New TXT Build...Take Two...

[Mike_H]

So, after the photos crapped out in my first thread...I created this one to actually show them!

Wanted to have a central location to keep everything I'm doing to My folks 99 TXT. My dad is footing the bill, and I'm doing the research and mod ideas. We're doing the build together, which is nice. Nothing like bonding time in the garage. He's 62, and getting close to retirement...I'm 38 and value the time spent together now, as he was always busy working when I was younger. Anyway...

We started with a TXT. This cart has been in the family for a while now. My Gramma bought it off lease in 02 or so. She has it for a few years, until she went to assisted living. My Grampa then bought it from her (Mom's side to Dad's side) and used it to bomb around his 40 acres. Well, time and grandkids have taken their toll on the old girl. When they sold their 40 acres for something more manageable this summer, my Dad bought it for cruising around town at his cottage (he's a mile and a half from Lake MI). Its been sitting in the barn, waiting until we had some time. I finished my MBA this December, and we started tearing it apart a couple weeks ago.

Here is where we started...


The plan for this is kinda no holds barred, do whatever it takes to make it "right." It needs to be street legal, so lights were required. We also wanted to lift and run bigger tires plus add a rear seat. All that required more power. The batteries were shot...so we went whole hog on electrical. 48V, new motor, controller, F/R switch, etc. Scottie at CartsUnlimited helped out a bunch on that stuff. We should end up with a cart that will run about 20, but still have enough torque to move out loaded up with 4 people and a cooler.

Last few days have been filled with deconstruction. We've got it down to the bare frame




Today, I did some plastic repair to the body...









I'll get some pics of the repairs in the next couple of days. The body is ready to be sanded now, and get a first primer coat down for filler. The frame is going to get POR-15. Its actually in really good shape. The battery tray is sketchy, so we're having a fab shop make a new one (I know they are still available, but when your Uncle runs a fab shop, new stuff is pretty cheap!). Dad also want some aluminum Diamond plate black anodized for the floors and sills. That will be in process next week. The rest of the parts are being delivered almost daily now. Dash panel on Tuesday, Wheels/Tires and lift tomorrow. The Lights, HD springs, and some other random stuff is already here, sitting in boxes.

I've been working with Paint.net, and trying to help steer them on vision...this is a loose rendition of what it will look like when done. Wheels are different, but still polished, the roof will be of the 80" variety, and the pattern on the seats will be different, but color scheme is pretty close to what I've interpreted they see in their mind.




My mom said something about Tweety Bird...but she was quickly overruled!

[TheNewGuy]

That color will look good. Keep the progress pics coming.

[Mike_H]

I do have some more pictures, but there didn't seem to be much activity here, so I haven't posted them. Figured you guys had seen enough "common" restomods.

[lockman1]

A frame off resto isn't as common as one would think!
Just because no one is replying doesn't mean we're not watching,
125 views in 5 days is something you shouldn't turn your back on!

Post up those pics!

[rib33024]

Originally Posted by lockman1

A frame off resto isn't as common as one would think!
Just because no one is replying doesn't mean we're not watching,
125 views in 5 days is something you shouldn't turn your back on!

Post up those pics!

And when you post your pics and use photobucket. Once you post the pic to your thread, DON'T MOVE THEM, If you move it on photobucket it will be gone in your post forever. Many have done this here at BGW

[Mike_H]

I'm familiar with forums and using photobucket. I have all KINDS of albums over there! Anyway, we've spent the last week or so cleaning and repairing anything that needs fixin. All the chassis components have a fresh coat of paint, and we're ready to start re-assembly tomorrow.

Rear End


New Brake pads and cleaned hardware!


Shocks - just cleaned and painted. The shocks themselves still damped effectively (no air pockets) We did need to replace the bushing though.


Don't actually have any pictures of the front end or frame. Have to grab them tomorrow.

Oh, and one last pic of the GOODIES

[Mike_H]

Body work will commence next week. The goal is to get this thing back to roller status tomorrow, so it can be put in the corner of the garage, and we can work on the body without tripping on all the other stuff. In prep for body work, I picked up a cheap plastic welder from harbor freight. Looks like a soldering iron, with a wide, flat tip. Anyway, it worked pretty good on the body for repairing cracks.

These are the before pictures...

[Mike_H]

after repair, but before I attack it with the sander to smooth the new plastic out.

This is the corner from the bagwell that had the big crack across it. I used a piece of stainless mesh (included in the welding kit) to reinforce the back side.





This is the giant dent we had in the drivers side, behind the wheel. First step was pulling the front cowl, and getting the dash panel out of the way. That will be replaced. Then we got the heat gun out, and got the plastic around the dent warm...probably 180 degrees or so. We used a couple clamps and some 1 by oak to squeeze the plastic back close to it original shape. Thermoplastics are awesome...you can heat and remold them almost indefinitely. We let it cool and reset for a couple days. It kinda relaxed into its old form, prerepair. Not a long way, but the stresses in the plastic had not yet been totally released. We came back, and got the material even hotter, and repeated the flattening process. This time, it stayed. I also ground out the remaining cracks and filled them with new material.

Backside


Frontside

[smokindawg]

Looking good......... It's nice when you can do all this type work by yourself. It's also nice to have a site like this one for feedback, tips and tricks to help you with making the work a little easier.

[TheNewGuy]

We never get tired of seeing nice clean work!!