How to Make the Simplest Toy Car With a Motor

Turn a cardboard box into a motorized toy car.

With only a few household items and a few toy pieces, you can build a motorized toy car. This procedure creates an inexpensive toy car that is fun for kids and can be easily fixed. The process should take less than 30 minutes and is simultaneously fun and educational for kids. It is recommended that children have adult help or supervision when building a toy car.

Things You'll Need

• 7x7-inch piece of cardboard
• 2x2-inch cardboard circles (2)
• Lego wheels (2)
• 3-inch stick (a small, skinny skewer or piece of wood to be used as front axle)
• K'nex motor
• K'nex stick that would fit in the motor as rear axle
• Strong glue
• K'nex clips

Instructions

1. Place the K'nex motor lengthwise inside the middle of the 7x7-inch piece of cardboard so the front ends of the motor touch the outer edges of the cardboard piece. Fold the sides of the cardboard piece up the sides of the K'nex motor and make creases in the cardboard that fit around the K'nex motor. Make small holes in the cardboard that line up with the holes on the K'nex motor. Remove the K'nex motor.

2. Glue all around the inside of the piece of 7x7 cardboard piece and then place the K'nex motor inside the cardboard so the switch is facing up and the holes on the K'nex motor line up with the holes in the cardboard.

3. Once the motor has properly dried within the cardboard, place the K'nex stick through the cardboard and K'nex motor holes and out the other side of the cardboard. Then, place the 3-inch stick through the adjacent holes in the front of the cardboard box. This will be the axle for the front wheels.

4. Cut out even 2x2-inch cardboard circles, which will be the back wheels. Place the 2x2-inch cardboard wheels on the K'nex stick and use the K'nex clips to hold each wheel in place. Next, glue the Lego wheels to the 3-inch stick by gluing inside the Lego wheels; glue each wheel to both sides of the 3-inch stick. Allow glue to dry.

5. Flip the switch on the K'nex motor; the back wheels should spin.

References

• Instructables: Cardboard Motorized Car
• Instructables: Fan Car Thing