How about a golf cart build?

[92 Green YJ]

An actual golf cart, not a side by side!

So my wife has wanted a golf cart to cruise around our acreage on for a while now. I told her I would prefer a UTV for a more versatile tool, but with the market being nuts, I just haven’t found a good deal on one. Enter this little bugger. On my weekly trip to the dump I spotted this at the end of the neighbors driveway with a for sale sign on it for $600. I tracked him down and asked what was up with it. He told me the issues and said make him an offer. I offered $550. He countered at $500. I picked it up and dragged it home.

Decoding the VIN told me it is a 1987 Club Car DS.
Plans include:
New Paint
6” lift kit
20 to 22” All terrain tires on some 12” wheels
New dash
new seat covers
rear fold down bench seat
some form of top/roof
headlight/tail light kit
Hitch Install
maybe some rockers and a push bar up front

Without Further ado, the project.

 

[92 Green YJ]

So I started messing with it a little bit today. Before I get too carried away, I want to get the thing to actually run. So I started by grabbing a group 75 battery at Napa to see if I could get it to fire up.

During my inspection I found that overall this thing is a filthy mess and I’m missing some parts, such as the air box. Also the governor arm is broken, but since it attaches to the air box that is missing, I’m not sure that even matters.

Im kind of flying blind here as I really don’t know much of anything about these things. I did manage to get it to fire up and run on ether. But it dies as soon as it burns thru the ether. So that tells me it’s not getting fuel. I ordered a tune up kit for it that includes a new carb, fuel filter, fuel pump, air filter, and spark plug. I’ll start with that when it arrives.

 

[ANGRYBLACK]

In for the learning. I've always wanted to fix up an old golf cart

 

[92 Green YJ]

In for the learning. I've always wanted to fix up an old golf cart

Yeah this should be interesting as I stumble thru it.

the neighbor I bought it from just stopped by to drop off a few more parts he found for it. Thankfully the air box was one of them as I haven’t been able to locate a replacement for it online.

tune up kit should arrive Friday so hopefully have an update this weekend.

 

[bdkw1]

So if it's an actual golf cart, do we still get to make fun of you?



I built a pretty bitchen cage for a buddies club cart after he rolled it a few times and got tired of fixing the roof lol.

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

So if it's an actual golf cart, do we still get to make fun of you?



I built a pretty bitchen cage for a buddies club cart after he rolled it a few times and got tired of fixing the roof lol.

Sounds like your buddy needs a SxS instead of a golf cart.

 

[SomeGuyFromOlympia]

We had a pile of these at a job site that I worked at
They were running 24 hours a day as little pickups on site

I remember auto shop saying something about a tube or piping that is prone to go bad. I want to say that he had to reach around to the back to get to it

I didn't care, I just wanted my scooter back. But try looking in that area and see if there is anything funky

 

[92 Green YJ]

Finally got some time to mess with this thing today. Also helps that some parts arrived. Tune up kit with new belts, new carb, fuel pump, fuel lines, fuel filter, spark plug, etc.

So I started by replacing the throttle link cable to the bottom of the governor arm. Also went ahead and replaced the carb, fuel lines, fuel pump, and fuel filter. Speaking of engineering that makes you want to punch babies. Carb mount Nuts on this are just fucking awful for access. Giant pain in the ass.

So with these changes I also got to looking at this governor deal and how it works. I think it wasn’t running because it wasn’t hooked up. Near as I can tell, with the key on, the cart just fires up and goes when you push the gas pedal down and it shuts off when you release. I am missing whatever is supposed to link the governor arm to the carb. For temporary fix and testing I just used some plant wire I happened to have handy. It seems to have worked.

then I noticed an issue. I have something spewing out of this little vent on the new fuel pump. Gas most likely though it doesn’t quite smell like it? Not sure what would be causing this.

 

[TRINDU]

Best SxS build on this forum.

 

[Deuce 40s]

I run an old electric club car around my property. It's amazing what these golf carts can do.

 

[TrikeKid]

Without being there to take it apart I'd say you've got a leak within the pump, shouldn't be any way for fuel to reach that vent.

 

[92 Green YJ]

Without being there to take it apart I'd say you've got a leak within the pump, shouldn't be any way for fuel to reach that vent.

That was my thought as well, few people on the golf cart owners groups said it may have too much oil in the engine and it’s backfeeding thru the vacuum line. I’m gonna check the oil level on it. Should probably change it anyway as I have no clue how old the oil in it is.

 

[92 Green YJ]

I finally got a chance to get going on this thing today after giving the garage a much needed spring cleaning. I started by getting it up on jackstands for a more comfortable working height.

went ahead and knocked the wheels and tires off. These won’t be reused as I will be lifting this 6”s to fit larger wheels and more aggressive tires to handle the terrain of our property.

Figured out how to remove the rear body section and got it off. Had to cut a couple of bolts but it wasn’t too bad.

with the body removed it was easier to see the butchery this thing has been subjected to over the course of its life. Yeah. I’ll be making a whole new exhaust for this for sure.

Also pretty sure this isn’t the factory coil Mount. Gonna have to replace the coil as it appears it was too close to the exhaust and some of the plastic case has melted

and I think I’m gonna have some wiring cleanup to do.

Next step will be figuring out how the front clip comes off and removing it. I need to get the parts train rolling and start ordering some parts too.

 

[aczlan]

Next step will be figuring out how the front clip comes off and removing it. I need to get the parts train rolling and start ordering some parts too.

So are you going more in a Jeep direction?

Or a Mustang direction?

Source: Melissa's Golf Cart Custom Body Kits - Muscle Machine - Custom Golf Cart Body Kit

Aaron Z

 

[92 Green YJ]

Gonna stick with the existing body. Will be adding a light kit to it, cleaning it up and the wife has picked a dark purple metallic to paint it.

 

[92 Green YJ]

Did some more tear down today. Got the front clip removed.

Looks like I should replace the steering assembly. I stumbled on a new one while browsing parts yesterday and they are reasonable so I was thinking about doing it anyway.

Found some old wiring connected to nothing which I have now removed

And found what I have been to,d is a back up alarm which I’m just gonna go ahead and remove.

 

[92 Green YJ]

Alright, parts train is rolling! Just ordered a 6” double A arm lift kit, heavy duty progressive rear springs, new shocks, new steering assembly, brake shoes, steering wheel and adapter, some 23” tires on 14” wheels the wife picked out, rear seat that folds down to a cargo deck, heavy duty tow hitch, new dashboard, headlight/tail light kit, running boards, front nerf bar, and some wheel spacers to stance it out a bit. Gonna start with all this for now. Still gotta order the paint and the stuff to make a new exhaust.

 

[Firstram]

Think about adding front brakes, worth the money!

 

[92 Green YJ]

Think about adding front brakes, worth the money!

Didn’t know that was doable. Not a bad idea though. The rear brakes on this thing are just cable operated drum brakes. Putting 23” tires on it so that may not be enough even with fresh shoes in the drums.

 

[Firstram]

I have disc fronts on my electric club car, so much safer than stock! You will end up adding more power at some point.

Club Car 1981-Up DS Lifted Front Hydraulic Disc Brake Kit

Do you use your cart in a hilly area? Is your cart too fast for your standard rear drum brakes to stop you safely and quickly? Or do you just want added safety in your stopping power? Our new front hydraulic disc brakes conversion kits will solve all of those issues.

www.golfcarcatalog.com

 

[92 Green YJ]

Its a good thing my UPS guy likes me. Parts train started rolling in Today.

Fancy new carbon fiber dash with two locking glove boxes

New rear heavy duty progressive leaf springs with bushings, new steering rack, new shocks for all 4 corners, new ignition cylinder and key, new rear brake shoes, steering wheel adapter

And of course a new steering wheel. Carbon fiber to match the dash

And the heavy duty nerf bar/side steps showed up today as well.

 

[92 Green YJ]

More parts arrived today for this build. New wheels and tires showed up. I gotta admit these are really nice looking.

definitely bigger than stock

The lift kit also showed up today

as did the 2” wheel spacers

And the LED headlight/tail light kit

according to Amazon the rear seat that folds down to a cargo bed should also be arriving sometime today. I also hit up Summit Racing this morning and ordered two quarts of dark metallic purple paint And everything I need to build a new exhaust for this thing.

 

[92 Green YJ]

Fold down rear seat arrived yesterday. Definitely got enough parts to get started on this thing. I sprayed all the bolts and such with PB Blaster the last few days. Hopefully have a chance to get started on installing the lift kit here in the next few days.

 

[Firstram]

What lift kit did you buy?

 

[92 Green YJ]

What lift kit did you buy?

I went with this one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0825F541Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this was one of the few that said it would work on gas carts of my vintage. Added bonus is it’s actually made in the USA in South Carolina.

 

[92 Green YJ]

Almost forgot. Little custom piece I did on the 3D printer for this build. Nice little skull F-N-R shifter knob. Printed it in black PETG per my lovely wife’s request.

Needs a little sanding to smooth out the layer lines and a couple of zits. But it came out pretty good.

 

[Thatg9659]

Price for old wheels and tires to 05739?

 

[aczlan]

Almost forgot. Little custom piece I did on the 3D printer for this build. Nice little skull F-N-R shifter knob. Printed it in black PETG per my lovely wife’s request.

Needs a little sanding to smooth out the layer lines and a couple of zits. But it came out pretty good.

That needs the eyesockets drilled out and a couple of LEDs wired in to them :D

Aaron Z

 

[92 Green YJ]

That needs the eyesockets drilled out and a couple of LEDs wired in to them :D

Aaron Z

Good idea!

 

[92 Green YJ]

Starting to get into this today. So far I got the front end completely torn down

And I got the new lift kit main assembly bolted up and installed. Seeing the shiny black paint next to the old nasty frame inspired me to toss a couple coats of black paint on the surrounding frame rails as well.

Letting the paint dry a bit and I am going to head out and get back on it