Yes, we installed seatbelts in our soapbox.  They weren’t mandatory, but if you’re going to be building a soapbox cart and it’s feasible, install them.

Ours were pretty simple.  Just a carabiner attached to rope that was tied in a knot on the underside of the cart, with light foam padding around the rope (to prevent rope burn on the stomach).

Depending on your soapbox design, you could also consider a firewall.  Think about installing a proper roll bar, which we sacrificed in our design due to weight restriction considerations.

Oh, and even though helmets, gloves, and long-sleeve shirts & pants are mandatory according to Red Bull’s rules, make sure you actually wear them.  Seriously.

Follow these simple steps and you’ll walk away from a soapbox crash in pristine condition like Elizabeth & Jenny did!

If anyone from ICBC is reading this, we’re available for commercials.

This week, after we finished the building the coolest roast chicken car in the world, we cleaned up a bit.

Surprise, surprise.   Upon opening the ice-cream bucket of papier-mache paste, we smelled the distinct smell of alcohol… a mighty putrid one, at that!  I tried to convince Elizabeth to try it, but we couldn’t find a clean filter to strain out the chunky bits. Maybe next time.

For those who’ve never made papier-mache paste: It’s just flour boiled with some water for a few minutes.  Many recipes recommend adding salt to prevent mold – Personally, I suggest minimizing drying time with good airflow and regular turning of the bird to avoid mold.

Then, baste to get that golden brown colour…

Finally, leave in the oven until the drumsticks and wings are ready.

I have a personal favourite. Which could it be? Hmm…hehehe.

Here’s the bare bones of it all. Well maybe not so bare anymore! We’ve finally got some meat on dem bones!

. . . No, it’s not actually the doggie…

It’s newspaper! Not only can we put a shape into the craft, but we can catch up on our daily news too! For example, do you know who the Jonas Brothers are? I had no idea until we glued their faces onto the cart! Amazing what you can find out when you read a newspaper eh?

Wow, we can’t believe it’s almost time to race, and WIN! Well, see you on race day! Gotta go read…I mean GLUE some more newspaper on the cart! (…Maybe I can finally find out who Michael Phelps is!)

Our team has scars from working with lots of chicken wire (ugh, these puns write themselves).

Time to papier-mache! Our car is bigger than a Smart Car, even without the drumsticks and wings. Yowsa.

Our next step is to figure out how to roast a giant chicken and attach it to the cart ;p

Almost forgot – team photo!

Leonard uses the angle grinder and shows the metal frame who’s boss. It’s a loud tool. Leonard can keep that task.

Look! A bike wheel!

Jenny has second thoughts on what she’s signed up for…

We owe it all to some random guy who yelled at us during our Red Bull Flugtag Vancouver 2006 flight as Sushi Gone Wild. Listen carefully to the short clip below (and don’t get too distracted by all the booing and the calls for us to “jump!”).

So thanks, Random Guy!

Who knows what the final product will actually look like