May Update

We recently finished three unique vehicles for Sun Valley Resort. All three of these vehicles are indigenous to the western terrain. We felt fortunate to be chosen to restore these pieces of history. Information we found while undergoing restoration was original lettering under the paint on the Yellowstone coach and we found that Studebaker was the maker of the buckboard. Although the buckboard has a rough appearance we decided to keep it in original condition to be used as a work vehicle. They are currently en route to join the Sun Valley Collection in Idaho.

Below is the beginning of a restoration of an original M.P. Henderson & Son surrey for Melanie Brooker. We are very excited to have the chance of restoring such a rare piece. M.P. Henderson & Son was a famous wagon and coach builder from Stockton California. So far we are finished with the restoration of the undercarriage of this vehicle. We are very impressed with the attention to detail M. P. Henderson & Son put into the construction of this surrey. The finished product will have a rustic natural finish and contrasting black hardware.

Wagonhound's Mud Wagon stagecoach which was in our most recent blog is already nearing completion. The staining, striping, and lettering are already finished. Also Seth has upholstered the canvas top and has began working on the leather interior. We look forward to setting this coach's body on its running gear and seeing the finished product. Doug will be delivering this coach May 27th. Joining Doug will be Jim Patrick with his chuck wagon to feed Wagonhound Ranch's hungry cowboys as they drive 3000 yearlings to their summer pasture.

This original Concord buggy belongs to the Georgeson's from Nebraska. They stopped by the shop earlier this spring to discuss the decoration of their buggy. The idea they came up with was a monogram and roses on the oval body panel with a black fine line striping the undercarriage. The upholstery will be top grain black leather.

Cheyenne Frontier Days stagecoach is almost complete, we chose to accent the rich red body with chestnut colored boots. Wayne Troyer did a beautiful job on the mural of two bull buffaloes on prairie terrain. If you would like to see this stagecoach in person it will be in the upcoming 2010 Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade which will take place July 23rd-August 1st. This rodeo takes place in Cheyenne, WY. For more information visit their website at http://www.cfdrodeo.com/.

This buckboard was another project built for Gary Tritcher. This is our "Cow Boss" buckboard which is equipped with a toolbox under the seat and the rear seat is removable. This is a unique vehicle of American design which uses floor boards as it's suspension. This buckboard will keep it's natural finish to give it western flavor.


Tritcher's stagecoach was just coated with a beautiful paint job. It included striping, a mural, and wonderful scroll work on the bottom half of the body. Wayne Troyer recommended the full scroll so that it would give the essence of the stagecoach era. The mural is a lone bull buffalo which is a great symbol of the west to ornament the door. This stagecoach will be used in parades and wild west exhibits in the future.

Spring is Here and the Shop is FULL of Vehicles!

Sun Valley's mountain wagon top and curtains are finished. Now Seth is in the process of copying the original upholstery pattern. It will have a stitched back roll pattern, in leather.



This Prairie Schooner is going to be on display at Scott's Bluff National Monument in Gering, Nebraska. The whole construction process will be the same as it was in 1840's with all chamfers spoke shaven , and hand-forged hardware. Jerome is working on the wood axle which will be clouted with iron. This technique is a primitive but period correct method. In this photo the mortise and tenon box frame is ready for Brian to install the panels.



Seth has tufted the seats to match the original pattern of this Studebaker buckboard. This rustic piece is ready for display at Sun Valley Resort.



Jerome finished installing the boots and Joel has hand-forged the hardware on Cheyenne Frontier Days' coach; it is now waiting in line at the upholstery shop.



Gary Tritcher's coach body construction is complete and it is now ready for the painting process.



Brian just finished the Dean Sheep Wagon. This original Wyoming wagon has been restored with all the trimmings of an 1880’s sheep camp.



Bodoh's phaeton is on its running gear and ready for upholstery.



This original John Deere wagon is going to be used in a western restaurant in Canada. The wagon will be an actual booth for customers to be served meals in.



Our wheelwright Tim likes to take a break from the wheel shop. Here is a look at a replica British Revolutionary War cannon he just completed, just needs an ammo box and it is ready to fire.

Feb. 19th Update

Bain Sheep wagon


Original Bain Sheep wagon Before

This is an original Bain Sheep wagon. This wagon is going through a restoration process. We kept the original running and stripped the body of all its irons. The wood is all new on the body and is getting a distressed finish. It will be equipped with a sheepherder stove and cabinetry. The owners of this sheep wagon will finish it off by decorating it with period correct antiques.


The Restoration So Far


Inside the Sheep wagon

Trichter Stagecoach



Gary Trichter commissioned us to replicate an Abbot Downing Western Concord Mail Coach. This design is made to seat nine passengers and is equipped with leather boots and side curtains. The coach will be used in wild west shows and entertaining. The stagecoach will be given an antique patina finish to look like a rugged historic original coach.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Stagecoach



Cheyenne Frontier Days wanted to have a stagecoach built to promote their Museum and Rodeo. The coach will be pulled by a team of six horses. The stagecoach has been stained and ironed and is ready in the striping booth to recieve it's antique lettering and a mural that will be painted by Wayne Troyer.

Bodoh's Slat Sided Phaeton Carriage



This Cobb style Slat Side Phaeton Carriage is a rare size to find. It is designed for a Cobb size horse. The body is made of a rich dark walnut wood. Restoration is under way and so far the body is being assembled and new wheels have been fabricated.

Wagonhound Ranch Mudwagon



We have done several restorations for Wagonhound Ranch but this project is the most historically significant. In the Lusk Wyoming museum we noticed a mud wagon that had been used on the Douglas Short Line which ran from Lusk to Douglas Wyoming (it is a spur route of the Deadwood Trail). The Douglas Short Line also ran through the Wagonhound Ranch. We are going to replicate all the components of the mud wagon from Lusk so Wagonhound Ranch will once again own a coach from the Douglas Short Line.

Sun Valley Buckboard



This is a unique Studebaker buckboard with a side-spring suspension and partial side boards. We have kept it’s original work character to exemplify it’s rugged life.

Sun Valley Winona Mountain Wagon



This wagon is an original vehicle whose undercarriage was untouched but the body had been repainted. While removing the red paint we discovered original lettering that read Yellowstone West #208. This was an original wagon that carried visitors through Yellowstone’s Park. We were very fortunate to have found this information. If we would have stripped the paint we would have lost this piece of history. We have just cleaned and sealed the undercarriage to keep its original appearance.



Maker's Tag from Sun Valley Mountain Wagon

Just Finished!

Ft. Laramie Wagon

Here's the final result of Brian's work. This 1840’s prairie schooner with lynch pin clouted axles and ribbed panel construction was hand-crafted from the ground-up using original designs and processes. All the wood in the construction was shaped with a spoke shave to replicate the tool marks on the finished product that would have been present with original methods used in the construction of such a vehicle. All irons were hand-forged and parts were studied from archeology digs. Hansen Wheel & Wagon Shop used this information to accurately replicate the wagon into a piece that would have been used during this time period at the Fort. Read More.

3 Pounder Infantry Cannons

These cannons were used by the British in the Revolutionary War.
Also known as grasshopper cannons, this type of cannon was light weight and could follow the infantry closely, on the battlefield. On the back of these cannons are authentically ironed ammunition boxes.

Two Seated Buckboard

This buckboard was built for a customer in Germany. It was equipped with removable seats, a hydralic braking system, doublebend, and drop heel shafts for a single horse to pull.