On your mark, get ready, restore!

[Tropicalcats]

So I am taking a big step forward. In the next week or so I will be picking up my first cart which I plan to restore and give to my mother- in-law when she begins to SnowBird this next season. The reason I chose to restore rather than purchase something turn key has many answers. 1) I need a hobby. 2) I've always liked tinkering. 3) The plan is to customize it in colors and accessories for her favorite NFL team. 4) Although my mother-in-law and I get along very well, I can't ignore the extra points I might get for this one.

The Cart
Is a 2000 EZ-GO TXT 2 seater in fair/poor condition. This cart has lived its life in central Florida. 36 volts. It has batteries and charger, it runs and holds a charge. The body panels are what you would think from a 16 year old cart but the plan is to repaint. The seats will need to be recovered but that was in the plan. The frame is rusty but no apparent rust thru.

The Plan
Paint and recover in favorite team colors.
Add additional rear seats
Increase rear springs to account for additional seating.
Add headlight and tail lights
Add voltage reducer
Clean and repair frame if needed and cover with a rust killer product
Assorted cleaning restoring to give it a clean appearance.

The Questions
Should I up grade the volts? What all does that involve?
What's my plan of attack? How to start?
What components are more cost effective to buy new as to restore?
Repaint body and roof or buy new? If repainted what kind of paint? Easier to take to a paint shop?
Suggestions? Direction? Advice? All much appreciated.
Thanks.

[Lochlin]

Whether or not to upgrade the volts is entirely predicated on how you envision your mom-in-law using it. Is she just going to be puttering around a closed community here and there or will she be using it in like a pseudo car? If the cart is going have light use then 36v is fine. If the cart is going to get a lot of use then an upgrade is reasonable. Upgrades themselves can be done many ways from small upgrades that cost a couple of hundred bucks to full-blown beasts that cost $2000 or more and everything in between. It really depends on need. Everything can be upgraded on these carts; controller, cabling, solenoid, motor, switches, batteries, etc. with both 36 and 48 v (some guys even go 42v). I hate being vague but how the cart is going to be used determines the upgrade. That's your start, determining how she is going to use the cart.

Regarding components, nothing electrical can be "restored." Generally, it works it doesn't. It's adequate for an upgrade or it isn't.

Paint is a tough call. I own 6 carts with all but 1 being vintage. I have had one professionally painted and 3 I did myself. Paint is a tough call. Having someone do it is pricey. Doing it yourself is cheaper BUT it's a lot tougher job than one might think. Auto paint is a lot more difficult to work with than regular paint is. You may want to start a specific post on just the paint topic as there is a lot more than meets the eye with that.

[Tropicalcats]

Good advice, she will be using it to get around a small gated community. Back and forth to the club house and to friends she has and will make in the community. So it's ounces like 36 will do the trick. So basically a component works or it gets replaced ? That will be much easier on the budget. Everything appears to work just might do some clean up and replace what's needed.

[Jd62]

Originally Posted by Tropicalcats

Good advice, she will be using it to get around a small gated community. Back and forth to the club house and to friends she has and will make in the community. So it's ounces like 36 will do the trick. So basically a component works or it gets replaced ? That will be much easier on the budget. Everything appears to work just might do some clean up and replace what's needed.

i was hauling 5 persons plus myself in a lifted 36 volt txt, i have no doubt she will be ok.....

[meangreenmachine72]

You picked a good hobby, you will have fun and the options are endless. OK I have to ask who is her favorite team ?

[Lochlin]

You are correct regarding the components. Since she is just going to be puttering here and there things might be just fine as is. If she wants a bit more pep you have a ton of options. Just a new controller might get you a couple of more mph. New cables might get you a couple of more mph. You can do a motor upgrade (which isn't as expensive and you might think) which might get you a couple of mph. You have a ton of options.

It really sounds like you want to focus on the cosmetic stuff at this point. There is a separate Paint / Body sub-forum in the Design Center room that you might want to check out. NFL colors will be cool. I am assuming she'll want Black and Gold?

One thing to consider about the body. There are a few vendors out there now that sell "already painted" bodies meaning that, rather than painting the current body you simply get another one that's already painted the way you want. You simply swap the bodies out. I have priced these things and they are CHEAPER than what I paid to have my one cart professionally painted. They are more expensive than do it yourself BUT when considering the work involved they may be a better value. I am not advocating either way, just something to think about.

[Tropicalcats]

Originally Posted by meangreenmachine72

You picked a good hobby, you will have fun and the options are endless. OK I have to ask who is her favorite team ?

I'll let you guess. She lived in New Orleans which is where my wife was born and raised and her favorite symbol is the fleur de lis.
And did I mention my mother in law is a Saint.