But they will not be taking to the open road.
The cars are quarter-scale working model children’s pedal cars, and are being manufactured by retired former science teacher Stu Scott.
‘‘When I retired I wanted something to keep me thinking, to challenge me and this is it,’’ he says.
It all starts with a chalk outline on the floor of his workshop.
Not an easy job, as the model pedal cars share space with an actual Ford Model T vintage car – Stu’s first project after retiring from teaching at Linwood High School.
‘‘I do the research and find a vintage car that I like the look of, then I draw its outline on the floor, and start from there.’’
But these child›sized pedal cars are made completely of recycled scrap metal.
‘‘I go to the dump, and the recycling centres, looking for old bikes, old bits of steel or bits and pieces I can reuse as parts on these little cars.’’
The grille of the Duesenberg he is working on comes from repurposed carpet edging.
It’s horns were fabricated from discarded silver plated wine goblets, fog lights were recycled candle sticks, and the bonnet radiator cap came from a Morris Minor window winder.
On the back of the Duesenberg the intricate wooden boat tail was crafted from a set of drawers and a packing pallet.
Nothing is left to the scrap heap.
On the Darracq the brass water tank came from an old toilet flush tank, the steering wheel was crafted from a bed end, a children push bike gave him gears, chain and other parts to use while the angled radiator came off a Mazda car that had been accidently driven over.
The Darracq is modelled on the first V8 engine racing car ever made and as one of his many nieces or nephews pedals the car forward all the tappets and valves move and clatter just as they did on the original car made in 1905. The working nature of these old cars is a feature of Stu’s skill in the workshop. ‘‘I love to think about how to make things move.’’ One of the first of 17 cars he has made, was a one third scale replica of a 1903 Ford Model A car, powered by a 125cc engine. ‘‘I made it because I love the amount of brass that was on it,’’ he says. Stu has given away most of his creations to family and friends. ‘‘I make them so others can enjoy them,’’ he says.
