Is it just me or do too many of the challenges come down to who has the best engine? I think the best ideas for episodes are the ones that rule out engines. Any one can pull an engine from a bike or car and make a boat or car run. The best way to test true engineering skill is to eliminate engines. There are lots of great ways to make something work with out an engine.

-- William Francis (wfrancis76@hotmail.com), January 11, 2001

Answers

Yeah, I like to see the teams using engines but think it would be nice to see more challenges not allowing engines. There has to be a happy medium.

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

2 motorcycle engines won last night beating out an Olds engine and a Land Rover 4X4 engine....seems to me the smaller engines won

(didn't the smaller engine win the drag race as well?)

-- PJ (pjd711@yahoo.com), January 11, 2001.

I really liked the approach used in the rugby-ball flinging episode: using stored energy initially provided by the teams. I think there's a lot more that can be done with this. I'd like to see this applied to land vehicle for either top speed or distance, to boats, and to other machines.

-- Eric (earsjohnson@usa.net), January 11, 2001.

The wind powered coffee mill from jw season 2 and the rescue boats show from last night gave me an idea.

Sail boats, or sail buggys

It would be a real chanlange (I would not want to use steel for the mast for the boat a as it would be to heavy and end up like the metal medics.)

Mike

-- mike nanson (m_nanson@hotmail.com), January 11, 2001.

Kinetic vehicles are the true test of both engineering, and human endurance. This is specially true when you include tasks in the competition. These can include passengers who don't contribute to the forward momentum of the vehicle, long distances, and obsticles like water, sand, mud.

-- Gordon Soderberg (gordon@inkpeople.org), January 11, 2001.

Yeah engines can make and break a team, or tell if they win or lose. ones without engines would be much better because it would encourage the teams think up new ways of doing things.

-- Robert (Robo_man80@hotmail.com), January 11, 2001.

Way too many engine driven,(no pun intended0, shows. The episodes which involved moving objects without motors or other types of challenges were much more interesting. These shows with the motors make me wonder why build something when you already have a motor driven vehicle? Also, are the junkyards seeded with what the contestants need for a specific challenge or do they just seem to find exactly what they are looking for.Last night one team needed the top of a van, they found it. Another team mentioned possibly using a volkswagon body and the next thing you knew they found one. Coincidence or what?

-- Daniel Higgins (dph46@aol.com), January 11, 2001.

Well.. regarding engine size...The Olds V8 would have won had it not stalled the couple times it did, and had the motor-mount problem. Then with the boats... the larger diesel would have won if the team had put the stablizing outrigger on bothsides... and not capsized the boat. I like the idea of using engines... because it devlops sonme interesting contraptions. I've yet to see a non-engine challenge, but I am sure thsoe are cool too. Jsut guess I am more into vechiles and such. I never would have thought of stick an Olds V8 in a bug to make a off-road car, or droping a Land Rover Diesel into some barrels to make a boat.

-- Brian S (Writer4747@aol.com), January 12, 2001.

They yard may be somewhat seeded. I am more impressed they are finding running/working engines! I don't find it unlikely they are finding the tops to vans or Bugs in the yard... it is what 4 acres. I'm sure in 4 acres there would be a few bugs and vans.

-- Brian Straight (Writer4747@aol.com), January 12, 2001.

Yes - however those oil drums from the boating challenge didn't have a scratch on them - they looked BRAND NEW! I think they have to be seeding the yard. Besides - the experts seem to know what the task will be before-hand. They already have a well thought-through idea in place at the start, and if you're an expert on naval architecture, you can be sure you won't be building a flying machine! I think they experts may come up with the ideas and let the producers know what might be "handy" to completing the task.

On another note - has any team ever failed to complete its build of a functioning machine in the alloted 10 hours?

-- PJ (pjd711@yahoo.com), January 12, 2001.

It was alot of fun to do something without an engine of some sort, my being a whiz with engines and all. With my background in engines and wheeled vehicles it was a total shock to be assigned a project such as the Human powered Air Cannon. As it turned out our cheif competitor was Mother Nature. JustJay

-- JustJay-Captain-Three Rusty Juveniles (justjay@neo.rr.com), January 12, 2001.

You have to give people new drums to weld on. Way too many people have been killed welding or cutting on oil drums. MOTORS RULE!

-- Stephen A. Binion (Stephenbinion@hotmail.com), January 12, 2001.

Looks like the Hobart mob just hit junkyard wars. Don't listen to them too much Engines are fine when they are the PROPER machine for the task. Kinetics are nice as well. Perhaps you could have a "Stupid Vehicle Show" - Rita (PNG in Humolt County, and proud of it) Hill PS: Humbolt county is the CIA.

-- Rita Hill (ritah@rmi.net), January 12, 2001.

no what we are talking about is basiclly no engines in a show to see how the teams could respond to it under different circumstances.

-- Robert (Robo_man80@hotmail.com), January 12, 2001.