[Fred Keller] and [Judy Foster], both retired, are proving that age is just a number. What you see above is a nostalgia inducing full size driveable Radio Flyer red wagon. The base of which is a 1976 Mazda pickup truck, while the wagon portion is a mishmash of wood, fiberglass and bondo, detergent bottles, and more. Even the steering wheel has been retrofitted from an actual wheel from a wagon. We were surprised to find out the entire conversion only took the two 11 months to complete (finishing this past august), and even more confounded to learn the vehicle is completely street legal.
[Thanks Rob]
That’s awesome! Looks a little low slung but I love it. Wonder if the handle ‘works’.
Awesome with awesome sauce! :-)
Hate to be the one to do this, but that isn’t “full size.” Full size would be the original size, as opposed to a miniature Radio Flyer.
Anyway, that wagon is awesome! The wheels are the perfect detail.
Totally cool; I had one of these (standard size) when I was a kid.
The word they hear more often: AWESOME! I’ll just repeat it.
This proves age is only in your mind. Great project!
I saw that thing driving around just the other day. pretty neat looking “truck”
I bet that thing is hard to get in the McDonalds drive thru
and a built in tow bar just in case it gets stuck. :p
Can’t be street legal with that ‘bumper’ on the front. It’s death on wheels if you ask me.
I’m betting it’s registered as a mazda pickup and the modifications haven’t been declared. At the least, the insurance company has no idea what they’re driving.
I was going to comment on the street legal thing because of the handle but decided against it. COOL WAGON!!!
I was going to say the exact same thing about the street legality; I’d make a bet that it’s a Ship of Theseus, just like Boyd Coddington got nailed for (regardless of the mirrors, windshield, gauges and signals). The point on the handle would impale any car with the misfortune to get rear ended by him, and the frame reinforcement looks minimal.
That said, it’s still a sick project, and they get extra props for driving it around in Alaska of all places (you can see the license plate for a sec in the video).
ROSEBUD………….
As far as street legal goes it is probably just fine. It has all the lights and a windscreen. As far as the front? It is probably a heck of a lot less dangerous than a lot of jeep bumpers I have seen. It is made mostly out of plywood. If it hits you It is probably not any worse then getting hit by the orignal pickup truck. Heck did you see the condition of the truck? It is probably a little safer than the orignal at this point.
Also folks this is in Alaska.
In Alaska I am guessing they are more tolerant of people risking their own lives to do cool stuff. This isn’t California we are talking about.
Some people would bitch if they were hanged with a new rope.
I think the project is wonderful. It brings out the best in everyone with a brain.
They say the tow handle is made of PVC so I’m betting, so is the mount made of collapsible material that would just crush on impact with any other vehicle.
Very little risk to anyone.
…and the frame reinforcement looks minimal.
Uh hello. It clearly says “detergent bottles and bondo”
;)
Just because the front isn’t like a typical car, doesn’t immediately dismiss it as non-road-legal.
It wouldn’t fly out of a manufacture, that’s for sure. Pedestrian safety would be crap.
But there’s a guy that drives a motorcycle that’s built into a tub with a seat. He just threw on the seat, lights, and built it around the tub. Road legal.
@ strider_mt2k – Thanks for the literal LOL!
Damn, if I had time and a garage space I would love to turn my rusting Karmann-Ghia into something cool like this!
This was circling the office email last week. Nice build.
I have a small 91 S-10 sitting in the driveway that i dont use. I was thinking about making it a convertable. But the radio flyer would be awesome.
It’s inspiring to see an older gentleman like himself fabricating and building something like this from scratch. Cool as hell. I bet it’s a blast to cruise around in.
Nice ‘MODzda’
its cool but tha handle is just ‘out there’
i would have broken away from traditional design, by making it longer, and wrap around, locking into the rear of the wagon so you have something in the middle to hold on to, since you don’t have the ‘oh shit’ handles that are on the door-side ceiling of most cars.
that’s the only part that looks dangerous to me. idk if it really folds down, for towing or whatever, but it doesn’t look like something i would want to have on my car when driving through any low-overhead pass like a 9 foot tunnel, potentially breaking off and wreaking havoc or damaging my pretty red wagon. maybe i’m overthinking this, or underthinking this, because i can think more and say these people are not going to be driving 90 in this thing, there is no windshield, and it is likely only streetlegal for parade use.
i don’t see this ‘windscreen’, but living in Alaska wouldn’t you want to make your vehicle more.. polar bear-proof?
“took the two 11 months” confused me but i got that now. as you all are well-aware by now i am somewhat mentally challenged. eye yam sofa king we todd did
There has been one of these driving around Davis, California for years. Always good for a laugh.
If you look at the fox news article, it reports that they did do modifications to make it street legal http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/10/12/alaska-couple-makes-radio-flyer-car-pickup-truck/
If the “SMART CAR” is deemed street legal- anything would be.
This project is very well done and it brings joy to all who see it.
Not to mention satisfaction to the builder.
Good on ya Alaskans.
Great project.
Here is a video of it i found on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au0wnf2gTCE