Concepts: my approach to building a fast car

Here are the concepts for you, the parent.  My concept is to teach the boys about science.  This then bridges into what makes a good car design and why it is designed that way. We then bridge into how to plan. We then learn about the tools and how to use them. We then practice with the tools and get better at them. And then we test the car. We spend a lot of time in this. This is teaching plan, where you get a fast car at the end and even work on qualifications for awards and rank requirements/electives.

I have laid this out in a teaching plan, each about 15-30 minutes long - which usually will be longer or shorter depending on your boy's curiosity/capabilities/patience/stamina.

Here is the key lecture that really stuck with my son the most: effort.

There will be many times where your son wants to give up/do something else, asks "does this matter?", sighs, or tries to do minimal effort. It's who they are and is naturally for that age. You have to be their cheerleader.

Remember what his goal is. Is it to "learn and have fun", "go fast", or "win".  The first can be done just by following my lesson.  The second can also be done by following my plan and actually working hard.  The third one is the hard one. And it is the one that every kid *says* they want, but are not prepared to do.  Ambition is not equal to drive. Explain to him this:

"Every kid's car starts off exactly the same. They have the same weight, the same wheels, same axles. They go the same distance, start at the same height, started at the same time, powered only by gravity.  There is nothing you can do to your car that will make it go faster than how fast the law of gravity will make it go.  That is the maximum it can go. But there are many, many, many, many, many things that will slow down a car from going as fast as possible.  It is you - the parent and Scout's task - to remove as many of things that slow down your car as possible. The parent will do his part by planning, coaching, and teaching. The Scout will do by learning, working, and working some more.

The difference between winning a race, second, third, last, or not even finishing is only determined by what you do.  Does aerodynamic matter?  Yes. Does another round of fine sanding matter? Yes. Does waxing the coat matter? Does the kind of paint matter? Yes. Does testing it one more time when you both are tired matter?  Yes.  Most of these things matter only a tiny amount. They each only mean a few thousands of a second difference each.  But the a whole bunch of "not a lots" is what makes you win or lose."