Have you ever competed in a Demolition Derby?

[Redrum_69]

What car did you use? Tell us about the experience? Did you place?

[SLAG]

My supervisor at work is an Avid Derby Goer

he buys up Old Crown Vic's and is a real pro at it..

[JohninGpt]

Never competed in an actual derby, but I did drive in Italy for two years. My weapon was a 1992 Mazda MPV.

[Frazod]

I've ridden in a car with my ex mother-in-law. Does that count?

[ROYC75]

My brother use to drive old station wagons in the derby in Pleasanton, Ks. My BIL drove stock cars there as well.

I drove stock cars here in Ky.

[boogblaster]

Yes and the best are old Chryslers because they have shock-loaded bumpers..plus lots of steel in the body and doors .....

[El Jefe]

Yes and the best are old Chryslers because they have shock-loaded bumpers..plus lots of steel in the body and doors .....


And Because nobody wants old Chryslers LMAO.

[Iowanian]

I drove Demo derbies on and off for about 10 years.

I drove everything from plymouth valiant as a joke, delta 88(crumple like pop cans), thunderbird, and when lucky a 75-76 impala.

[Skip Towne]

And Because nobody wants old Chryslers LMAO.
Or new ones either. (Hemied in 5, 4, 3.....)

[Iowanian]

I'll take all of the old Impirials you can find...since they're free.

$25 if they run with a transmission functional.

[Fish]

70 Impala was the best demo car I ever worked on... I didn't drive it, but did lots of welding on it.

[Iowanian]

75-76 have better bumpers.

earlier 70's had the solid front end, but not the rear bumpers.

They were getting tough to find my last year of 96....the 2 doors were going to the Figure 8 guys(who sheeted them and made them tanks) and the 4 doors and wagons were pretty valuable property for derby guys.

[bogie]

Never done it, but man I would love to.

[bogie]

Is there strategy other than trying to back in to peoples front end and trying to keep people from smashing your front end?

[HemiEd]

And Because nobody wants old Chryslers LMAO.


Hey!

[HemiEd]

Yes and the best are old Chryslers because they have shock-loaded bumpers..plus lots of steel in the body and doors .....

At one time, they actully outlawed the old Imperials. Of course, they quit making them so long ago that it is not an issue anymore.

[HemiEd]

Or new ones either. (Hemied in 5, 4, 3.....)
:)

[crazycoffey]

Never competed in an actual derby, but I did drive in Italy for two years. My weapon was a 1992 Mazda MPV.


that's probably worse.....
I drove a scooter for a few hours in Rome,
never been more scared.

[Iowanian]

There doesn't have to be a strategie but you'll quickly see there are reasons that the same people do well, year in and out.

Some of it is the work they put into their cars, if they cheat(take off bodies, line frames, weld seems, let rust...put body back on for example)....details make all the difference in putting a GOOD car together vs getting out for somethign stupid like a broken shifter linkage.

Basic Strategy is to protect your front, preserve your car by hitting SQUARE as you can, aim for the front end, square shots on tires and angled shots on tires....trying to break axles et al.

My strategy usually involved 2 speeds. Stop and Floored, and melt a car to please the crowd.

1 local derby had 9-10 of my brothers, cousins and uncles in the final....None of us won, because we went after each other so hard for bragging rights.

It was awesome.

[bogie]

There doesn't have to be a strategie but you'll quickly see there are reasons that the same people do well, year in and out.

Some of it is the work they put into their cars, if they cheat(take off bodies, line frames, weld seems, let rust...put body back on for example)....details make all the difference in putting a GOOD car together vs getting out for somethign stupid like a broken shifter linkage.

Basic Strategy is to protect your front, preserve your car by hitting SQUARE as you can, aim for the front end, square shots on tires and angled shots on tires....trying to break axles et al.

My strategy usually involved 2 speeds. Stop and Floored, and melt a car to please the crowd.

1 local derby had 9-10 of my brothers, cousins and uncles in the final....None of us won, because we went after each other so hard for bragging rights.

It was awesome.

Good God that must have been a blast!

[Redrum_69]

1 local derby had 9-10 of my brothers, cousins and uncles in the final....None of us won, because we went after each other so hard for bragging rights.

It was awesome.



That would be great!

So how many you take out? WHo was the last among the family?

[Iowanian]

One of my uncles placed 2nd I think....but we had a riot in front of a home town crowd and absolutely destroyed some cars....smoke, steam and bent metal...broken hoses spraying inside the car.....front and back smashed so bad you can't see out either end. Not a single one of us tried to save anything for anther day. People said it was one of the best displays they'd seen.

I made the finals in 2 derbies with an effing valiant....with a 3 speed. I was hit so hard by an impala I put the clutch completely through the floor board, broke my seatbelt and must have bounced my head off of 3 different sides.

The best exit was probably one of my last....I had thrown a car I thought was too far gone(a delta 88 that was smashed in so far I used bailing wire to hold the rear end in place)....everyone else was ready, so we threw it together.

I decided to Kamikazi some strong impalas by some rivals who were bigtime cheaters....I got in 3-4 really good shots, and I saw a small fire in my engine....and had spun off a tire.....and I put it to the floor until it WHOOOOOOFed. It was a spectacular fire...everything I'd hoped for at the time.

The coolest thing I saw...a guy with our group, in a final backed over the top of the hood of another car and rolled over.....He got out, they flipped his car over, he got back in, started it up and got back after it.

I went to one to spectate last week....The roar still gets by blood pumping, but the aches in my back, neck and the rest of my body remind me that I'm just a spectator now.

We have talked about putting together some compact cars some day....for fun and final bragging rights.

[Adept Havelock]

I've driven in St. Louis rush hours on a number of occassions. That should qualify.

[bogie]

One of my uncles placed 2nd I think....but we had a riot in front of a home town crowd and absolutely destroyed some cars....smoke, steam and bent metal...broken hoses spraying inside the car.....front and back smashed so bad you can't see out either end. Not a single one of us tried to save anything for anther day. People said it was one of the best displays they'd seen.

I made the finals in 2 derbies with an effing valiant....with a 3 speed. I was hit so hard by an impala I put the clutch completely through the floor board, broke my seatbelt and must have bounced my head off of 3 different sides.

The best exit was probably one of my last....I had thrown a car I thought was too far gone(a delta 88 that was smashed in so far I used bailing wire to hold the rear end in place)....everyone else was ready, so we threw it together.

I decided to Kamikazi some strong impalas by some rivals who were bigtime cheaters....I got in 3-4 really good shots, and I saw a small fire in my engine....and had spun off a tire.....and I put it to the floor until it WHOOOOOOFed. It was a spectacular fire...everything I'd hoped for at the time.

The coolest thing I saw...a guy with our group, in a final backed over the top of the hood of another car and rolled over.....He got out, they flipped his car over, he got back in, started it up and got back after it.

I went to one to spectate last week....The roar still gets by blood pumping, but the aches in my back, neck and the rest of my body remind me that I'm just a spectator now.

We have talked about putting together some compact cars some day....for fun and final bragging rights.

Man I thought deer camp was fun. This puts that to shame. I'm jealous. What a great time your friends and family must have had. Good for you.