RE: Toy Car Genius: The 'Amazing Swing Bin Racer'

RE: Toy Car Genius: The 'Amazing Swing Bin Racer'

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)



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...





 

 

Author
Discussion

fourwheelsteer

Original Poster:

869 posts

251 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
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

10,651 posts

190 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
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...

biggrin

VPower

3,598 posts

193 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
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

3,747 posts

217 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
I wonder if you can fit dual 24V drills evil


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

dandarez

13,246 posts

282 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
How long before some jobsworth decides they need 'tax' and 'elf and saftee' intervene?


DonkeyApple

54,930 posts

168 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
Lovely.

More evidence that girls can't drive though wink

ThePollitt

1 posts

157 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
I may have to build one of those for my daughter...

Gizmo!

18,150 posts

208 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
Ah, so THIS is the new Caterham that they were promising us... composite and renewable materials, very 21st-century. hehe

Fish

3,975 posts

281 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
Just emaled them as I may make that this summer.

BigI

80 posts

188 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
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

32,414 posts

203 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all

will261058

1,115 posts

191 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
Cracking idea but Im sure Ive seen this before somewhere scratchchin

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

254 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
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

154 posts

198 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all

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

Sorry

WorAl

10,877 posts

187 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
thinfourth2 said:
rofl brilliant stuff. Number 2 (The one that got stuck) has "Total ste" written on the front of it hehe

spyder dryver

1,329 posts

215 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all

"DAD! DAD! Sod the pedal bin!"

odyssey2200

18,650 posts

208 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
Want one!!!!!!

hehe

samuelellis

1,927 posts

200 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
15 quid for the plans and then source the material yourself

Bloody good project for parents to do with there kids IMO

Jules_T

19 posts

176 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
Blue Peter taken to the next level.

RichardR

2,890 posts

267 months

Monday 7th February 2011
quotequote all
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! wink