Using 20-gauge automotive steel for the first toys, “after (the Second World War), steel was widely available and cheap,” noted Thiede, “and Tonka took advantage of this surplus.” The first tires were ...

It even had a split in the plastic on one side, which was a common defect that cropped up when Tonka started producing more toys with plastic in the 1970s instead of solid steel. Price ...

A big plastic bin, some washing soda, and old steel ... his Tonka truck was ready to face another 30+ years of service. If you’re looking to restore things larger than a child’s toy, you ...