1. Making the Chassis (1/4) Create Chassis: 1.Use the Xacto knife, metal straight edge, wood and cardboard to cut your pieces (Sides & Tops) for the chassis (p.33, 73). 2.Tape sides together then drill axle holes into your sides and add the gold re-enforcers. You may want to drill a smaller pilot hole first (if needed) (p.73). 3.Color your Chassis w/ permanent markers over newspaper. 4.Glue your pieces together using the glue gun. Be sure to line up your axle holes.

2. Making the Lever Arm & String (2/4) Making the Lever Arm: 1.Release the Mouse Trap spring. 2.Use bolt cutters to cut mouse trap arm; save pieces (pp. 95, 30, 34-35). 3.Use a tubing cutter to cut lever arm. It should be just short of the rear axle. 4.Attach lever arm to MT w/ the glue gun. It should be just short of the rear axle. 5.Attach Mouse Trap to the chassis. Add the String: 1.Put a loop on the string (pp. 26-27, 77). 2.Connect the non loop side of the string to lever arm so that it falls just short of the rear axle (pp. 26-27, 77).

3. Adding the Hook & Wheels (3/4) Start Your Wheels: 1.Use Xacto knife & drill bit to clean out the center of your wheels if they’re too small or Add glue if they are too big. 2.Glue 1 front wheel to an axle and 1 back wheel to an axle. Place in the axles holes to dry. A) Use Tubing cutter to cut brass axles. B) Easy Cutters to cut wooden axles. Add Hook: 1.After the wheel dries, add the hook to the rear axle. 2.Glue in place with the glue gun (pp.28-29). 3.Use Easy Cutters and cut the hook where needed (1/8 of inch or smaller). Finish Your Wheels: 1.Add washers and spacers where needed before gluing the last front wheel and rear wheel. 2.Make sure the washers and spacers don’t stick to the wheels or the chassis while drying.

4. Test Your Prototype (4/4) Spins out 1.Increase traction on tires 2.Increase Mass over rear wheels 3.Extend chassis / Lever Arm and move the Mouse Trap further away from rear axle Does not move 1.Make sure wheels turn freely 2.Make sure string releases 3.Reduce Mass of the car (from wheels / chassis) 4.Move Mouse Trap closer to rear axle for more power Stops all of a sudden 1.Make sure string releases from the rear axle / hook 2.Make sure string does wind up around a tire or the axle 3.Make sure your lever arm doesn’t hit the ground or the front axle Turns Left or Right 1.Adjust your wheel alignment in the opposite direction of the turn