How about the teams build rocket racers?

Unmanned devices which run along a fixed rail, the challenge is to do 1/4 or 1/2 mile in the shortest time possible.

Kerosene would be a choice for fuel, LOX would be cooler ;)

Failures are likely to be spectacular ;)

(To reply in email replace blort dot invalid with anime dot net)

-- Dan Hollis (goemon@blort.invalid), January 08, 2001

Answers

How about a 100lb Co2 tank layed on it's side hooked to a small rail car and then knock the top off with a sledge hammer. Now that's drama!!! We used to make rockets with small Co2 cartridges, hooked to a taught wire between two trees. On one tree we'd put a nail sticking out and then slam the rocket back to hit the nail. That sucker would fly!!!

-- John Gap (mindthegap64@hotmail.com), January 09, 2001.

Well if we make it a "best time of 3 races", then simply breaking the neck off a compressed gas bottle wouldnt work too well...

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-- Dan Hollis (goemon@blort.invalid), January 10, 2001.

Hey Dan, I was just joking about whacking off the end of the tank. A valve of some sort would have to be attached....I should have put....Ha Ha after that comment....

-- John Gap (mindthegap64@hotmail.com), January 10, 2001.

I can see it now. The first JYW fatalities. Headline reads, "Hillbilly is hit by 100mph, 100 lb., Co2 bottle; cause was bad bodging!"

-- Tyson Fortowsky (biker_tyboy@hotmail.com), January 11, 2001.

It could be done with a good degree of safety as rocket dragsters using the same solid propellent motors use in other episodes. As far as 100mph goes that depends on the power to weight ratio and how much drag the whole car would produce. We also would use drag chutes to slow down. Been there done that.

-- James Tucci (Jtucci@archion.com), January 12, 2001.

Yeah Right....you'll probably tell us that a cone shaped rocket dragster would be the best! Ha Ha....ya know I would love to paint that!!!

-- Duane, Art Attack (flatmo@humboldt1.com), January 13, 2001.

And it would be the most beautiful dragster going. And I put my butt on the line with it.

-- James Tucci (Jtucci@archion.com), January 16, 2001.