Functionality Test, Finishing & Teardown | Flatbed Felix Pedal Car Build | Plan 6 - Episode 31 |

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Episode 31: Functionality Test, Finishing & Teardown

In Episode 31 of the Flatbed Felix Pedal Car Build, Vaughan takes the car for a functionality test and walks us through the final finishing tasks before teardown. This episode gets the project ready for painting, so a lot of detailed prep is needed to ensure a great result.

Skills You'll Learn
Vaughan puts the pedal car through a functionality test, which includes a test drive to check the steering locks, clearances, and overall drivability. Any faults he finds are fixed before disassembly begins.

Before teardown, there are a few final jobs—installing nut inserts, smoothing out metal edges, and doing a last visual check. Vaughan’s approach is to stand back and assess the whole car, because once it’s painted, changes become much harder. He also demonstrates sanding directly on the assembled car, which helps make marks easier to see and remove. Sharp edges are smoothed out for safety, especially with kids in mind. Final surface prep includes detailed sanding and sandblasting.

During teardown, Vaughan shares tips for staying organized: label all containers, sort nuts and bolts into divided part boxes, and use sealable plastic bags for small items. Keeping things sorted now makes reassembly easier later.

Finally, he talks through paint options: rattle cans, hand painting, powder coating, or professional spray finishes. The best choice depends on your budget and the look you want. For this build, the wood parts were hand-painted and the metal parts were powder coated.

Tools You'll Need
You’ll need a tape measure, ruler, square, pencil or marker, screwdriver, hex key set, drill with bits, and a countersink set. An orbital sander is also useful, and if you have access to a sandblaster, that’s a great bonus.

Always wear gloves, safety goggles, hearing protection and PPE when working.