Marathon Restoration Project: Engaged!

herbstmg · 01-03-2020, 02:32 AM

Happy new year everyone! It is 12:30 in the morning on a Thursday night but what better time to start a thread than now after hours of aimlessly scanning the internet. I've been wanting to do this for a while and now that money is right and things are starting to fall into place time wise, I am finally starting a very sentimental project of mine that I've held off on for almost 2 years now.

A little back story... I have an 89 ezgo marathon that I inherited after my grandpa passed away. It was one he had at his house at one time and I learned to drive on it probably as young as 4 years old. He had it at his house a while and eventually he got a stall (identical to a horse stall with a dirt floor) at his local country club. He played in this cart up until (I'm guessing here) 2012. The muffler was rusting through, and being a 2 stroke, that started to cause lots of problems. Fortunately for him, his "stall buddy" just happened to be his best friend who was giving up golf due to health issues. His friend gifted him his cart and this one sat in the dirt for 6 long years. My grandpa unexpectedly passed away and both of the carts were left sitting there needing a home. With the annual invitational tournament coming up, my uncle suggested that we pull them out of the stalls and put $500 for both. Without discussing this prior, my dad and I looked at each other and each claimed one. He claimed the one that was running, an electric ezgo, so that he could drive my niece around their neighborhood and I got the gas, 2 stroke. Luckily for me, out of the two, that is the one that I would've preferred anyway.

Now for it's initial condition... I will post pictures at a later date but just to start, the muffler had been "welded" on multiple times and was hanging by baling wire , it had close to 30 dirt daubers nests, trash in it from 6 years prior, old score cards from when him and I had played (I kept these), along with a million other things that made everyone wonder why I was going through the trouble of loading it on the trailer. *with a flat tire that wouldn't hold air.

Initially my excitement for this build was through the roof. I wanted paint, lift, tires, everything. Unfortunately with just getting married, buying a house and still in school (I do have a full time job as a high school teacher, you know, making the big bucks) there was no way to afford anything. I planned and planned, and drew out big extravagant drawings of what I was going to do but had no real idea when I could get any of it done. Then came November when I spoke to the paint and body shop teacher at the high school I work at. He said his kids were almost finished with a mustang and after that they wouldn't have anything to do. We discussed it and he told me if I bought the paint that he could do whatever I wanted.

So that's where I am now. I had already taken everything apart months ago, prepping to do a spray can job in the garage. Fortunately I hadn't gotten there just yet. Also, I just happened to receive a bonus at work and was able to sell a couple things around the house to come up with some extra cash. Over the last two years I have been lucky to find some deals online for a Jakes 4" lift and a 3PG complete rebuild kit along with a few other odds and ends. Today I ordered the wheels and tires that I've been looking at for over a year and it finally seems like it's all coming together! The paint guy said it would probably be April before it's completed but I know it will be a much better job than what I would have done. He's having to cut out some rust on the body panels and what not, something I definitely wouldn't have done, so I understand why it's taking so long. He did have his kids repaint the hood on my truck a couple years ago and they did a great job on it so I'm eager to see this. I'm still deciding on a color but more on that next time I'm on here. I'm rambling because now it's after 1 am which is way past my bed time. Goodnight to you all and I hope you enjoy this build thread as I have enjoyed many of yours.

- Miles

Mooncarter · 01-03-2020, 02:54 AM

Looking forward to seeing your project!

LukeL · 01-03-2020, 08:03 AM

Following!

heresjeff · 01-03-2020, 10:01 AM

This is my 2stroke marathon. A workin buggy

It was my grandma’s buggy, me and my cousins wore out the river road as kids on it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

herbstmg · 01-09-2020, 11:01 PM

So it's taken me a while to get back on here but I was able to find the pictures from the day we loaded her up on the course. My plan is to, in the next few weeks, post pictures chronologically of the process as it happened. Unfortunately it has been such a drawn out process that I didn't log the information real-time but my goal is to write small tidbits as I remember during each step of the project. I know these carts are getting few and far between but if anyone does decide to restore one that they could use this thread as a possible guideline and learn from my mistakes.

As far as the cart's current status, it has been an exciting week. Tuesday, the wheels were delivered to the house and then around 5 o'clock on Wednesday the tires arrived. I met the FedEx driver outside, threw them in the back of my truck, and rushed over to the local tire shop to get them thrown on ($60 i felt was a fair price considering it was about 1/3 of what a larger franchise tire shop quoted me). Let's just say, in my opinion, the wheel/tire combo looks nice and I can't wait to get them mounted on the frame! I also was able to sneak into the paint booth today during my conference period to see that the body panels had been stripped down and were getting sealed. Seeing this makes me optimistic that it will be completed sooner than April, fingers crossed.

herbstmg · 01-09-2020, 11:04 PM

I would like to add that taking this cart apart was not very fun. Many parts were welded on, including the body panels, the starter (there will be plenty of pictures of this part later on, talk about a headache), and the floor panel. The muffler is missing in these pictures because I was trying to get it repaired at the time. Ultimately I got lucky and found one used on ebay for $120. If you try to buy one new you're looking at $850.

Also if anyone has any advice on how to better upload pictures please let me know.

LukeL · 01-09-2020, 11:08 PM

Looking good so far. I’m pretty familiar with that specific engine, after a long process of trial and error rebuilding one :-)

herbstmg · 01-09-2020, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heresjeff

This is my 2stroke marathon. A workin buggy

It was my grandma’s buggy, me and my cousins wore out the river road as kids on it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have to say I'd take an old cart with memories over a new one any day. Thanks for sharing. Looks like the pup enjoys rides on it too haha.

herbstmg · 01-09-2020, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukeL

Looking good so far. I’m pretty familiar with that specific engine, after a long process of trial and error rebuilding one :-)

Great to know! I bought a complete rebuild kit off of ebay. I'm hoping all goes well the next week or so and I'm going to give it a go. Already split the case. That flywheel was something else!

LukeL · 01-10-2020, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herbstmg

Great to know! I bought a complete rebuild kit off of ebay. I'm hoping all goes well the next week or so and I'm going to give it a go. Already split the case. That flywheel was something else!

Oh boy, it sure is. It’s easier if you know you’re not gonna reuse the oil injection pump though

01-03-2020, 02:32 AM	#1
herbstmg Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 31	Marathon Restoration Project: Engaged! Happy new year everyone! It is 12:30 in the morning on a Thursday night but what better time to start a thread than now after hours of aimlessly scanning the internet. I've been wanting to do this for a while and now that money is right and things are starting to fall into place time wise, I am finally starting a very sentimental project of mine that I've held off on for almost 2 years now. A little back story... I have an 89 ezgo marathon that I inherited after my grandpa passed away. It was one he had at his house at one time and I learned to drive on it probably as young as 4 years old. He had it at his house a while and eventually he got a stall (identical to a horse stall with a dirt floor) at his local country club. He played in this cart up until (I'm guessing here) 2012. The muffler was rusting through, and being a 2 stroke, that started to cause lots of problems. Fortunately for him, his "stall buddy" just happened to be his best friend who was giving up golf due to health issues. His friend gifted him his cart and this one sat in the dirt for 6 long years. My grandpa unexpectedly passed away and both of the carts were left sitting there needing a home. With the annual invitational tournament coming up, my uncle suggested that we pull them out of the stalls and put $500 for both. Without discussing this prior, my dad and I looked at each other and each claimed one. He claimed the one that was running, an electric ezgo, so that he could drive my niece around their neighborhood and I got the gas, 2 stroke. Luckily for me, out of the two, that is the one that I would've preferred anyway. Now for it's initial condition... I will post pictures at a later date but just to start, the muffler had been "welded" on multiple times and was hanging by baling wire , it had close to 30 dirt daubers nests, trash in it from 6 years prior, old score cards from when him and I had played (I kept these), along with a million other things that made everyone wonder why I was going through the trouble of loading it on the trailer. *with a flat tire that wouldn't hold air. Initially my excitement for this build was through the roof. I wanted paint, lift, tires, everything. Unfortunately with just getting married, buying a house and still in school (I do have a full time job as a high school teacher, you know, making the big bucks) there was no way to afford anything. I planned and planned, and drew out big extravagant drawings of what I was going to do but had no real idea when I could get any of it done. Then came November when I spoke to the paint and body shop teacher at the high school I work at. He said his kids were almost finished with a mustang and after that they wouldn't have anything to do. We discussed it and he told me if I bought the paint that he could do whatever I wanted. So that's where I am now. I had already taken everything apart months ago, prepping to do a spray can job in the garage. Fortunately I hadn't gotten there just yet. Also, I just happened to receive a bonus at work and was able to sell a couple things around the house to come up with some extra cash. Over the last two years I have been lucky to find some deals online for a Jakes 4" lift and a 3PG complete rebuild kit along with a few other odds and ends. Today I ordered the wheels and tires that I've been looking at for over a year and it finally seems like it's all coming together! The paint guy said it would probably be April before it's completed but I know it will be a much better job than what I would have done. He's having to cut out some rust on the body panels and what not, something I definitely wouldn't have done, so I understand why it's taking so long. He did have his kids repaint the hood on my truck a couple years ago and they did a great job on it so I'm eager to see this. I'm still deciding on a color but more on that next time I'm on here. I'm rambling because now it's after 1 am which is way past my bed time. Goodnight to you all and I hope you enjoy this build thread as I have enjoyed many of yours. - Miles
herbstmg Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 31

01-03-2020, 02:54 AM	#2
Mooncarter Gone Insane Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 14,214	Re: Marathon Restoration Project: Engaged! Looking forward to seeing your project!

01-03-2020, 08:03 AM	#3
LukeL Gone Wild Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 6,539	Re: Marathon Restoration Project: Engaged! Following!

01-03-2020, 10:01 AM	#4
heresjeff Not Yet Wild Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 21	Marathon Restoration Project: Engaged! This is my 2stroke marathon. A workin buggy It was my grandma’s buggy, me and my cousins wore out the river road as kids on it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
heresjeff Not Yet Wild Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 21

01-09-2020, 11:08 PM	#7
LukeL Gone Wild Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 6,539	Re: Marathon Restoration Project: Engaged! Looking good so far. I’m pretty familiar with that specific engine, after a long process of trial and error rebuilding one :-)

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