Evening star., 1938-07-11
BOY BUILDS RACER
IN LIVING ROOM
Derby Entrant Undeterred
by Lack of Basement
Workshop.

Lack Of . basement workshop to
build Soap Box Derby racer didn't
stop Frank G. Frazer. jr., IL. from
entering the derby. Even though he
lives on the fourth floor of an apart
ment building. Frank collected his
tools and his materials. carried them
up the stairs. and proceeded to turn
the family living room into a tenn
porary woodworking shop.
Frank lives at 1885 Eighteenth street
NV, and for flve weeks he and the
rest Of the family walked softly in
the living room Of the apartment 30
that his construction work would not
be disturbed. Now, however, his car
is finished. and hammers, saws, d. ills
and scrap wood no longer are part of
the living room decorative scheme.
Working in such an atmosphere, 1t
was inevitable that some of the house.
hold furnishings would find their way
into the construction Of the car. Run
ming out Of canvas to cover the body
frame Of his racer. Frank found that
part OF an old sheet would do Just
as we'll. and proceeded to use it. Tenn
porarily stumped for upholstery ma
terial. he found that the oilcloth on
the kitchen table not only made a
sturdy cover, but its brave red color
made . fine appearance, so he used
that, too. Fortunately for him. and
for his scheme for the racer, his
father and mother approved Of his
ideas and the sources Of his materials.
Built Model Sail Boat.
Enthusiastic about working with
wood, Frank has made many small
table lamps in his manual training
class, and in 1896 he built . model
sail boat. which he entered In the
District Fairgrounds Model Boat Re-
gatta. winning one Of the prizes. His
racer-his biggest job to date-pre-
sented only one problem-how to get
1t out Of the fourth-noor apartment.
But he merely removed the wheels
and with the help Of a couple of
husky men. the racer was carried
down the four flights to the ground.
Soap Box Derby officials will inaugu-
rate q new series Of radio broadcasts
over Station WMAL starting tonight
at Sis o'clock o. c. Holleran. derby
dire" 3r will speak during the first
l5-A..7ute period outlining the plans
for the derby to be held July %.
On succeeding programs, two boys
entered in the derby will be inter-
viewed on each broadcast, over the
same station. Tomorrow's program
will be at $50 pm. and Wednesdays
broadcast will be heard at Sis pm.
Names Of the speakers and the boys
to be interviewed will be announced
later.
Pre-Inspection Of Racers.
A pre-inspection Of the finished
derby racers will be held tomorrow
at the Chevrolet dealers salesrooms,
in the District and in nearby COM
munities, according to Mr.. Holleran.
The inspection is purely voluntary as
far as the boys are concerned. Mr.
Holleran pointed out. and it merely
furnishes the opportunity for a pre-
liminary check-up before the COM
pulsory inspection, to be held before
the race is run.
Those boys who have finished their
cars and desire to have them inspected
tomorrow must take their cars to and
from the nearest salesrooms, the derby
director said.
Final figures on the complete num-
Der Of entries for Washington's first
Soap Box Derby are not yet available,
but 1t is believed about 400 boys will
be included in the final entry list.
watch The Star for Derbu Neus.)