In the era of the station wagon, Radio Steel began producing its Radio Rancher Convertible, a high-capacity wagon with removable steel stake sides. Beginning in 1957, the company branched out, for the first time making garden carts. These were not toys, but metal carts designed to haul yard waste, perhaps a shrewd razor ride ons line extension in view of the growth of suburbia and suburban gardens. Although Pasin’s background was in woodworking, he soon became enamored of a new technology, metal stamping. Henry Ford had used metal stamping in his automobile factories, where huge machines stamped identical pieces out of sheets of steel.
The battery is integrated into the frame, but is removable for indoor charging. If you’re interested, you can donate money to Starlight specifically to fund these wagons. Starlight CEO Adam Garone told ABC15 his family knows the impact of the wagons firsthand. The wagon comes with an IV pole attachment, is made from medical-grade fabric that can easily be cleaned, and has a seatbelt with high, detachable walls, making for a comfortable and safe ride. The idea behind them is to make a child’s hospital experience a little less scary and a little more fun.
Ace Rewards members spending $50 or more are eligible to receive free Next Day delivery on in-stock orders. Orders must be placed on days the store is open, before 4pm local time or 2 hours before store closing time, whichever is earlier. In retrospect, it looks like one of the savviest and most successful promotional stunts of its era. But when Antonio Pasin—inventor of the Radio Flyer—decided to invest $30,000 into a coaster wagon exhibit for the 1933 World’s Fair, he considered it the riskiest make-or-break moment of his life. The value of a Radio Flyer will depend a great deal on its condition.
Designed for Starlight by Radio Flyer, the Hero Wagon has an IV pole attachment, making it easier for all patients to enjoy a wagon ride. Plus, each wagon features seat belts for safety, smooth surfaces, and durable fabric that is easily sanitized by hospital staff between each use. Most wagons can turn so sharply that they sometimes tip over. Look for Radio Flyer wagons that are built with a controlled turning radius. This design prevents the wheels from turning too far and spilling out riders and contents.
All-terrain Radio Flyer wagons have bigger wheels and tires. The tires are air filled and have more rugged treads for use on grass, dirt, gravel and sand. The side rails of these Radio Flyer wagons are 50% deeper to hold more inside and the carrying capacities are upped to 200 pounds. In the all-terrain category, Radio Flyer also makes cargo wagons.
Despite the depression, Antonio had his sights set on the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. The flashy red color became a mainstay for the Radio Flyers early on, but no one really knows why. “Some people say it was because my grandfather was Italian,” says Robert, explaining that Ferraris razor ride ons and spaghetti sauce, both Italian staples, are red. Over the years, the company has tried many colors, but red always zoomed ahead of the others in sales. That kind of versatility has certainly given the iconic, fire hydrant red Radio Flyer some serious staying power.
Radio Flyer’s corporate headquarters is, remarkably, still essentially in the same location today—although all manufacturing has unsurprisingly moved to China. It also can’t be overstated how much I absolutely love the “no drop” technology of the pull handle that keeps it upright and makes it so the pull handle never touches the ground. Even if you simply drop the pull handle without warning, it just springs back up, out of the way and ready to grab if you need it.
Hoping to scale production and outpace his competitors, Antonio switched from wooden wagons to all-steel ones in the mid-1920s. By the 1930s, Antonio’s process was so operationally efficient that his team of 140 workers could stamp out 1,500 of them each day. In 1987, Radio Steel & Manufacturing changed its name for a third time, to Radio Flyer Inc. This name immediately brought to mind its most popular product.