Child's drivable toy car gets a pretty amazing upgrade

By: Will Goodman
Topics: Winning!

(CBS News) Children's toys have the uncanny ability to be irrelevant very quickly. One second you're a 2-year-old driving your toy car around the block and having the time of your life, the next you're a 5-year-old and it's a bit too immature and slow for you to be putting around in. That is, unless you have a rather cool and innovative father... watch things really kick into gear (ba dump bump!) at about 1:39 into the above video.

Wow, what a great dad, right? The fun video showing the process and results of this upgraded childhood toy project was posted by YouTube user seanatfftec who writes:

At the age of 2 Evan received his Lightning McQueen Powerwheel for Christmas of 2009. After three years of use he had worn through the plastic wheels. We decided to upgrade the oem plastic wheels to metal rims with rubber tires. From that point more modifications were added every few weeks. Now, Evans Lightning McQueen Powerwheel is equipped with an aluminum back half chassis, dual sealed gel batteries with an output of 24 volts, a 500 watt .66 horsepower electric motor, disk brake, throttle modulated variable speed control with reverse and sparco battery cutoff switch.

So what do you all think? Is this man in the running for father-of-the-year? And are we looking at a future NASCAR driver while we're watching Evan drive around that course? Feel free to leave me some comment love below with your thoughts and maybe even some personal stories of dads doing fun things for their kids.

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by captainsafety August 9, 2012 1:55 AM EDT: I would like to see a rollbar and fiveway harness, and I am not even kidding. That kid is mush if it rolls mr great dad, fix it!; Reply to this comment

by stever12648 August 8, 2012 11:22 AM EDT

I wonder how dad would explain the wreck to his insurance agent. After all, there will be a wreck. However, better to learn and hopefully survive while a youngster than being an overgrown kid when you'r 30. I do not approve of this vehicle on a public street. The headline would read "Little Boy, 5Yrs. Old Killed In A Home Made Racer In Unfortunate Accident On Thoroughfare!"

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by twmat311 August 8, 2012 4:06 PM EDT: Did you watch the video, where they intend it to run on a track?


by Noval53 August 8, 2012 10:16 AM EDT: Great deal. Dare to get the boy started early; no Mama's boy stuff here. Just add a roll bar to the next bigger car. Bravo.; Reply to this comment


by parisdakar August 8, 2012 10:09 AM EDT: Big deal. Search you tube. You'll find a lot more radical modifications to Power Wheels cars than this.; Reply to this comment


by FiatHeart August 8, 2012 9:50 AM EDT: Sorry to spoil the party, but it looks a bit dangerous to me. I wouldn't be putting my 5 year old in it, offroad or not.; Reply to this comment


by Bojax39 August 8, 2012 4:23 AM EDT: Glad to see the toy off-road where it won't tangle with big folks cars, but if you're going to run on gravel, how about goggles? On dusty days a disposable painter's mask wouldn't be untoward. How about it, folks? Think this little feller will be NASCAR some day?; Reply to this comment


by IAMCS August 7, 2012 11:13 PM EDT: I want one!; Reply to this comment

by highiron999 August 7, 2012 8:44 PM EDT

Teaches responsibility and builds confidence. Great parents.

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by facelessdrone2005 August 8, 2012 10:38 AM EDT: Darned if I see how this makes the father a "great parent." I'm sure it's fun for the kid, but building a potentially dangerous toy for your kid and then just turning it over to the kid doesn't make the kid "responsible" and if he must be supervised to ensure safety when using it, I don't see how it builds "confidence" either. Off-road under supervision, fine, but the video already shows the kid driving this thing in the street ... not real smart, Dad. If merely giving a kid something dangerous teaches responsibility and confidence, why not just give him an AK-47?

by dannysteele August 7, 2012 7:00 PM EDT

Totally cool! I was concerned when I saw the car going through the subdivision streets. Please keep this thing off public roads for your child's safety! If you want to drive on asphalt, go to a DESERTED parking lot.

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by twmat311 August 8, 2012 9:36 AM EDT: I thought same, but when they paused ("what we built it for"), I thought "good job dad." Agree with the goggle comment - otherwise I think they'll be ok. Teach him to be fearless (yes, "fear"less) but not foolish.


by Jv-Santos August 7, 2012 1:41 PM EDT: Good Work ! I'm Brazilian, and for an English Test at school I'll be using your post! Thanks a lot guy! You really helped me! And Sure, this child will one day be a NASCAR driver!; Reply to this comment