Friday 17th May 2013

Scarlett's Garage mini classic racers

Half-scale 250 GTO latest creation built for daughter of the world's coolest dad

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As a petrolheaded youth, what’s the exact thing you always wanted more than anything else? We’ll wager it was likely a you-sized car. But the closest you probably got was a Little Tikes Cosy Coupe, or if you were extremely lucky, one of those electric jobs you can pick up in the shops

Chitty replica was the first

Stuart Gurr’s six-year-old daughter Scarlett was fortunate enough to get one of the latter; an electric-powered Mini, to be precise. But Stuart didn’t quite feel it was... well... special enough for his firstborn. And when Scarlett grew fond of the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, he hit on a brainwave: he decided to build his own.

The result was the first of several cars Stuart’s since built for Scarlett - a kid-scale Chitty replica. Stuart's day job as a classic Mini restorer and parts fabricator helped. “As she’s grown up, I’ve set myself more and more difficult challenges,” he tells us, those challenges having included a series of Type 35 Bugattis, two for Scarlett and then another for her little sister Maddi; a blower Bentley; an AC Cobra, and the latest a Ferrari 250 GTO. Like most of Stuart’s other cars, the 250 is built from aluminium panelling which covers a space-frame chassis, both entirely hand-built (Stuart even made the wheels himself), and powered by a 50cc kart engine giving it a top speed of 10-15mph.

Pair of Bugattis built for Scarlett and sister

But Stuart isn’t done yet. “Next up I’m planning a Mercedes 300SLR coupe, which will have an eight-cylinder engine,” he says. No such engine exists yet, though, so he’ll be building it, and the transmission to go with, himself. Stuart’s hoping this one will take part in the Little Big Man race at the Le Mans Classic next year, with Scarlett at the wheel. She’s already joined the British Womens’ Racing Drivers Club – the association’s youngest member. "She's a good driver," Stuart says. "I've even said to her that one day she might be able to make a living out of it if she works hard enough."

And if one project wasn't enough, Stuart’s also planning a drift Caterham Seven, to keep her entertained in the interim. “We were at the Autosport show and she saw the Caterhams drifting up there and said she wanted one that drifted too,” Stuart says. “Obviously I don’t want to give it too much power so I’m going to have to do something with the rear tyres to make it drift!”

You can find out more about Stuart’s creations at the website he’s built, or check out his Youtube videos of them in action.

 

[patmahe]

Don't suppose Scarlett's Dad wants to adopt me awesome looking things. I'll have a Ford GT please

[tomellingham]

I'm interested in the fate of that dog at the end of the video.

[Amizade]

Lovely work ! I think my 7yr old daughter would have hit a tree/lampost & dog !

[AV12]

Brilliant!! Small V12 needed!

[tog]

tomellingham said:

I'm interested in the fate of that dog at the end of the video.

It was quite an abrupt cut at the end wasn't it!

[Burnham]

She'll be gutted when she grows too big to get in it! Lovely craftsmanship.

[Krikkit]

Best Dad 2013 awards just got another entrant methinks.

[gruffalo]

tomellingham said:

I'm interested in the fate of that dog at the end of the video.

I thought this.

[Ayahuasca]

Adopt me!!! Please!!

[DanBMW]

Thats absolutely awsome!

The 250GTO is my favourite classic Ferrari.

[Dr Bunsen]

Damn it - this makes my effort of sticking some Gulf stickers on my daughters Kettler Kart look very shoddy - Bad Dad

[RBV8]

Decided to make my boy one last year after seeing the article on here some time back!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV0IVKOHqhQ

[Garlick]

Who can forget the classic photographs of Riggers driving small toy cars?

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

[Ayahuasca]

The dog / quick editing

[garypotter]

Fantastic bit of craftmanship well done and keep em coming.

On a side of caution, if that is not your back garden and is a public place, i know a chap who bought a little quad for his son, went over to the park opposite where they live and the police turned up and the father ended up with a fine, 6 points on his licence for aiding and abetting an uninsured driver!!

But if it is on your own private land then no worries.

[TimS2000]

That 250 GTO is unbelievably cool, would have loved that as a kid...actually I'd still love that now!

[FordJunkie]

Is that chitty parked at brooklands?

[Dr Interceptor]

Garlick said:

Who can forget the classic photographs of Riggers driving small toy cars?

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

That is what I actually look like driving an E-Type!


These models are super cool - I must be getting old though... having raced around in 40mph go-karts as a kid with no safety precautions whatsoever, I look at the little girl in those cars and think "If that were my child I would have fitted a seat belt".

[soad]

I recall emsman's toylander too.

[Bushi]

ffs, just debating whether to convert my daughters Porsche 356 from 6v to 12v, might as well just bin it now.....simply wonderful work.

Translate that website to Chinese and Russian and watch the money flood in.