Off Shore Muse

Loren Hulber, Pedal Car Collector

When Loren Hulber found himself running out of room for his classic car collection the answer seemed obvious. He turned to collection classic pedal cars of the 1930s through the 1950s.

"Like most car collectors because we just keep collecting our garages are never big enough, no matter the size so I turned to pedal cars because they are similar and every bit as cool."

Loren Hulber

Hulber's most prized pedal car is a 1949 Murray Torpedo. The car was a victim of Hurricane Katrina. A friend found the car in New Orleans while working as a volunteer in cleanup efforts. "Here was this car in a pile of trash and yet it was a rust-free car that was amazingly intact". Hulber had the car meticulously restored to original condition. The body was sandblasted and repainted with its original dark maroon finish. The chrome pieces were replated,, the seat pad, wheels and pedals replaced and new decals affixed. "These pedal cars are restored just like a Concours car. These were dream toys back in the 1930s. Only the wealthy could afford to buy them for their kids. After WWII, that's when the pedal cars really thrived. The manufacturers hired the finest designers around just like real car makers."

The most prized as collector pieces are still the cars from the 1930s and early 1940s. "These cars were used and abused (by the kids) and then thrown out so the ones that are left are extremely rare."

Among Hulber's collection are a 1937 Lincoln Zephr, a 1941 Woodie station wagon with trailer made by Garton. A 1935 Pontiac and a 1937 Plymouth both made by Steelcraft. Another pedal car manufacturer was the Murray Company which also sold pedal cars under the Steelcraft brand.

Another collector by the name of Gary Luther. He acquired the pedal car collecting bug in 1996 and has since expanded his collection to about 65 cars. One of Luther's pedal cars is a Playboy wagon made by Steelcraft. "These Playboy wagons were made long before Hugh Hefner."

"I enjoy this as much as anything I've ever done. It's a constant source of pleasure for me. I joke that I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up."

Gary Luther, Pedal Car Collector

Luther owns 75 pedal cars. Among them is the ever-popular pink 1950s Garton Kidillac. The Garton Toy Company was founded in Sheboygan, Wisconsin by Eusebius Bassingdale Garton in 1879 and was the largest toy factory in the world! For 95 years the company manufactured coaster wagons, sleds, tricycles, scooters and the ever-popular, pedal car.

Today, the name Garton is usually mentioned when one finds or sees a Kidillac pedal car.

Garton started in a small shop along the north bank of the Sheboygan River. Every year, Garton Toy Company introduced a new toy to the market. Among the toys, the pedal cars ranged from deluxe models like a Pierce Arrow to a Buick. The most distinctive toy in company history was the 1950 Garton Kidillac. It was the most expensive and elaborate pedal car offered by Garton at $20.86. Today, a Kidillac can range from $50 for a rough, rusty example to about $500 for a nicely restored original.

The Kidillac was taken from the 1950 Cadillac so with its clever name and often-time flamboyant two-tone paint job plus a chain drive pedaling system it was a top-of-the-line offering during this era. Some Kidillacs had electric horns, working headlights and taillights. Production of the Kidillac continued until 1963.