing it roll and damage the engine

My thoughts are keep it to .049s unless there are at least 2 people representative of each other cox displacement (020, 010, 15, etc) that want to compete with each other.
I also think each displacement should be separated into reed and rotary valve engines. Possibly add “mostly stock engines” (maybe different head, or slightly different backing plate, a mildly modified engine) and “modified engines” (completely different cylinders, crank, bored Venturi, etc) categories on top of “stock engines”

As far as chassis’s go, maybe specify length, width, weight parameters for each displacement if more than 049 participate




My 2 cents

Sounds like another fun contest.


If someone is interested in being the Contest Director as Ron suggests, and we can get some clear rules and guidelines laid out, I think we could get this going. Keep the refinements and ideas coming.

As for prizes, I bet we could scare something up. I know I have a few engines that, while used, are pretty special that I think would be good for a prize.

My concern with having a bunch of classes is that we'll stratisfy this so much that there will be more classes and too few entrants per class. That's why I suggested a crowd-favorite, a reedie class, and unlimited. Besides how many prizes are there? Of we did first, second,.third place, that's nine prizes. The first award hasn't been early specified yet. I'm ok with one prize per class, even if we have only one class.

I'm not in it to win...just to have some cheap fun! I want to see whackiest, but I also want to see a well-sorted performer. Fred mentioned rocket assist. Imagine watching that video!

Rules V2: Reedie class, one engine, any construction, any line length,..049-only. Line specs...there ain't one...if your roller skate jumps course, you are disqualified. If your roller skate employs a fixed leadout, then the lead out cannot exceed 3 times the vehicle length (this is to promote vehicle stability only).Video must show line length by walk-through from center of control tower (nail, screw, post) to crankshaft centerline just after the run, regardless of the vehicle stop point...in other words, no stopping video (and switching lines)...rioller skate stops, tape measure starts/completes, video ends. An assistant may be employed to keep the video rolling from at least quantifying laps to measurement. This gives us circumference of run, and timed run for speed evaluation. Fastest 5 laps, so we can use the ones going into the lean burn on fuel exhaustion, and then roll right into the tape measured line quantification. It also allows for tuning the line length for best effect as demonstrated above by Davenz. Video must show clear view of your timer "gate," such as a piece of duct tape a spray-painted line, orange cone just outside the circle, or a one-leg.over pass that clearly shows the vehicle passing under it. This is for counting laps easily. A rolling start is allowed since this isn't for shortest time around a course, but for highest speed achieved. This is intended to keep the videos short. CD must be able to see the vehicle running most of the circle, although the clearly discernable part MUST show the vehicle crossing/passing the gate...the gate does NOT have to be the engine start point, nor does the engine start have to be recorded. In other words, show the fastest laps, and then the line legth proof in the same video. This is to reduce the required CD evaluation effort.

The text-description must be on the YouTube video and must declare your qualifying 5 laps by time within video so CD can just jump to the "money-shots." Example: "This video is my goofball tethered-aircar speed contest entry for the "CEF Cablecar COVID Rally 2022." My line length from pole to crankshaft centerline is (insert legth/meters down to the centimeter). My qualifying laps are from timeframe (start) to time frame (end), for a calculated speed of x.yz meters per second."
I'm recommending metric to draw in the rest of the world, speed to be down to 2 decimal places.

More than one entry per person, but only one video of each entry. In other words, if you want to build/show more than one, have at it

Ok, gents...any fine tuning in reedie class?  We can go for fastest laps only, IF we agree on Gentlemen's terms regarding line length.(reported, not proven). That could make things even easier for CD.

Here are the rules we used last time , i think https://www.coxengineforum.com/t12363-the-cars-are-the-stars-contest?highlight=cars+are+the+stars But first we need a CD !?!?

Jim_944
I like it, however
I may be the only person, but I’d really like to use my tee dee 049... if we could squeeze some sort of tee dee class in there that would be awesome

I just watched two videos...we may need a higher lap count in order to have better resolution. Five laps is a blink!

LukeMeister, my concern is that there won't be enough prizes to have a bunch of classes. That's why I broke it down to Reedies and Unlimited. I would love to see any and all creations! We still need to petition/advocate for a CD.

Reedie .049 and Unlimited .049/.051 should do it ?

944_Jim wrote:I just watched two videos...we may need a higher lap count in order to have better resolution. Five laps is a blink!

LukeMeister, my concern is that there won't be enough prizes to have a bunch of classes. That's why I broke it down to Reedies and Unlimited. I would love to see any and all creations! We still need to petition/advocate for a CD.

Ah I must have missed the unlimited part
I’m game!

I would like to start designing my car soon but I need some specs
Let’s get some chassis rules laid out

Ps I’m too busy to be the contest director, otherwise I’d love to do it

Bee patiant there is plenty of time ... here is what i wanted ya'll to see >> https://www.coxengineforum.com/t12998-2019-official-cars-are-the-stars-entry-submission-thread-locked?highlight=cars+are+the+stars+winner

"LukeMeister, my concern is that there won't be enough prizes to have a bunch of classes. That's why I broke it down to Reedies and Unlimited. I would love to see any and all creations! We still need to petition/advocate for a CD."

One should not worry about prizes on CEF

But no CD to set rules, answer questions and PMs, Evaluate all videos, determine winners and arrange for prizes to be distributed must be addressed NOW or this all is just cool commiserating

Ron's condensed rules from the previous contest.  They need to be reconciled with Jim's suggestions above.  

Below the rules as discussed between Mark and Lieven:

1) vehicle driving on land and gas powered by a Cox engine (from .010 TD to .15 Conquest)

2) Propeller driven or axle driven

3) 3 categories:

Stock - Cox production cars w/accessories i.e. Cox gas powered car track, fuel cans, packaging etc.

Modified - Cox production cars with customized body/engine. with Cox engine power.

Open class - home built, scratch built, other makes than Cox with Cox engine power.

4) One entry and category submitted per contestant. All categories are show or run. One winner per category by voting.

5) I set a delay at 6 months. That means that entries will be posted on a thread opened on let's say 1 June 2019.

6) Each entry consists of 2 pictures: 1 of the car and 1 of the chassis and engine. For prop driven cars, where the engine is in most cases exposed, the second picture can be a different angle or detail. A video with the car running is a bonus. A back story about the car, owner and where the picture was taken can be added.

There could be a building or restoration thread during wintertime.

I would suggest a tether straight line option also, but this would eliminate the speed/lap factor.  Also define vehicle.....anything on wheels no matter what it resembles.  Anyone up to writing a numbered clearly understandable set of rules like above?  It could be something as simple as run what you brung.

Edit:

How about:

Any Cox engine powered vehicle/contraption running on wheels.

Tether circle circumference set at 30 feet. Prizes for fastest lap and most laps completed.

Straight line tether prizes for weirdest contraption (by popular vote) to complete a minimum of 25 feet and the longest distance traversed.

No classes

Total of four prizes.

KISS - Keep it Simple Stupid....................

Modify as seen fit!