Little red wagon is made for flyin'

ARLINGTON - With the wind blowing through his graying crew cut, Bob Throndsen whips around in a kart that is part wagon and part dune buggy. A smile as innocent and beguiling as a 5-year-old's creases his face.

Throndsen, 43, created the little kart out of a Radio Flyer wagon.

But this is not a children's toy. The only thing this wagon has in common with the ones kids pull behind them is that it has the same red tub.

Its top speed: 35 mph. Its price tag: $3,500.

Throndsen has been building his business, Wagon Works, for 19 years. He now sells his karts, with big wheels, lawn-mower engines and boat seats planted in wagon tubs, to customers as far away as Japan and Great Britain.

Marketing over the Internet at www.wagon-works.com, he brings in about $50,000 a year, Throndsen says. Customers use the converted wagons for everything from tooling around their yards to covering a lot of ground at auto shows.

When he began selling the karts almost two decades ago, Throndsen loaded the souped-up wagons on the back of a trailer and drove as far east as Ohio and as far south as California to sell them at car shows.

Word of mouth helped, but in the beginning Throndsen sold no more than a half-dozen motorized wagons a year. A fabricator by trade, he supplemented his income selling wooden toys and metal yard art, and painting elaborate designs on hot rods.

The company's fortunes turned last year when Throndsen's wife, Kay, suggested he send in pictures of his motorized wagons to car magazines. He also set up a Web site. Calls have been pouring in ever since.

Initially, Throndsen bought wagons from a hardware store. Now he buys the wagon tubs directly from Radio Flyer. He has even created "pup trailer" tubs that attach to the back of the karts for carrying things.

If you think a wagon tub is too small to accommodate a grown-up, consider this: Throndsen is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 235 pounds.

To get the wagon going, the driver pulls the engine's starter rope. The vehicle has a steering wheel, a hand-lever accelerator and a brake handle.

Buyers can purchase kart kits ready for assembly, or parts and plans.

Plans for the most deluxe karts sell for $69.95. Parts range from $6 for front-axle springs to the tubs, with all parts except engine, seat, steering wheel and tires, for $691.20.

Mike Johnston, who has done engine work for Throndsen, said he might buy a motorized Radio Flyer one day. His first set of wheels was a Radio Flyer.

"I used to hang my leg over the side and make noises like I was revving the engine," said Johnston, now 52.

Throndsen, who underwent surgery for a brain aneurysm two years ago, said he sometimes thinks about getting a welding job with a steady income, insurance and benefits.

But he likes having his own business. And, looking at his little creations, he mused, "Now this is fun."