Car Curling
 
This challenge is the last semi-final and the winner will advance to the finals. In this competition, the Cops and Bodgers (Bomb Disposal, Speedboats) are facing off against the Destroyers (Wheelie Car, Jet Car) to see which team can get it on the button. Specifically, they're trying to get a Mini on the button of a giant curling rink. Each team will have three Minis to whiz down the ice, the team who gets any of their Minis the closest to the button (the centre of a large target) 40 metres away, wins.
 

The Destroyers are going for a hi-tech approach. They will build a pair of rails that their Mini will fit between and be pushed down the ice by a bar. The bar will be moved by two chains, one mounted on either side with teeth to push the bar along. An engine will get the chains up to speed and the gearbox will allow them to control when the Mini is released and with how much force. This requires fairly precise construction and dependence on two very long lengths of chain.

For The Cops and Bodgers, it's an easier design. The Mini will sit in front of a large dual a-frame with a heavy weight on a pendulum. The weight will swing down and whack the Mini forward. Since this is kind of hard to adjust (aside from raising the weight) they will add a pushing rod/bar to the weight which will push the Mini forward instead of a big crash forcing it to go forwards. This should be easy enough to build but design changes and rethinks could do the team in.
 
 

 
Destroyers Expert
Mark-Paul Buckingham
Cops & Bodgers Expert
Perry 'Winkle' Gosling
 
 
The Destroyers are building a
steady car pusher
The Cops & Bodgers are shooting
for a car whacker/pusher
 
 
The Destroyers want this straight
metal but it's tangled quite badly 
and will take time to free it
The Cops and Bodgers have gotten a
similar piece of steel and will use it
for supports and a base frame
 
 
2 lengths of chain will give a
constant push to the Mini
The engine and gears of this Morris
should do the job...if it runs
 
 
Judge Dr Jane Blackford
This ladder and boiler top will form
the heavy pendulum and arm
 
 
These large gears are necessary to get
to Mini up to speed and chain moving
The Cops and Bodgers are ready
to raise their uprights
 
 
And now they put the hammer in
place to see if they need more
bracing (they do)
The gears have to be precisely aligned
or the chains could shake themselves
right off of the wheels and frame
 
 
The pushing bar goes into
place for it's test fitting
The Cops and Bodgers Car Curler
 
 
The Destroyers Car Curler
next set of images
 

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