Sears 500 GT build

[nickp51chevy]

The wife and I have been looking for a good steel wagon for some time now that we could fit in the back of the car to take to shows and swap meets. This last weekend was the local semiannual parts swap meet. A lot of us from the board get together there every meet. Any way; Hardluck and myself went off on our first round of the grounds. He had his freshly built Radio Flyer and I had a luggage cart with a crate strapped to it. I was on the look out for a good wagon. We came across a pile of Radio Flyers that had seen better days. The guy selling the wanted $50 for anything that could roll, so I wasn't about to get one from him. A short distance from his booth was a couple selling mostly toys and a few parts. And there it was a blue Sears 500 GT in awesome condition. Of coarse I had to call and ask the boss if this an expectable purchase. So with her approval I offered $30 and they countered $35, so I said deal. Not bad considering the Radio Flyers back a ways had the rubber falling off the wheels for $50.

Not sure what the plans are for it yet, but my son and I started sanding all the rust out of the bottom today. I do know that I want to put bed liner in the pan and clean up the wheels for a new coat of paint. Other than that the rest will come it time.

[NONHOG]

Looks solid. I'd line the bed up to the edges and call it good.
Maybe some race kart slicks ?

[nickp51chevy]

Ya that's about what I'm thinking, but I'm probably going to use the original wheels. Those wheels are still in good shape.

[nickp51chevy]

The neighborhood I live in only allows yard sales only twice a year. Well, this weekend was the first of the two times, and since I had a lot of time to kill selling stuff out of my garage I worked on the wagon yesterday and today. I think the pieces turned out well. I decided not to do anything to fancy, as far as customizing it. So I just painted the wheels, axles, and inside the pan. Tomorrow or maybe even Monday I will put everything back together.

So here are some pix for now.

[nickp51chevy]

One more; of the pan.

[nickp51chevy]

Well here it is finished. The wife is going to take the boy to the zoo on Tuesday. She is planning on taking the newly repainted wagon with. I'll get her to take some pix of the boy playing with, and riding in it.

[c10hunting]

Perfect!

[nickp51chevy]

I thought this would be cool. Make a tent for the wagon, sort of like a covered wagon. The sun always beats hard at the car shows so I wanted to give the boy some protection from it.

I still need to find some way of attaching it to the wagon. I really don't want to drill holes in it so I'm thinking about getting some cheap "C" clamps to use.

[cable666guy]

Pretty cool!! Just enough to make it functional, yet keep as much of the originality as possble...

[nickp51chevy]

Thanks. We took it to a local car show today, and got all kinds of looks and complements about the wagon.

[randyhummel]

Wow Looks like the radio flyer I had as a kid. Here is a picture of mine that I just redid

[nickp51chevy]

Very nice. You rarely see those wheels. I am lucky enough to have two sets of the.

[72BlckButy]

Nice work on the ol' wagon!

What paint did you use on the wheels, etc.?

[randyhummel]

I just used a silver i got at walmart

[nickp51chevy]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Nice work on the ol' wagon!

What paint did you use on the wheels, etc.?

Oh snap!! I'm sorry that I didn't see this.

I used chrome spray paint from my Napa store. I don't remember what brand it was though; all I remember is it was spray chrome.

[Pyrotechnic]

Cool thread and great job on that wagon! I loved my Radio Flyer as a kid. I really beat the crap out of the thing and had a great time doing it.

Me and my friend used to tow ours behind our bikes. I had always wanted to make a hitch for it mounted to the bike frame, but of course as a little kid you can only dream of things like that. Instead, we just ran a rope from the handle to the seat post. The tire would rub on the rope and fray over time, and whenever I wanted to stop I either had to do it slowly, or let the wagon crash into the back of the bike

We would also sit in the wagon at the top of steep hill then ride it down. The handle worked pretty good for steering. It seems really dumb now conidering there was no brakes, but it sure was fun then.

Once I wasn't towing the wagon around anymore or beating it up, my dad restored it for me. He sanded all the rust off, pounded out all the dents and painted it. He also sanded and polyurethaned the wood and now it looks better than new. It's been sitting in the attic at my parents house ever since...it really brings back a lot memories. He said I can give it to my kids when I have them. I suppose if I get the chance to give it to them, I'll be restoring it after they beat it up just like I did.

[doubleb's69]

There is a antique shop downtown Des Moines that has a GTO wagon with similar wheels. It looks as if it were orange with white stripes and lettering. I didn't want to cut one like it up because I don't like them stock height but I think you changed my mind and I may have to buy it and restore it. They want $40 for it but maybe I can restore it and sell it to a GTO fan.

[brad_man_72]

Originally Posted by doubleb's69

There is a antique shop downtown Des Moines that has a GTO wagon with similar wheels. It looks as if it were orange with white stripes and lettering. I didn't want to cut one like it up because I don't like them stock height but I think you changed my mind and I may have to buy it and restore it. They want $40 for it but maybe I can restore it and sell it to a GTO fan.

Here's my GTO wagon! I haven't found any info on it at all! Who made it? Who sold it?
Id like to put some kart wheels with redline tires but don't want to cut up anything rare.
I found it and all of the stuff in it in my fiances cousins barn, even picked up an nice aluminum cooler full of jfk assassination newspapers, and a cool old aluminum lunchbox that I restored pinstriped then lined with houndstooth.
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[randyhummel]

just finish my second wagon, it is a xmas present to my brother as he was made at me for beating him to the one we had as kids hope he likes