Illinois Family Builds Horse-Drawn Vehicles

2008 - Volume #32, Issue #2, Page #06

[ Sample Stories From This Issue | List of All Stories In This Issue | Print this story | Read this issue]

Sleighs, carriages, doctor buggies, even coffin wagons - Howard Chupp and his sons build and restore any type of horse-drawn vehicles.
    The Arcola, Ill., family business fits the work in between their regular job of building one Amish buggy per week. Demand is good for both kinds of work, Chupp says. Work has been steady since he started his business in 1996.
    Chupp, a former construction worker, got the idea after he ordered a buggy and was told he'd have to wait two years. When that carriage builder retired, he gave Chupp blueprints and some advice. Now, with the help of his sons and a couple of nephews, the back order for buggies is six months instead of two years.
    "We use many of the same parts on the antique buggies, such as the wheels and running gear, that we use on the Amish buggies," Chupp says. "People see something they like and bring me pictures."
    He often starts by drawing the pattern on plywood, but the carriages are made out of all types of woods. Some are painted. Some have natural wood preserved with a marine varnish.
    Occasionally vehicles are in splinters when they come to Chupp's shop, such as the coffin wagon he fixed recently. It was in a parade when the horse pulling it spooked and damaged the front end.
    "We actually took those pieces and splinters and glued and epoxied them back together and re-formed intricate moldings on it," Chupp says.
    Other interesting projects have been buggies and sleighs with fold-down tops that doctors used, and a wagon presumed to have originally belonged to Cyrus McCormick. Chupp says the hand-forged steel is old and he found red paint on everything.
    Chupp has shipped his work to both coasts and has many customers in surrounding states. Cost for a basic carriage with fiberglass seats and a vinyl top starts at $4,000.
    "There's a lot of work out there," Chupp says. "There's a lot of driving clubs and also interest in trail rides. It used to just be in the Eastern states and now it's spreading westward."
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Howard Chupp, 604E Co. Rd. 200N, Arcola, Ill. 61910 (ph 217 268-3897).

Click here to download page story appeared in.

Click here to read entire issue

Illinois Family Builds Horse-Drawn Vehicles LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules Sleighs carriages doctor buggies even coffin wagons - Howard Chupp and his sons build and restore any type of horse-drawn vehicles The Arcola Ill family business fits the work in between their regular job of building one Amish buggy per week Demand is good for both kinds of work Chupp says Work has been steady since he started his business in 1996 Chupp a former construction worker got the idea after he ordered a buggy and was told he d have to wait two years When that carriage builder retired he gave Chupp blueprints and some advice Now with the help of his sons and a couple of nephews the back order for buggies is six months instead of two years We use many of the same parts on the antique buggies such as the wheels and running gear that we use on the Amish buggies Chupp says People see something they like and bring me pictures He often starts by drawing the pattern on plywood but the carriages are made out of all types of woods Some are painted Some have natural wood preserved with a marine varnish Occasionally vehicles are in splinters when they come to Chupp s shop such as the coffin wagon he fixed recently It was in a parade when the horse pulling it spooked and damaged the front end We actually took those pieces and splinters and glued and epoxied them back together and re-formed intricate moldings on it Chupp says Other interesting projects have been buggies and sleighs with fold-down tops that doctors used and a wagon presumed to have originally belonged to Cyrus McCormick Chupp says the hand-forged steel is old and he found red paint on everything Chupp has shipped his work to both coasts and has many customers in surrounding states Cost for a basic carriage with fiberglass seats and a vinyl top starts at $4 000 There s a lot of work out there Chupp says There s a lot of driving clubs and also interest in trail rides It used to just be in the Eastern states and now it s spreading westward Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Howard Chupp 604E Co Rd 200N Arcola Ill 61910 ph 217 268-3897

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.

SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW NOW