Spillproof Trucks
 

The challenge to the teams is to build a vehicle capable of carrying 25 gallons of water. The catch os that they will have to drive their vehicles over a rough course without spilling any of the water. They will have 5 minutes to complete the course otherwise, the barrel will be counted as empty. In the second race, the teams will have the chance to drive the other teams vehicle in an attempt to lose as much water as possible. If they fail to finish in 5 minutes or less, the barrel will be counted as full. The team who has lost the least water in two runs advance.
 

Hackett wants his team to build a somewhat wacky truck. They will mount a swinging arm to the back of the truck with a counterweight. The swinging motion (centrifugal force) should keep the water in the barrel half. To turn the arm, a scooter's rear tire will turn a second wheel that turns the arm (a friction drive). In order for this to work, it's going to have to be pretty well balanced, which might prove tough to do with scrap metals.

Colonel Dick is building a more straight-forward truck. The bucket will hang off of an arm that will use springs as shock dampeners. To keep the bucket stable he wants to add a large gyroscope underneath it. A large spinning disc, powered by a lawnmower engine, should keep the bucket in place. This isn't overly complicated but to get all of the components and to get the assembled and working might be the real challenge.
 

 
 
Hackett's Red Team
Chris, Marie and Sam
Colonel Dick's Blue Team
Johnny, Sarge and Chico
 
 
Hackett's Whirling Dervish Design
Colonel Dick's Anti-Slosh Springs
 
 
For Colonel Dick's design, this GMC
Jimmy should be just the ticket
Hackett will have to use this 4x4
Chevy Blazer...sans one rear tire
 
 
This metal frame will be cut up for 
the two baskets to hold the buckets
A strong and sturdy axle will make a
good pivoting arm for the Colonel
 
 
The rear tire of this scooter will serve
as a friction drive for Hackett
The main support beam goes in
place with a gentle nudge
 
 
This mower engine is leaking oil...
they're going to have to find another
The spinning support gets welded to
the Blazer as time runs down
 
 
Hackett and company get the baskets
hanging and they spin with a push
Colonel Dick's arm is plenty strong
as they're just hanging around
 
 
Hackett's Water Spinner
Colonel Dick's Bouncer-in-arms
next set of images
 

back