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Who ever said you were too old to ride a wagon? Posted on YouTube, two buddies team up to build something really special; a completely custom Radio Flyer wagon.
Built in 2015, the rat rod wagon was out of commission for a solid three months, the duo decided to bring it back to life. What had questionable modifications and plenty of rust, the two wanted to reimagine the wagon with a stronger drivetrain.
A quick look at the first version of the rat rod wagon.
The idea for the wagon stemmed from a 1930s Ford Model A rat rod. Their aim was to build a front-engine, rear-wheel drive custom with zero safety equipment. Looking for a more compact and reliable build, they devised a plan with a 90-degree gearbox, which was installed before the rear axle.
Using a series of chains and sprockets, this wagon is powered by a Briggs and Stratton 5 horsepower flathead mill. Disassembling the original system was a chore as there was a ton of rust. With the first iteration being a quick build, the two questioned the engineering design and functionality of what they did.
For the Briggs mill they planned to put in, they had to rebuild the carburetor due to its age. Going against the grain, they mounted the engine at a 90-degree angle to compensate for the gearbox. Due to the engine idling high, they had to properly tune the idle to a more suitable rpm that wouldn’t make the engine work as hard.
A pure do-it-yourself project that arrived with great results, the rat rod wagon fired up and excelled the duo’s expectations. Although it was better than the previous setup, the two realized the wagon needs bigger gearing to compensate for the power from the Briggs engine.
Operated with a hand throttle and no brakes, it was a good thing this wagon wasn’t overpowered. Being able to control the wagon should definitely come first as power isn’t everything.
Next on the to-do list for the duo is a bigger sprocket to eliminate physical push starts, an exhaust, brakes, a new throttle, and a proper steering wheel. Stay tuned as we will be following this unique custom. Be sure to check out Cars And Cameras FaceBook page to see their past and current projects!
