Greg Rhomberg, owner and curator of the Antique Warehouse, has been collecting a number of different items since he was just a little boy.  Ranging from simple arrowheads or baseball cards, to beautiful fully restored fire engines.  The 1964 Garton Fire Chief Pedal Car featured this month was the very first pedal car to be added to his collection. 

     This toy is an all metal body pedal car with bright fire truck red paint, white  body stripes, white artillery style wheels and a chrome fire department bell.  This 1964 toy has not always looked this great.  The entire car was striped, media blasted, primed and painted. New chrome parts and tires were also installed.

     The Antique Warehouse currently has several riding toys in its collection including wagons, pedal cars, pedal boats and pedal tractors.  In total there are nearly 20 riding toys, not including bicycles and other powered toys.

     Americans have always had an interest in and a passion for transportation, and the riding toys that have been produced throughout the past century have proved this love.  Riding toys first became popular back in the late 1800's, starting with velocipedes (click for image), which was basically a tricycle.  The evolution of this riding toy splits off in two directions from here, one direction is the bicycle, for older children, and the pedal car, mainly for younger children.  Click here for a few images depicting a history of the evolution of these toys.

     There are quite a few collectors of these unique toys.  For many, pedal cars are just a simple hobby.  However, for some, what may have started as a hobby, has turned into something even bigger.  There are several hobbyist that have turned their passion into a job.  Ranging from specializing in complete restorations of these toys, to producing parts and accessories that would no longer be available if it were not for them.

     If you are interested in pedal cars, tractors, boats, or any kind of riding toy, here are a few resources that may help your hobby: