Tennessee man uses lasers to make the world’s thinnest car
A YouTuber armed with a 1988 Ford Festiva and a workshop full of lasers may have created the world’s thinnest road-legal car, although it took some serious work to get there. Tyler Fever, who runs the YouTube channel Prop Department, took the already small Festiva and cut it into pieces, ultimately creating a contraption roughly the size of a shopping cart that looks like something out of The Flintstones. Somehow, Fever even managed to fit two seats into this little vehicle. Even more surprising, he claims to have succeeded in fully securing the little death trap.
It was all, he said, part of an effort to make what has been called the “most pathetic car in the world” even more ridiculous.
“We’re going to make him even smaller and more pathetic,” Fever says in the video.
I built the finest legal car
Make a small car even smaller
Even without modification, the Festiva is certainly not big. When it was released in mid-1987, it was already one of the smallest mass-produced cars ever built. It wasn’t exactly a success either. The car was discontinued in the Americas in 1993, but continued in other markets. Still, its small size makes it an ideal basis for building a ridiculously thin car.
To begin, Fever dismantled the entire interior of the car, leaving only its shell empty. Part of this undeniably cathartic process involved using a tank of liquid nitrogen to freeze stubborn parts and make them easier to break off. Then, using a powerful metal laser and a CNC cutter, he and his team cut the car straight down the middle. The lasers were so powerful that they eventually cut cleanly through the metal and continued into the ground. Needless to say, you should think twice before trying this at home.
It became clear from the start that the original Festiva engine would not fit in the lightweight model. To solve this problem, Fever removed it and replaced it with the motor of a powerful electric dirt bike. This had the added benefit of not only being compact, but also offering a rechargeable battery. But the new tiny format quickly introduced other unforeseen problems. Most egregiously, the narrowed frame meant the steering wheel prevented Fever from using the brake pedal. This problem was solved by taking a saw and simply cutting the steering wheel in half, leaving a futuristic half-wheel reminiscent of what is found in some Tesla models. Even when cut off, Fever still had to wiggle slightly and dodge every time he tried to spin the car.
Fever also had to redesign the dashboard to ensure the car could be considered road legal. He customized 3D-printed brackets for lights, mirrors and other safety devices, then powered those items using a 12-volt battery. This battery was powerful enough to operate the headlights and horn, and even managed to power a pair of phone chargers.
When they put the two halves of the car back together, the team ended up with something narrow, but not so narrow that it was undrivable. They even included a small space directly behind the driver where a passenger, in this case Fever’s cameraman, could crouch.
After some more testing and a bright yellow paint job, it was time to take the car out for a spin around Nashville, Tennessee. Almost immediately, the little car started turning heads. Fever drove it on public roads, took it to a gas station, and even crossed a major bridge entering downtown Nashville without any problems.
Although it was assembled in just a few weeks, it seemed to drive remarkably well. The car also proved remarkably adept at maneuvering and parking in the city’s sometimes congested spaces. In one clip, Fever can be seen taking the Festiva onto a parking ramp and nestling it between a Jeep and a sports car. And while it’s certainly not the most practical choice for getting around town, Fever says the fact that he managed to drive counts as a victory.
“I think it was a successful project,” Fever said. “I’m really blown away by how well it drives on the street and everyone loves it. »
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