As a child of the 80's, for some reason we didn't do really cool things like soap box derbies. I was a Cub Scout, so we did have the Pinewood Derby, but that was a whole different thing. Not to mention about 500 times safer. In fact, kids were so obsessed with BMX and motocross bikes, and motorized go-carts, that the soap box derby car was really just a thing of the past.

My older relatives used to tell stories about the old homemade wooden carts. It seemed like back in the 50's and early 60's, it was a rite of passage for young kids to have their derby car. Were they dangerous? Heck yeah! But that was half the point. Again, rite of passage.

If you're a bit unsure of what I'm talking about, kids would essentially build a motorless car out of spare parts and scraps. Wheels from an old lawnmower, steering wheel from the old tractor. Brakes made from hopes and prayers. Then you just took your sweet Dad-assisted jalopy to the nearest big hill, and let 'er rip! That simple.

So check out this sweet footage from YouTube. It shows all these brave youngsters, about to throw all caution to the wind, and just bomb down a hill to their greatest triumph. Am I being a bit dramatic? Probably. But then, when was the last time you flew down a steep hill with no brakes? Probably the last time your car failed an inspection, but...

Anyway, enjoy a little slice of simpler times, from right here in Bangor.

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