I ain’t no grouch, but I might live in this trash can. Inventor Michael Wallhead set the Guinness World Record for fastest motorized trash can. But that wasn’t enough: He’s been souping his bin ever since and can now hit 66 mph.
Our motorized trash can driver isn’t to be confused with the man who thought a motorized bar stool was brilliant DUI loophole. [Spoiler alert: It wasn’t].
Wallhead bought his trashcan on Facebook Marketplace for $25. He’d seen Andy Jennings’ 2020 record—45 mph—and reckoned he could beat it. You might say he recycled the idea.
“After Andy, I got my backside in gear and decided to build a bin.”
How to build a 66 mph trash can
Wallhead budgeted an additional $900 to trick out his trashcan. His power plant: a Suzuki GP125 two-stroke engine. He reckons the rebuilt motorcycle engine could put out 18-20 horsepower at 8,000 rpm. Wallhead connected it to a five-speed manual transmission, so he could keep said engine in its power band. He upgraded the rear axle and mounted magnesium go-kart wheels. Finally, he added an extra wheel out front for stability. The result was essentially a high-powered tricycle that he can bolt the bin to. That’s one way to back up your trash talk.
Wallhead named his bright yellow contraption the “General Waste.” Driver name: “Dukes of Hazard-ous materials.” Get it?
In 2023, he took his trash can to the track to attempt the Guinness World Record. Clocked at 55 mph, he trounced the competition. But Wallhead didn’t let his trophy gather flies.
He’s since further improved his wheeled trash can. In early January, he claimed his latest run hit 66 mph. So if you want to claim his record, you better be ready to haul. Garbage. You can see Wallhead racing his trash can in the video below:
