Thought I'd share the wagon project I just finished up last weekend for my 14 month old son.

Was looking for an old wagon on CraigsList when I came across an ad for a $10 rust bucket wagon that came with a 2nd set of brand new wheels/tires. I figure it would be worth it just for the 2 sets of tires even if one was bad, because you can't even buy them at Harbor Freight for that cheap. As the Guy opens his gate he comments that it will be interesting getting it into my Corolla. I'm thinking "what? a kids wagon should fit just fine". Gate opens and I see perhaps the largest wagon I've ever seen.

Guess he should have at least put something in the pic for size reference or included some dimensions in the ad. The pan is 22" wide x 42" long x 4" deep, and rides on 13" wheel barrow tires. Pretty much big enough to fit 2 adults! It's not a Radio Flyer though. Guy said he was a lineman and found this wagon about 15yrs ago sitting in waist high grass under power lines in a field, which is why it's so rusty. He stuck it in the garage for a future project that never happened.

My new $10 CL purchase:




I decided to rebuild the wagon after all. Decided it needed to have "safer" steering, because I got bailed too many times as a kid with the flip around steering they put on old wagons. I was very tempted to get crazy and put it on suspension - but after looking at prices, I decided I should just build an actual go kart if I'm going that far....so I guess I have another project someday...

After calling up a few places to inquire about having the pan blasted ($100+) I decided that was way too much money to invest in this project. I consulted my neighbor who works on old cars (working on a mid 30's Chevy now). He mentioned electrolysis is a common practice for old rusty steel objects....so did just that in my city recycle bin:

Half done:


Wire wheeled it after the electrolysis was done. Didn't remove all of the rust and paint like I'd hoped, but it was my first time and I left lots of room for improvement. Unfortunately, found a few pinholes that rusted all the way through, had to weld and grind all those all shut.



In the meantime, I was working on rebuilding the steering and actually putting a frame under this huge pan so an adult wouldn't "taco" it.

making my own steering parts - I should have just bought some go kart weld-on parts from eBay instead:



Mock up



(oh yeah, it's got a trailer hitch!)

Finished! Decided to go with Duplicolor paints: John Deere Green, Black Bedliner, and White. After putting it all together, looks like I forgot to paint the washers and axle nuts green, oh well.








Still working on accessories for the receiver hitch. Going to make a platform carrier for an ice chest, a shackle receiver, and tow ball. If anyone has ideas on a small tow ball, I'd love to know. My hitch setup is scaled down, so ideally looking for a ball that's only around 1" diameter if possible.

 

Awesome job. I noticed the trailer hitch before I saw you commented on it. Now it needs an engine.

 

That thing turned out sweet, nice job! Especially like the custom crossover steering, lol, big improvement over the old school steering! Did you use a battery charger for the electrolysis process?

 

That thing is sweet. I'm planning on building one for my kids one of these days. I've already got an old radio flyer I picked up for free in about the same shape as yours started out in. Nice job!

 

Yes, just a simple battery 2A/6A charger I had sitting around. I went with 6A setting, but it didn't always read that high. I think the draw has to do with the strength of the electrolyte solution. It definitely worked though.

My neighbor was telling me some car guys go as far as buying an above ground pool - install the floor, roll car in, put the up the sides, fill it up, do the electrolysis with daisy-chained car batteries, then take it apart to get car.


If I had access to a pressure washer, I'd have actually tried that first for the prep work. I helped my dad repaint some patio furniture 2 weeks ago - we cleaned the chairs and table up with a 0* tip on his pressure washer and man that thing can seriously strip surfaces! Not sure if it would have warped the large areas on the wagon or not, but it possibly would have blown out the heavily rusted corner beyond what I could easily repair by tack/fill method.

 

Sweet build!
When I was younger, my Dad and put those same style pneumatic wheels onto my wagon, and made it into a right proper deathtrap downhill. The thing would bomb down our lane in ways that should only exist in Calving and Hobbes, it was awesome.
Again, great job on the resto!

 

Love safety chain slots on the little trailer hitch.. Nice work on an old wagon!

 

this is what i'm afraid of. i used to bomb my wagon and skateboards downhill as a kid and have many memories of road rash. this wagon is at least 40lbs heavier than my wagon was, and is about twice as tall...

i might have to somehow integrate some brakes into this thing. i was pulling my wife and son in it the other day, and had to keep it from going too fast on the slight downhill of my driveway. even if the brakes are just for parking brakes to keep it from rolling away.

also because of the weight, this thing is a heavy pig when trying to pull without any momentum behind it, once it gets moving it's all good though. i never repacked the bearings on the wheels, so i might try lubing those up with a needle tip and see if it helps the dead pull.

 

Man, This really makes me think. I've got a 95lbs working German shepherd that needs a job. I really hope our next place has a market within walking distance. A similar set up but a handle that comes up with two poles that tie into his harness on the flanks. Might need a remote handbrake so it doesn't runover him on the downhills.

Really cool!!