You will never guess what is next from Black Hawk Models. A......TETHERED......PROP ROD DAH-DAH!
         Yes folks Black Hawk Models means FUN and that is why they are bringing out a "Quarter Midget" style tethered Prop Rod. What is a Prop Rod? It is a car (yes, a car) that is propelled by a propeller in the rear. No..No..I have seen it...really! I will post a picture tomorrow if I can. The car is 7" long, looks like a shoe with wheels. It should be out next month. In test we have hit between 55 mph and 68 mph....that is fast. You tie a line to an adjustable bridle on the car and it races around a pole. The car's name is         "Pee Wee Racer"
Larry  

The engine mounts on the sloped rear to allow up to 6" propellers. The model is waiting for paint and decals.
Larry

          The car you are referring to was a "Half Pint Racer" it had a plastic body and large rubber wheels. As of right now we are unable to produce that model. We have looked into doing it and have spoken to people about the body. No one is making the wheels or the fly wheel needed for that type of model. As we continue to grow it might happen. The reason that we are bringing this model out now is to test the waters before we sink a large amount of resource into the car models. There are also request for boats but no one makes 1/2a boat hardware anymore.
Larry

Hi Paul,

You got me with this: "The "wheel drive" cars never worked.  Running a wheel at engine RPM was impossible, unless maybe you could throw it a 100 MPH to get it going."

You can't be talking about those tether cars I remember seeing.  It must be some others.
Those .60 powered tether cars were a blur.

But, you're right, a little .049 prop rod could really get going to!

FINISHED!!!! 

Why all the up thrust?  The Cox plastic car I still have had the engine sitting level and staight with the body.  You kept it on the end of the line by where you placed the bridle.   DOC Holliday

Actually this would be down thrust in a pusher application and when I first looked at the final product it really seemed odd to me but after thinking about it the overall design makes sense.
The way this model is designed, the prop has more ground clearance while keeping the overall height of the body lower to the ground (which helps keep the overall CG lower) and overall simplicity.

Remember this is not a competition model designed to get the last drop performance and efficiancy (sp) out of its sum of parts. Just assemble, finish and have fun!
Of course so many of us can't leave well enough alone and I see plenty of room for modifications and experimentation if you want to do so. Why not have a cowl for more streamlining? Go ahead and make one! Why so much angle on the engine? Shim it down! Why no front aerodynamic wing or scoop to increase down force on the front end? Make one and show us all how you think it should be done! Why is is blue? I think we all know the solution to that problem! Why not have some "sponsor" decals to dress it up? Put them on there!

I like it for what it is and hope that it will generate enough response that people WILL get their own and "personalize" them to their own likes.

My two cents, Robert

That's a cool little "rod" Larry........................

Larry I think that has to be the coolest fun I've seen in a long time . Hummm now where can I run one

I think I know why all the down thrust.  When I was a kid I had a couple of cox prop rods they were a kick to run and they were very fast.  When they would get up to speed only the right front wheel (running counter clockwise) was on the ground the other three wheels were in the air.  Without the down thrust my guess is this car would do the same thing.
Andy