Retired Engineer Builds Adult-Sized Pedal Car
When someone retires, they tend to take up a new hobby. Whether it’s golfing, volunteering to help those in need, or restoring old cars, it’s normal to pick up a new side gig when you have so much free time. That’s why it doesn’t come as a surprise that Pennsylvania-native Dan Hryhorcoff decided to occupy his leisure time with something fun when he retired—replicating a vintage Murray General pedal car in full-sized form.
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With the help of his friend and resident car enthusiast Jim Gibbs, Dan went about creating a fiberglass version of every child’s dream. As a semi-retired engineer, Dan had all the knowledge he needed to develop this huge push car. In fact, he had previous worked with fiberglass in 2000 when he built a working submarine. Rather than create a unique vehicle all his own, Dan decided to just replicate a beloved childhood toy in a much more adult-friendly body.
The car body is built around a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup truck. To create the “Sad Face” body style, the Ranger’s wheelbase was shortened and raised, aided a lot by 24-inch wheels. It was then fitted with 24×5.00 tires, supplied by Coker Tire. These were the narrowest tires Dan could use while sticking to Pennsylvania vehicle code—because, after all, what fun would a pedal car replica be if it wasn’t actually registered and plated legally?
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Finally, this replica is powered by a stock 3.0-liter Ford V6 engine, which produces 147 horsepower. It is also equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission.
Dan’s road to the replica was a lengthy one, beginning with a full-size version made of Styrofoam. Eventually, the body molds were created, and the process continued from there. The replica has the characteristic center-mounted steering wheel and controls, but it also has a conventional steering wheel on the left side to stay within the state’s vehicle regulations. It even has full instrumentation and lighting!
If this isn’t an impressive way to stay busy in retirement, then we don’t know what is. Who needs golf, anyway?
News Source: Yahoo! Autos
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