Fisher-Price’s Power Wheels toys promise kids all the thrills of driving, without the need for a licence. But in reality the battery-powered vehicles are usually disappointingly slow, unless your dad is Richard Whelan, who upgraded his daughter’s tiny pink Mini Cooper Power Wheels with brushless electric motors giving it a lot more get up and go.
Given the vehicle appears to be powered by just a single back wheel, on slick surfaces like wood or grass it has the tendency to wildly steer towards the left when the accelerator is punched. But on something like asphalt or concrete it tears up a straight line.
As an added safety feature, Whelan also made the upgraded Power Wheels remote control, so at all times he was in charge of how fast it was going. But the steering, for better or for worse, was left up to his kids. [YouTube via Tastefully Offensive]