what to do with my 3 carts;

Don B.

I have built my "fleet" up to now 3 HD gas carts; #3 is engineless and wiring-less, "rolling chassis" bought as fiberglass body donor for the '73; (which as it happens finds its way pushed to the back of the list again even though it was the 1st to eat up garage space)

1) is this 73, an abandoned project given to me by a buddy last year for only the price of gas for a ~50 mi round trip and I had to "get it now" as he had to push it outta the way "once too many" in the dark of a power outage to get at his generator; he'd had a pile of $$ into it at that point too; lotsa little issues, mainly needs reassembled; I spent $150 to have the starter gen rebuilt at the local starter shop, havent gotten it back together yet; missing all gov stuff, need way to connect throttle to carb directly that won't bind;
I actually brought #3 home as a body donor for "it" as the bodywork is horrendous on it;

2) the Supposedly "complete/intact" '81 I got off fo Feebay that prompted my "don't buy this cart" thread based on that seller's subsequent Feebay ads; Body not the best but not as "embarassing" as the one on the 73; and "closer" to being all there. but not quite.

and that #3 one; '78, with the best fiberglass and cleanest frame of the pile but no engine or wiring or cables;
I am debating on pulling the body off that one and puttin' it onto the 73 or whether to pull "everything else" off the 73 and put it onto this cart instead; one will be a "sacrificial lamb" for the other; Ideally I would like to take one down all the way, then sandblast and either totally repaint or even powdercoat the frame and build it back up from scratch; but knowing my "history" of starting and not finishing such projects I'd jsut like to get 2 of them running as they are; less work and better chance of actually getting "finished" this lifetime....
I also thought of cutting the perches off the 78's rear end, and rotating the yoke more perpendicular to the ground and rewelding the perches there and then puttin either my 8 HP or 12HP Kohler on there or my 10HP Tecumseh on; I know that would mean no reverse but my other 2 do; so no biggie. since these engines don't take too kindly to "angle mounting" I'd change the cart to accomodate the engine instead. all 3 engines I have that "could" go to this idea are heavy and cast iron.
I did have a 4th one that I parted out and kept what I could of from, (I wish I'd have kept the gas door this '78 body could use one) and I got "usable" (A.K.A more "workable"/repairable) fenders and nose cone from it, that I could put onto the 73 and be "good" with that;

As long as the 81s engine don't need crank seals (found busted reed leaf among several other little "nusiance" issues) I should be able to have that one running the easiest and soonest. Then to combine the '73 and 78 into one good cart;
I started with the 73, and bought the 81 as a "model" to see how that 73 is supposed to go back together; that backfired; but then the 78 for its body to go to the 73.

Right now I want to have 1 "mechanically" running this week, the 2nd one by Labor Day weekend and then either sell off remnants of #3 or start my "ground up resto" on the remnants of #3 while I use the other 2 and once that far, "transfer over" the other stuff from #1 and build me a new "#1".....

What is it about these projects, you get started, then run into a roadblock and start searching for needed parts and then once you buy "that 1" part at a premium, then the things start multiplying like rabbits? Cars tractors and now golf carts, have happened the same way around here.....
and Tonka; No, getting rid of what I have in favor of a 4 wheeled yamaha isn't in the cards; I plan to do what I can with what I have!
Ultimately I may wind up selling at least 1 of them, once I get them "together"....

BGW

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tew45

I did the same thing with Triumph Motorcycles. I built a 1958 650 after I found a nice pair of handlebars for one. Moved on to Indians and VW beetles, same thing there. Now HD golf carts and motor scooters. ****!!! Wont it ever stop!

Don B.

OK answer the rest; what would you do if you had "my" particular combo of 3 wheeled gas powered Harley carts?
(Sorry, "junk them" is out of the equation)
I want to get at least 2 running out of the 3; and am considering transplanting a different engine onto #3 instead of parting it out; it would just mean a "marathon" fiberglass session come winter.....
I just got $120-some worth of parts ($120 worth? how? where? it looks like ~30-40 worth to me) from Vintage Golf Carts between them and Craig of "Craigs carts" helped me tremendously with a few other needed "small" parts yesterday; hoipefully within the next few days I will have at least 1 of them up n running....

tew45

Sounds like a good plan to me. But only if you have disposable cash and/or your wife (CFO) does not object!

Don B.

I bought #2 as a "working model" to see how #1 is supposed to be reassembled and then originally was gonna sell one once both run; but now that I have 3 I think I may keep 2 and either part out #3 or repower it somehow later down the road.

Don B.

well as of today #2 actually runs..... now to work on getting #1 to that stage.