This is a 100% street-legal Radio Flyer Wagon that was built on a 1999 GMC Sonoma chassis and powered by a 350 small block Chevy V8. The front “pull-handle” is removable and the whole body lifts up hydraulically to show off the engine bay and allow access to the cabin.
The humble, red Radio Flyer wagon was one of the most iconic American toys of the 20th century, and so perhaps unsurprisingly, some adults who grew up with them have made full-sized, car-based versions to drive on the road.
Michele Gartner with her Radio Flyer wagon in the 1950s in California. Image – Creative Commons.
History Speedrun: The Radio Flyer Wagon
In 1914, a 16 year-old Italian immigrant named Antonio Pasin arrived in Chicago, carrying little more than his woodworking skills and a dream. By 1917, he had saved enough to rent a small workshop, where he began building wooden wagons to transport the tools he needed for building his phonograph cabinets.
These wagons caught the attention of his customers who seemed more interested in them than the cabinets, leading Pasin to shift his focus entirely to wagon production. He named his first line the “Liberty Coaster,” inspired by the Statue of Liberty – perhaps the most famous symbol of his new homeland.
As demand for his wagons grew, Pasin sought out ways to increase production and reduce costs. In 1927, he adopted mass production techniques from the automotive industry, introducing stamped steel wagons. This innovation earned him the nickname “Little Ford” – high praise indeed.
He renamed his company Radio Steel & Manufacturing in 1930 and introduced the “Radio Flyer” wagon, combining his fascination with radio technology and aviation, among the most important two innovations of the age.
The 1930s were challenging times due to the onset of the Great Depression, but Pasin’s wagons remained popular, selling for less than $3 each. During World War II, the company shifted to producing five-gallon steel gas cans for the U.S. Army, resuming wagon production in the post-war years.
In the 1950s, the company introduced wagons with higher sides to accommodate children. The 1970s saw designs influenced by muscle cars, and in the 1990s, the company introduced the “Quad Shock Wagon” which was fitted with four Monroe shock absorbers to absorb bumps and shocks.
In 1987, the company was renamed Radio Flyer Inc. Today, under the leadership of Pasin’s grandson, Robert Pasin, Radio Flyer continues to offer a range of products from classic wagons to electric bikes, all while maintaining its commitment to its heritage.
Untold children have raced their Radio Flyers down hills over the years, with somewhat varied results, but results that have helped keep pediatric dentists in business. Image courtesy of Radio Flyer.
The Radio Flyer wagon was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1999 and it’s now remembered by many as one of the most famous wheeled-toys of the 20th century.
A Street-Legal Radio Flyer
This is a custom-built Radio Flyer wagon/roadster that was commissioned by its current owner in 2022, taking inspiration from the classic American children’s wagon. It was built using a shortened, refinished 1999 GMC Sonoma chassis, with a custom steel body fabricated from sheet metal and box tubing.
It’s finished in bright red with white Radio Flyer graphics down the sides, it has wooden stake sides, a removable wagon handle, chrome-mounted headlights, and 1959 Cadillac-style taillights. The entire body pivots upward using hydraulics to provide access to the cockpit and engine compartment. It measures in at 15 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 8.5 feet tall (with the handle installed).
Power is provided by a small block Chevrolet 350 cubic inch V8 equipped with an Edelbrock 500cfm four-barrel carburetor, a bug-catcher-style air scoop, finned valve covers, and tubular headers feeding into a dual exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers.
The engine is paired with a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission, powering the rear wheels through a GM 10-bolt rear axle. The suspension combines the Sonoma’s original independent front setup with a triangulated four-link rear end on adjustable coilovers. Power steering, front disc brakes, and 15-inch wheels fitted with Coker American Classic whitewall tires complete the running gear.
This is a custom-built Radio Flyer wagon/roadster that was commissioned by its current owner in 2022, taking inspiration from the classic American children’s wagon. It was built using a shortened, refinished 1999 GMC Sonoma chassis, with a custom steel body fabricated from sheet metal and box tubing.
The open cockpit sits within the wagon’s bed and has a gray upholstered bench seat, an Ididit tilt steering column, a billet steering wheel, and Stewart-Warner instrumentation. Modern conveniences include air conditioning, though I’m not sure how useful it will be in the open cockpit. It also has an Alpine touchscreen stereo, front and rear facing cameras, and a PA system for parade use. The five-digit odometer shows approximately 1,100 miles accumulated since the build was completed.
It’s now being offered for sale on dealer consignment with a clean Carfax and a Nevada title out of Las Vegas, Nevada. If you’d like to read more or place a bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer + Radio Flyer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
