Monday 7th February 2011

Toy Car Genius: The 'Amazing Swing Bin Racer'

The bargain basement toy car that's 'bin' getting us all excited (groan)

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Classic racing cars are an expensive business, and even kids' toy versions are often well beyond the realms of pocket money (as the wonderful but eye-wateringly expensive Pocket Classics cars we drove just before Christmas proved).

This isn't the case if your toy vintage racer is created from, among other things, a domestic plastic swing bin, however. Which is where the cheerfully titled 'Amazing Swing Bin Racer' comes in.

For £300, the chaps at Derbyshire-based Lightning Cars will build you your very own vintage racer made from nothing more than five bits of MDF, a kitchen swing bin and an old cordless drill.

Okay, so it's not going to be five-star quality, and you will have to put up with a steering wheel nicked from an old computer game wheel-and-pedals kit, but the result still looks pretty good, and we reckon could be a bit of a hoot for your little one.

Best of all, Lightning Cars will sell you the plans for £15, and reckon you could build one yourself for between £50 and £100. Imagine Audi doing that with its £10k Auto Union Type C pedal car...

 

 

[fourwheelsteer]

Is it just me that thinks the silver one looks a lot like Alec Issigonis's 'Lightweight Special' racing car.

A very cool thing for cash-strapped parents of junior PHers if you ask me.

[louiebaby]

I remember seeing the concept car at Excel a couple of years ago, and wondered what would become of them:

http://www.lightningcarcompany.co.uk/lightning-car...

[VPower]

How things move on!

In my day a few bits of wood, an old pram and away we went.
Hours of fun for nothing in financial terms.

[convert]

I wonder if you can fit dual 24V drills


Mind you my Grandson may be just a little to young @ 4 months...

[dandarez]

How long before some jobsworth decides they need 'tax' and 'elf and saftee' intervene?

[DonkeyApple]

Lovely.

More evidence that girls can't drive though

[ThePollitt]

I may have to build one of those for my daughter...

[Gizmo!]

Ah, so THIS is the new Caterham that they were promising us... composite and renewable materials, very 21st-century.

[Fish]

Just emaled them as I may make that this summer.

[BigI]

dandarez said:

How long before some jobsworth decides they need 'tax' and 'elf and saftee' intervene?

Wonder if you'd have the same opinion if one skittled your nan (or any other relation) on a pavement?

[thinfourth2]

Bah this is better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMcxVmDdNd4

[will261058]

Cracking idea but Im sure Ive seen this before somewhere

[Mr2Mike]

Fish said:

Just emaled them as I may make that this summer.

The steering and drive arrangement are far less impressive than the bodywork. Quite horrible in fact, but could easily be improved. IMO though it's a great looking car, and the use of the pedal bin is inspired, it's simply too small. I was going to build one for my daughter, but at the age of 5 she is too tall to fit it.

[WMP]

Bin there done that. I would refuse to get in such a rubbish car.

Sorry

[WorAl]

thinfourth2 said:

Bah this is better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMcxVmDdNd4

brilliant stuff. Number 2 (The one that got stuck) has "Total ste" written on the front of it

[spyder dryver]

"DAD! DAD! Sod the pedal bin!"

[odyssey2200]

Want one!!!!!!

[samuelellis]

15 quid for the plans and then source the material yourself

Bloody good project for parents to do with there kids IMO

[Jules_T]

Blue Peter taken to the next level.

[RichardR]

Mr2Mike said:

I was going to build one for my daughter, but at the age of 5 she is too tall to fit it.

Time to upscale and build one from a wheelie bin!