How Pedal Cars Are Constructed

Pedal cars have been around for over a hundred years. In that time frame, the basic design of pedal toys has not changed drastically, although the materials used have. The earliest cars featured a wooden body and seat with rubber tires. At the height of pedal car popularity during the late 1940's, the 1950's, and the 1960's, the vast majority of these cars were made of pressed steel. These steel-body cars are designed in much the same way as their wooden predecessors, except with longer-lasting parts.

In the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's, nearly every pedal toy on the market was made of plastic. These cars, usually constructed entirely of plastic, though sometimes with metal components, were meant to last through one generation only, and often cracked or broke. This plastic was typically not molded as finely as the steel versions, making pedal cars of this era look less and less like real cars. However, more durable steel pedal cars were simply unavailable until re-introduced for adult collectors in the late 1990's. Today, steel pedal cars can be purchased for both children and collectors, although some companies still produce plastic versions of these classic ride-on toys. Other versions can also be found with a fiberglass body, although the underlying workings are the same no matter what the body is made of.

The basic pedal toy construction includes a body piece that gives the car its style, mounted on a frame with a seat and steering wheel. Depending on the intended style of the car, the body may be constructed as a hot rod car, plane, train, truck, or another style. Any accessories, like a horn or lights, are mounted to the body or frame. Underneath the frame are the axles and wheels, usually with rubber tires. Though this may seem similar to a full-size car, the similarities stop there. The space in front of the seat is left open to allow space for pedals.

The pedal toy is driven by the child's foot power through a simple drive chain mechanism which uses pedals to turn the front axle of the car. Early models were usually belt driven, while models from the 1950's and newer are usually chain-driven, although there are exceptions. Adjustable pedals, not found on earlier models, allow the pedal car to be used by children of different ages or sizes. Other new improvements may also include a gear box to allow the car to go in reverse, although this is not common.

As with many toys, the construction methods depend on the sale price of the toy. More expensive pedal toys are often constructed of higher quality materials, with extras ranging from convertible tops and windshields to working lights or horns. A less expensive model will be bare-bones, consisting only of the drive mechanism, the frame, and the body. These variations are all cosmetic; with very little variation, the actual workings of the pedal car have remained the same for decades. These classic toys are constructed in a very simple design, no matter their outward appearance.