Here are the gory details:
I actually got to use several tools in the derby car. I asked my son to find a Hot Wheels car that looked like what he wanted and he picked this all silver racing truck. Since we needed wheel wells and the wheels couldn't be closer than 1 3/4", I ripped a 2x4 scrap that I had laying around to 2 1/2 inches wide, then drilled the wheel wells 3/8" deep with a 1 3/8" forstner bit. Since the wheel wells are only 1/8" from the bottom of the block, I clamped 2 blocks together so the forstner bit wouldn't blow out the bottom of the car.
The forstner bit also gave me a nice centered point to drill the axle holes with a #44 hobby bit. I knew I was doing OK after I drilled all 4 axle holes and you could see daylight through them.
The nice thing about using a 2x4 is that it's 1/2 inch taller than the standard derby car block. That made it easier to bandsaw the shape and make the cab more proportional to the body.
The weight will go in the back of the car between the spoiler and cab.
For the axles I chucked them in the drill press and first smoothed them out with a triangular mill file, then went from 220-> 2500 grit sandpaper. I found this stuff that is supposed to be slicker than greased lightning that I am going to try -
http://www.sentrysolutions.com/. My son helped with the axle polishing and is working with his Mom on painting it. She wanted to be involved too and likes to paint. He's going to put a #37 on it.
This was our third car as I built 2 prototypes to test drilling and cutting. That was a good thing too since they will keep him from playing with the race trim machine.
I'll post some pics after the car is completed. I'm also working on a bookcase right now too, but we've got to get the car done!
Thanks for looking!