The future of Demolition Derbys

[97prizm]

Mods feel free to move this as I didn't know where to put it humor, automotive?
I was watching some demolition derbys on YouTube and got to thinking about how the pickings must be getting slim. Not too long ago there were still a number of 60's and 70's malaise iron still around. With new vehicles having multiple crumple zones, side air bags, traction control are we going to see 2020 Lexus es300's or 2015 VW tiguans in demolition derbys in the not too distant future? I was talking with a friend of mine recently who thought that was interesting .

 

[Rand]

they were all a cheatfest on whatever you could get away with anyway.
(like old nascar?? but not as sophisticated)

Pre crumpling some body panels strategically and hidden welding was common.

 

[captainbeandip]

Interesting question. It does seem to be a sport that might have the deck stacked against it. I don't know much about building a demo derby car, but I suspect many were historically built with junk yard parts. Unfortunately, there aren't many junk yards around anymore.

Besides the fact that we are running out of older rear wheel drive cars with real frames that would be suitable for use.

The last demo derby I went to had a few classes of newer front wheel drive vehicles. The strategy seemed to be for everyone to drive in reverse the whole time. Just seeing all of the cars getting smashed the rear over and over again without it really mattering was kind of odd and boring.

 

[dnewton3]

Well, as much as there is a serious deficit of old v-8, RWD, body-on-frame sedans ...

The automotive market is still plum full of v-8, RWD, body-on-frame trucks; they sell the begeezus out of them every single year, and the appetite for them doesn't seem to be letting up.

So maybe the shift will be from sedans to trucks?

 

[97prizm]

Well, as much as there is a serious deficit of old v-8, RWD, body-on-frame sedans ...

The automotive market is still plum full of v-8, RWD, body-on-frame trucks; they sell the begeezus out of them every single year, and the appetite for them doesn't seem to be letting up.

So maybe the shift will be from sedans to trucks?

I thought maybe this with a shift towards suvs in the future. Maybe a softroader class. I guess there's only so much "reinforcement " you can do to a unibody.

 

[Chris142]

Interesting question. I do think the amount of 77 cadillacs with a 425 under the hood are getting scarce.

 

[97prizm]

Interesting question. I do think the amount of 77 cadillacs with a 425 under the hood are getting scarce.

Yeah and oddly enough I think the automotive market is somewhat at a tipping point that 70s Cadillac and Lincolns are becoming somewhat collectible. I read somewhere that there's a small but growing market in Scotland of all places.

 

[CKN]

Drivers (Boomers) crashing dinosaur cars....

This will go by the wayside like the 60's collectable cars.

 

[alarmguy]

Drivers (Boomers) crashing dinosaur cars....

This will go by the wayside like the 60's collectable cars.

Yeah, it’s sad if you think about it. They were sort of like family evening out and now they’re replaced by playing on cell phones ignoring everyone around them.

Communities were built around these old style race tracks and of course, community opposition became common place even though the track was there before them. Most of closed down.

 

[eljefino]

I went to one a few years back. It wasn't a traditional mud pit with 15 old GM station wagons. It was 1/3 mile oval track and they had different events:

They put a couple of huge tires in the track and did a "figure 8 race" with junky 4 cyl FWD cars.

They put in a ramp for people to get up on two wheels and see how far they could go. Saw at least one car with current plates and inspection drive in, do the stunt, then drive home.

They had a backwards race where ostensibly you were to try to get a lap around the track in reverse, but it was a lofty goal with bedlam erupting. I do remember a 3.6 equipped dodge minivan succeeding quite well with tons of power.

In short the event organizers knew they had to make do with the current fleet of junk that the working man could afford. They've since closed (Beech Ridge, Scarborough) and are pending redevelopment.

So, hey, I saved a couple videos:

 

[AZjeff]

Derby is alive and well in some parts of the country. This link will give you a master class in derby car building by Paul @ Fab Rats. Like any competition they've taken it to a high level and push the rules. And yes trucks are a thing and a separate class.

https://www.youtube.com/@FabRats/search?query=demo derby

 

[Kira]

there's a small but growing market in Scotland

Gotta keep an eye on that.

 

[c502cid]

Demos are just the warm up to them main event, figure 8 train races!

 

[stormgol]

it's sad that the coolest an toughest derby cars of all time are all Chrysler D platform RWD cars. Imperials and Newports from 1957 to 1966. fortunately, they have banned these cars from most Derbys. as they are indestructible. they are some of the greatest American cars ever made. they were better than Lincoln's and Cadillac's of the time. i hate to see great cars getting demolished.

 

[97prizm]

Yeah, it’s sad if you think about it. They were sort of like family evening out and now they’re replaced by playing on cell phones ignoring everyone around them.

Communities were built around these old style race tracks and of course, community opposition became common place even though the track was there before them. Most of closed down.

The biggest problem is that many of the local tracks were in the middle of nowhere and were leased for a number of years. When housing developments came in they didn't renew the lease. That and people buying houses near race tracks complain about the noise.

 

[dishdude]

It doesn't get more hillbilly than this.

 

[daves87rs]

Sure they will get banned like everything else.

Besides, I see demos on the road every day…..

 

[Vil_Riker]

Interesting question. It does seem to be a sport that might have the deck stacked against it. I don't know much about building a demo derby car, but I suspect many were historically built with junk yard parts. Unfortunately, there aren't many junk yards around anymore.

Besides the fact that we are running out of older rear wheel drive cars with real frames that would be suitable for use.

The last demo derby I went to had a few classes of newer front wheel drive vehicles. The strategy seemed to be for everyone to drive in reverse the whole time. Just seeing all of the cars getting smashed the rear over and over again without it really mattering was kind of odd and boring.

Boring was my experience watching it.

 

[anderson]

Yeah and oddly enough I think the automotive market is somewhat at a tipping point that 70s Cadillac and Lincolns are becoming somewhat collectible. I read somewhere that there's a small but growing market in Scotland of all places.

hmm i have several. future retirement plan maybe lol

 

[97prizm]

Yeah, it’s sad if you think about it. They were sort of like family evening out and now they’re replaced by playing on cell phones ignoring everyone around them.

Communities were built around these old style race tracks and of course, community opposition became common place even though the track was there before them. Most of closed down.

One big issue is that owners of some of these local dirt tracks bought the land cheap with nothing around them for miles. What I know now is to zone it for industrial/commercial that prohibits housing from going in close by. I read an article recently that I think Laguna Seca has a housing development 6-8 miles away trying to limit their events. Judges need to step up and tell people to stop whining and get over themselves.