Who's into Customizing Carts..?.
 

Ok guys (and girls),
I know that I'm not the only retired gearhead thats now into customizing golf carts. I don't mean just bolting on a set of tires and a steering wheel. I'm talking about other guys getting deep into their carts, doing cool things like:

- building their own lithium batteries (I'm finishing up #6 now)
- motor and controller swaps
- custom body modifications
- custom painting
- custom suspension upgrades
- performance upgrades
- stereo / speakers
- anything else cool

My current and biggest project to date is a CC DS, with a 57 T-Bird body, hand-built 202ah 86v Lifep04 battery, 600A Navitas AC motor/controller conversion, Disc brakes, wheelie bars, lots of custom metal work, etc.

I know other guys like me are out there and I thought it could be fun to meet, possibly share ideas and collaborate on projects and maybe even line up side by side for a 100 yds somewhere safe. 🤔 😎😁

I haven't seen an organized Villages club for this stuff yet...

Thanks, hope to meet ya and keep the dirty side down!

Always like seeing the guy who made his cart look like a tank

And I'll bet he has a A/C garage. :pepper2:

Good luck on your project. :bowdown:

I’d like to hire you if you can figure out a way to significantly soften up the ride on my 2014 Yamaha EFI. I absolutely love the cart, and can not justify the cost of upgrading to a new quiet-tech, but I would very much like to have the softer ride of the rear independent suspension on the newer Yamahas.

Lets ask him:jester:

Very friggin nice! A true craftsman!

The moment I read "hand-built 202ah 86v Lifep04 battery, 600A Navitas..." I thought "wheelie bar"...Good to see it was included :)

0-20 in 1.9 seconds...A CC DS Plaid :)

I like your forward/reverse "switch" :)

In my younger days I would love to do this. Looks great!

Very nice work sir. That is a sweet looking battery pack. I was thinking about buying a Navitas chassis and building a nice long range cruiser with some serious amp hours. Either that or taking my EzGo 48v S6 and converting to Navitas and lithium packs. Anyway - nice work!

Wow! You take tinkering to a whole "Nuther level! Nicely done. Please post pictures when you get it all put together.

I have a friend in Orlando who told me that those Navitas Chassis are not nearly as stout as a Ezgo TXT. You may want to take a close look and consider picking up a used TXT and refurbishing it...

Thanks, the Navy gave me a lot of skills to use in retirement. Lol

"Plaid" 😆 love it!

I modified an old 36v series cart F/R switch to use a Jake's Shifter instead of the stock rocker switch.

That's good to know. I'm in some golf cart groups on Facebook and heard they were decent. You're probably right. I haven't seen one in person - just pics in the groups. I may just take my limo TXT S6 and run with it. I know the long carts are harder to turn going in to tunnels and park but the extra room is nice for the dogs and company. LOL.

Actually during the Lock Downs my wife noticed that I was spending too much time in the house midday because of the heat... Next thing I knew Amazon delivered a portable AC... I'm still not sure if it was to make me more comfortable or to get me out of the house. Either way I kissed her. Lol

The GCM guys are probably the biggest single driving force behind the Navitas cart frames. GCM and Navitas are deep business partners and not objective. I like some of the Navitas products.

MCJEFE not only can spin your head with his custom carts he can smoke a mean brisket. I wonder if the cart did the smoking cause I never saw a Smoker at his Casa.

What skill this man has. It would be nice to see him put his head together with another mad scientist to see what they could come up with. Imagine Grandpa Munster times 2 creating a cart! Best of luck.

I'm also doing this to my electric carts. I've swapped the motor and controller in my 2019 ClubCar Onward lifted to a SilverWolf A/C motor and controller along with a Dakota lithium 48v battery.
I'm very interested in building my own battery for a future swap. The scary part about how these lithium batteries work is how they give little to no warning before the low voltage cutoff leaves you dead on the road. I have a 48v server rack battery that I'm considering installing along with the Dakota as an emergency backup to get you back home or to the next electrical outlet.
I would be interested in joining a club if we can get one set up.

You’re incredible!

Well done!

So very cool. I want to put some camber plates on the front of my EZGO to give better turn in. Also thought of building a cart - something low-slung like a Miata.

Nice work, interested in joining club, and lend a pair of hands anytime.

Have plans for a street rod cart powered by a 1200cc (96 HP) Harley Davidson Big Twin. Hinged and louvered engine covers lift up to reveal the front mounted engine. Headers exit at the rear adjacent to (required) anti-wheelie bars. Geared way down and using under-inflated (14" wide) rear tires with a stiff clutch, previous builders claim zero to 20 MPH in about one second. Only need garage space and a few metal working tools to start the build. Does this qualify as a "custom build"?

Sounds like fun. I would like to see your golf carts some time.

RoyPow 72v CC DS
 

WOW, I sure wish I would have met you about $15,000 ago!
I am in the middle of a build that I am having difficulties with.
Can I hire you? ������������
I definitely have some questions for you, I take it you're producing your own parts. I was thinking along the lines of motorcycle wheelie bars, but you may have something much better in mind. Somehow I'm going to have to get with you and take a look.

I am also interested in this "Club", but, I need some technical/electrical assistance right now. Looking to hire a technician that is familiar with Navitas lithium power

Far as lithium ion batteries and little or no warning. I used to sell flash units with different battery options. There is no such thing as a perfect answer yet we demand one. Lead acid batteries the voltage falls off gradually as the battery, or pile of batteries, pile of cells runs down. That makes it easy to measure voltage and get a guess as to remaining charge. Lithium ion batteries have first of all dropped in price, compared to what they used to cost.
For their weight, compared to LEAD acid, they can store far more electricity. They have a flat voltage curve, the reason why a lithium ion cart does not slow down as the charge is withdrawn. A proper battery pile should prevent total discharge. In a pile of cells, they are not all perfectly matched. If, you run the battery too far down the stronger cells will reverse the polarity, destroy, the weakest cells.

An old yet modern electric car, truck system. Same as a rechargeable drill, you own more than one battery pack and trade a charged one for a discharged one. The design calls for easy to switch batteries-perhaps an assembly under the cart as it was done with electric trucks.

I've done a lithium (RoyPow) battery and Navitas contoller swap on both my carts. One is 05 EZGO and other is a19 Yamaha. Both turned out fantastic. Using the re-gen, almost don't need brakes so they will last forever. 105aH gives you all the distance you need because your butt will get tired before running out of juice.

Endless debate elect vs gas. There is or was a twin cylinder engine that can be mounted in a Yamaha. Far as electric. There are pictures of a guy carrying a gasoline generator in the trunk of his electric car.

Very nice. Pictures when complete please. I did a lift on my 2004 club car and 4 wheel disc brakes on a Yamaha. Nothing like what your doing, but still projects. I have since sold both carts but I really did like those disc brakes so am thinking of doing that project again on my current Yamaha.

awesome
 

awesome job

VERY impressive! As an old gearhead myself, who has pretty much retired from tinkering, I really appreciate your embracing EV's - instead of denigrating anything that's not an ICE.

While I will always love "suck/squeeze/bang/blow," you are an inspiration - for where the future is headed. Great work!

I am interested in knowing more about upgrading to disc brakes on a Club Car DS chassis.

I am also interested in a disc brake DS cart conversion

same here

that is a very cool cart

Yeah, it can be difficult to tell remaining SOC without a Shunt or Hall Effect sensor to measure the actual draw from the pack. I have some idea's that might help you out. I'll be back at the end of the month. Hit me up.

I was thinking an organized club might help to meet other cart guys...

I know that I'm not the only guy who's friends eyes start to glaze over when you start talking about your battery or motor. Lol

Ezgo? TXT or RXV? A lot of people are air bagging the suspension on the TXT to get a lower ride height. I was looking at air bagging my current DS project but ran out of space.

YES! I've been getting away from gas but this is the stuff that gets my mental juices flowing. I'd like to see this project progress as well. I'm guessing you'll add a welder to your garage for this build...? Keep in touch pls.

Check out the Disc brake kit made by Ausco. I believe there are 2 different kits depending on year.

Driven "normally" you will probably get 150 miles per charge.

Just don't add any blue leds. There are against the law in Florida.
It is expressly prohibited for any vehicle or equipment, except police vehicles, to show or display blue lights. However, vehicles owned, operated, or leased by the Department of Corrections or any county correctional agency may show or display blue lights when responding to emergencies.