In the late 1950’s there was a time when business slowed down quite a bit for McDonough Power Equipment Company (later Snapper). Demand for lawn mowers was steady, but the plant had made enough mowers to fill all the orders and the winter months stretched ahead without a lot for the plant workers to do.
“How could the plant stay busy over the winter?” thought Bill Smith, the founder and President of the company. His answer was to buy a patent for a design of two little child size vehicles that the plant could produce during the down season.
The first editions came off the assembly line in 1958. The T-Model was a replica of an old-fashioned T-Model Ford that allowed two passengers (two small passengers) to putt around and the ‘Buckboard’ was more of an open plan with oak slats for the floor and a bench seat that three kids could fit on if needed (and maybe scrunch another kid on the floorboard…no safety rules applied). Powered by a Briggs and Stratton 3hp engine, while the little cars were not designed for use on the public roads, we kids took them on the streets of McDonough and no one ever said a thing about it.
The dream of every little boy and girl in McDonough was to own one or the other. Some of the kids I remember who had them were the Bob and Martha Chick kids – John, Lynn, Jim and Bill. The Bobby and Betty Strawn family – Martha, Joyce, Bob and Susie. Marlene and Leon Russell, the two younger children of JB and Martha Russell. The McKibben and Owen kids. The Maliza kids, Gene and Emily Spratlin’s girls – Donna, Diane and Denise. Ben Oglesby had one and his father, Horton, who was a builder, had built a little garage just for the T-Model. We thought that was really cool! Lots of other kids had them, too.
Our parents were not quick decision makers when it came to making a major purchase of something that was purely for fun and the three of us who were old enough at the time to realize our lives were incomplete (my sisters Lynda, Kathy and I) without having one of the little cars broke one of the Ten Commandments daily as we could not help but covet the cars our playmates took for granted. Our fervent prayers were answered in 1961 when a miracle occurred. Santa was able to get a buckboard down the chimney. I think my sisters will agree that was the most exciting Christmas of our young lives!
Unfortunately, at six, I was restricted from driving on my own, but there were plenty of opportunities for rides with Lynda and Kathy. When I was finally given the okay to take it out on my own, I had to take my baby brother, Scott, along for the ride. We drove down Bon Aire Dr to visit our friend, Bill Pipkin. I hopped out to see Bill and somehow, Scott managed to knock the brake off. Bill and I stared in horror as the buckboard started going around and around in a circle with Scott screaming bloody murder. The buckboard was going too fast in a tight circle for us to hop on without getting run over. We ran hollering for Bill’s parents. The neighbors, Wallace and Juanita Hawkins and Emma Lou and Franklin Grubbs ran out of their homes to gape at the out-of-control speedster in the Pipkin’s front yard. Thankfully, future Henry County tax commissioner, Andy Pipkin, Bill and Ruth Ann’s older brother, saved the day. He was fast enough to jump aboard and bring the buckboard to a stop.
Marlene Russell Lovejoy remembers running behind a buckboard Kathi McKibben Lee was driving. Suddenly, Kathi whipped the wheel to turn and Marlene couldn’t change course fast enough. She remembers looking up through the slats at Kathi as the buckboard ran over her. Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident.
The fame of the little cars spread far and wide as a result of a strategic marketing move. ‘The Price is Right’ occasionally gave away a McDonough Power Equipment produced T-Model or Buckboard and soon, folks all over the country were inquiring. Probably the most famous purchaser was Bobby Kennedy who had one of each shipped to his home in Massachusetts.
The little cars were produced only until 1965. Today, the little cars have become sought after by Shriners and other collectors who use them in parades. There is a Facebook page dedicated exclusively to the little cars and the photos on the page bring back a lot of memories.
Thanks to Bill Smith and his vision for keeping the plant operational, many folks have special childhood memories!
Jeff Reeves is a lifelong resident of McDonough. He and his wife, Betsy, have one son.
