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Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit Browse our products on Amazon: This 1947 Film shows footage from local soap box derbies up until the national championship held yearly in Akron, Ohio. It shows the work that goes into creating the different soap box cars and the factors that have to be considered before racing. It shows footage from multiple local races, including how each one is a spectacle with a parade and large crowds. The later part of the film shows the different amenities available for local champions and the final national championship. The Soap Box Derby is a youth soapbox car racing program, which has been run in the United States since 1933. World Championship finals are held each July at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio. Cars competing in this and related events are unpowered, relying completely upon gravity to move. 0:08 “Chevrolet’s All-American Soap Box Derby”, 0:18 children racing in soap box cars and bikes, 1:08 boys building their own scooters and other constructions, 1:52 boys working on different soap box cars, 2:48 boys with their derby racing cars waiting for inspection, 3:25 overview of different derby cars, 3:55 derby cars being inspected by adults, 4:34 an inspector rejecting a faulty car, 4:52 inspectors looking at the braking mechanism of a car, 5:00 inspectors weighing cars and drivers, 5:22 different well designed derby cars being shown off, 6:37 boys working on wheels, 6:55 boys with their cars in a service pit, 7:40 boys putting on their safety helmets, 7:52 a radio presenter interviewing boys, 8:06 a pre-race parade, 8:51 racers walking in the parade, 9:10 Iowa Governor Robert D. Blue making opening remarks, 9:22 cars being pulled up the starting ramp, 10:10 crowds watching, 10:27 race starts with footage of different cars driving, 11:38 cars driving past the finish line, 11:50 winners being brought back up the hill, 12:11 more race rounds starting, 12:48 close up of different instruments for measuring who won, 13:12 crowds running during a rainstorm, 13:24 wet audience returns to their seats, 13:45 racers racing on a wet track, 14:17 different instances of cars losing control while racing, 15:01 start of the race of the last two contestants, 15:30 champions from different cities crossing the finish line, 15:55 champions being congratulated and giving interviews, 16:33 prizes being handed out to participants, 16:59 map of the US showing cities with local races, 17:19 champions arriving at the Mayflower Hotel in Akron, Ohio and registering themselves, 17:53 Myron E. Scott speaking with a winner and introducing him to C.J. French, 18:16 reporters working at the press headquarters, 18:46 champions enjoying themselves in their own club room, 19:28 different performances for the champions, 20:04 Harvey Firestone speaking to the champions at a pool party, 20:42 chefs preparing food and the children eating it, 21:14 Derby Downs in Akron, 21:30 cars in the service pits, 21:50 cars being lined up, 22:06 overview of the stands, 22:19 the pre-race parade starts with marching bands, the contestants, and boy scouts, 23:52 the race begins with several rounds shown, 24:46 winners being brought back up the hill, 24:55 a race being filmed to show the speed of the derby cars, 25:47 a timer recording the speed and cross time of each car, 26:33 interviews of the final three contestants, 26:50 boys get into cars for the final race, 27:04 race starts, 27:37 the winner is being paraded to the crowds and interviewed, 28:19 banquet for all the champions with trophies given, 28:54 trophies being given from fourth to first place, 29:30 the national champion receiving his trophies, 29:57 summary footage from the different derbies, 30:32 “A General Motors Film Library Subject” We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.“ This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
