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KUSTOM TONKAS
Turn a classic toy into a hot rod for kids
of all ages. By Todd Lappin
In my house, we have a tradition: whenever a friend
or family member has a firstborn child, we present
the lucky parents with a brand new Tonka dump
truck. Boy or girl, it doesn’t matter — have a kid,
and you get the truck. We’ve given dozens away
over the years. Kids still love ’em, and no wonder:
Tonka’s classic dump truck is big, durable, fun, and
extremely yellow.
Photography by Todd Lappin
When it was our turn to have a firstborn, I wanted
to create a Tonka that was extra special. We were
expecting a daughter, so I hit on the idea of giving
her a pink Tonka. And not just pink; I wanted to give
her a pink Hello Kitty Tonka, a slick mashup of two
childhood icons! No child of mine could possibly go
through life without one.
Happily, the venerable Tonka dump truck turns out
to be a versatile platform for mods and customiza-tion. I started by building a prototype: a primer-black
MATERIALS AND TOOLS
Flathead screwdriver
Electric drill, y" drill bit
Hammer
Masking tape roll or similar
2" sockets ( 2) like from a hex socket set
Loc Tite thread-locking compound
Machine screws with washers and nuts ( 2)
to replace drilled-out rivets
Very fine grit sandpaper or a finishing sander wheel
Spray paint, Goo Gone
Contact paper or automotive decal sheet
truck with red wheels that I nicknamed the Rat Rod
Tonka. I liked it so much that I brought it to a local
pinstriper to add some fancy scrollwork. The Hello
Kitty Tonka came next, and I really liked the way it
turned out too (to see all the Tonkas to date, go to
111 Make:
