As the fourth of five children growing up in the early 1960’s, we didn’t have much in the way of toys or other luxuries. The toys we did have were passed down from my older sister and two older brothers. By the time I learned to ride a bicycle, the chain was rusty and both tires had holes in them; this was typical of all the hand-me-down toys I received from them. Because we lived in a tiny house, many hours were spent outside, playing in the grass or in the street.

 

One of those toys that I fondly recall, despite its wear and tear, is the pedal car. A green hot rod with white racing stripes, the chrome hubcaps were long gone and the real rubber tires were worn down to the metal before I got my chance with it. Still, the steel construction held up well, allowing me hours of fun. Racing up and down our tiny side-street or in the backyard, I surely must have felt like I was as grown-up as my older brothers, who by that time had gotten their first real cars. I can remember spending hours playing in the yard with that pedal car.

 

These affordable toys made good choices for families like mine because they could last through five rough children. Pedal cars were at the top of many children’s Christmas wish lists for several decades; I am sure that the pedal car in my family was originally a gift for my oldest brother. Because they were so popular, they remain in many peoples’ minds as a classic 1950’s toy.

 

My younger sister remembers playing with the pedal car too, though by the time it made it down to her someone had spray-painted it red, and there were a few pieces held together with duct tape. These steel pedal cars were built to last generations, and today there are many that have withstood fifty or more years of abuse. Although I do not know what happened to the pedal car owned by my family, many adult collectors still have the pedal car they played with as a child.

 

Though I don’t know where that car is today, I do have a Hallmark ornament that looks much like it sitting on my desk, a miniature replica of a toy car. Many collectors enjoy vintage or antique pedal cars as part of their toy car collections. Others collect pedal cars as the miniature replicas of the full-scale automobiles. For many fans of real hot rods, pedal cars offer a chance to collect “the one that got away”, or a favorite hot rod that isn’t practical or affordable to own in its full-size version. Though I can’t own a garage full of antique cars, collecting toy cars and pedal cars is affordable and does not require a whole lot of space.

 

Though many people think of 1950s or 1960s designs when they think of pedal cars, in fact they have been around since nearly the beginning of the automobile. These cars were modeled after the most popular full-size cars, allowing children (mainly boys) the opportunity to pretend to drive down the streets, just like their father in his real car. Pedal toys allow young children to feel part of the grown-up world. They can pretend that they are driving to the store, piloting a plane, or hauling cars with their tow truck.

 

For many pedal car collectors, restored vintage pedal cars from the 1950’s and 1960’s are preferable to today’s newer reproduction versions, even though they may be made using the same design. Like real cars, these popular pedal toy versions were produced in a wide array of styles and colors, designed after real car models. Using the latest trends in real cars, they often had working lights and horns, and moveable parts such as windshields and convertible tops.

 

Pedal cars reached their height in popularity in the 1930’s and the 1960’s, exactly when hot rod cars became popular in the real car market. In fact, most classic pedal car models are based on hot rod cars. Popular car models, like the ’55 Chevy, have long been turned into child-size pedal car versions. Manufacturers quickly discovered that popular cars made for popular toys. In fact, those based on real cars have stayed the most popular style of pedal car for several generations. Today, adult collectors enjoy these pedal car versions of their favorite hot rod, because these classic cars have never gone out of style.

 

The first pedal cars were shaped like the Model T car these children’s fathers drove, and were designed to allow young boys to be able to mimic their dads’ driving. During the height of popularity for both the pedal car and hot rods, designing hot rod pedal cars made sense. Even if parents could not afford a real hot rod car for themselves, they could afford one in pedal car size for their children. As more and more families could afford real automobiles following the World War II, they also purchased pedal car versions for their children. The designs of pedal cars closely followed that of real cars during the decades of the 1950’s and 1960’s, giving children of that generation the ability to mimic their parents as they played in the yard, sidewalk, or street.

 

Mine was the last generation to enjoy these steel pedal cars. In the late 1960’s and 1970’s, the classic steel pedal car gave way to plastic versions. These cars were no longer made to look like replicas of real cars, but instead had a toy-like aesthetic. My own children in the 1980’s had these cheap plastic cars, and they did not last through my two girls without falling apart.

 

Though high-quality reproduction pedal cars were not available when my own children were growing up, I do plan to buy one for my eventual grandchildren. Pedal cars have long been at the top of Christmas toy wish lists, and they make a great gift for the children of any generation. I can imagine their delight at finding a pedal car by the tree on Christmas morning, with a big red bow tied on the steering wheel. My grandchildren may even be able to pass these faithful reproductions on to their own children someday. Any toddler or preschooler will love pedaling around in their car, no matter which generation they belong to.

 

Pedal cars are still being made in hot rod styles for today’s parents and grandparents to buy, introducing a new generation to the hot rod style. In classic paint colors, including candies and pearls, these cars are sure to please both children and the adults who remember the real versions of the car.

 

Today, the classic vintage models I remember are being remade, particularly to bring back fond memories for the adult market. Many of yesterday’s children, like me, still hold an emotional attachment to these metal pedal cars. Classic metal pedal cars have a wonderful aesthetic, and are built with quality and exquisite detailing. Because metal pedal cars were loved by so many children, they have kept their value as nostalgic collectibles. Some are worth upwards of ten thousand dollars, making replica and reproduction models very popular.

 

A restored or reproduction pedal car makes a great gift for anyone who treasured their childhood pedal car. The classic lines, stylish designs, and bright colors are pleasing to adults and children alike. These vintage cars are quite collectible because they were so well-loved by the children who owned them. In fact, if you were a child during the 1950’s and 1960’s, you probably remember the popularity of pedal cars. Their authentic details make pedal cars a wonderful gift that will be treasured for years, just like the original pedal car models.

 

I plan to buy a pedal car for my grandchildren even though they would not understand the nostalgia of them. Pedal cars are a lot of fun for kids, who can imagine themselves in the grown-up world and will love the colorful paint jobs, just like I did as a child. Whether you owned a pedal car as a child or just wished that you had one, you’ll be reminded of bygone days when you watch your children pedal down the sidewalk in their own pedal car.

 

I wish I still had that green pedal car to restore. Restoring a vintage pedal car is a great way to bring your stylish pedal car back to its former glory. Cars like mine, with rusted spots, worn paint, and missing pieces, can leave quite a lot of work ahead of you if you want to fully restore your pedal car. While mine would have required plenty of work, most pedal cars from that era actually stay in very good condition thanks to their heavy-gauge steel construction. Restoring your childhood pedal car can be very rewarding as you watch it turn from a rusty old car to a beautiful, shiny pedal car worthy of display.

By Megan Churchwell

Megan is a freelance writer.

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