The Rocker Cover Racer Challenge

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Hi All,
Not sure how many of you out there are aware of the concept of Rocker Cover Racecars? It seems like its a world wide thing as a google search brings up similar events in the U.S and U.K etc. So what are they? They are racecars based on Engine Rocker/Valve covers and run down sloping tracks for a bit of fun with the kids. I built this one a couple of years back for the Hanging Rock car show for my son.There are various rules regarding weight, dimmensions etc that need to be followed but wheels on a cover will just about do it, and then dress it up whatever way you please.


Anyway it looks pretty cool, but it aint fast!

So I decided to knock up another one for my boy a couple of weeks ago based on "Mater" the Tow Truck from the Cars Movie. It cost us $48 total. $20 for the Rocker Cover, $20 for the wheels and $8 for the blue spray paint. Everything else was what I found around the garage.

Armed with a Matchbox Car size model of Mater I hit the local wreckers and found the perfect cover. It was on a straight 6 in what I think was a early 70s Dodge light truck. Perfect petina and shape and had a round buldge right were the air cleaner on Mater would be.


Next we took out the scale rule and took the dimmensions of the model and transferred them to paper at a 1:6 scale.



Then it was time to let it rip with a 5" Grinder and Jigsaw with a metal blade.
We did a bit of planning to make sure we could cut a shut it allowing for folds and tabs to make it easy to join together using pop rivetts and screws only.