From 1942 to 1945, the company shut down its production of wagons and made five-gallon steel gas cans for the war effort. As men returned home at the end of World War II, housing was short and the 1944 G.I. Bill subsidized mortgages, allowing many to flock to the suburbs. The sale of wagons surged during the subsequent baby boom, and Radio Flyer branched out into gardening wheelbarrows to meet changing demands. Today, Radio Flyer still makes those red wagons, but it also makes electric bikes and scooters, tricycles, bounce houses—and Teslas for kids. The factory on the west side of Chicago closed in 2004 (it’s the design office now), and most products are currently made in China.
Antonio Pasin started building wooden toy wagons in Chicago in 1917, selling them to area shops. He was working as a craftsman at the time, mostly selling phonograph cabinets, and built small wooden wagons to carry around his tools. After he received frozen ride on toy numerous requests from customers of phonograph cabinets to buy the wagons as well, he refocused his business on the wagons. His business grew until the Liberty Coaster Company, named in honour of the Statue of Liberty, was formed in 1923.
Radio Flyer Inc. was founded by Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin. Pasin’s family had been fine woodworkers for generations, specializing in furniture and cabinetry. But he longed to leave his small town outside of Venice and make a new start in the United States. His family backed his plan, selling their mule to raise money for Antonio’s ticket. Here he hoped to work as a cabinetmaker, but at first he could only find unskilled work, beginning as a water boy for a crew of sewer diggers.
Radio Flyer’s EZ Fold Wagon is designed as a full-sized wagon for two kids that folds compactly. With an easy one-hand fold, you can take or store the wagon anywhere. A vintage classic red Radio Flyer with some rust and peeling paint recently sold for $75 on eBay. It had all parts and was functional, but it needed some cosmetic attention to restore it to its original beauty. As the Baby Boomers became “wagon aged,” Radio Flyer launched some new designs to appeal to this generation. With the war over, materials like steel were plentiful again, and the classic steel wagon shape was back in production.
A lot of these wagons were used hard by the kids who loved them. Since they were often made of steel, rust is a major issue. It’s uncommon to find a very old wagon in pristine condition. Unlike many other razor ride ons antiques, this is a rare instance when restoration can increase the value. Highway Chief – This model had high green wood sides with slats, making it great for kids who wanted to haul a lot of stuff.