While looking at this unbelievable warehouse find of cars in downtown Indianapolis today, I got a golf cart from 1953. It's a killer gas powered three wheel and just as big as todays carts. Bright red with white seats, lots of chrome and some killer metal work trim on the fibergl*** body. It's gas powered. Here's the catch. It's new. Bought in 1953, put in the garage and never used. It's mint. I know it's not a hot rod but it is from the era and you could be a stylin gold chainer at the car shows with your hot 50's golf cart. Kinda curious if there is any info out there on these or if any of ya'll got some? It's soooo nice that I am slow to do anything to it but it kinda begs for some bullet tail lights and maybe some fins. That might be a better thing to do to one that needs restored though. Just curious if there were any others out there or if anyone had done one up? We gotta move a bunch of stuff to get it out but I'll bring it home tomorrow and post up pictures if anyone wants to see it.
I gutted the drivetrain, modified it and stuffed it into a 1947 Dodgem Bumpercar... I tried to attach a photo, but I dont think it worked. Try this link if not. http://www.thunderpig.homestead.com/
That's a cool little ride!!!! I did find a picture of the kind I bought today. I'll see if I can post it up. It's a 1950's Tripcoe TeeBirdie. Mine is red and a lot nicer than this one and for whatever reason it has a lot more chrome trim on it.
That thing is just screaming out for the lowrider treatment.. Fender skirts, convert the handlebars to a Chain steering wheel , ghost flames, etc, etc, etc.
Scoob the guy that use to own s and h golf cart in Indy had some like this his name is Fred Simms look him up he can probl help you with some info. Later Shoe
Hey Unkl, here are some pictures of my 1950's Electric Shoppers. I also have a 1948 Autoette. Check out http://www.vintagegolfcartparts.com for information on your Teebirdie.
a friend of my has a Harley golf cart. it has a single cylinder flat head, not a real harley motor, but its still kinda cool.
Safariknut, that looks like a Barris job, I swear. the proportions are so awkward. What do you know about it?
That thing is insane. If you don't mind...what were the cars in the warehouse? Anything good? Any pics?
hot rod / custom golf carts.... thats taking things a bit far ... id roll one though, right off a cliff
My first engine rebuild was an 8 horse Kohler engine in a 1956 Golf Kar (brand name) It wasn't hotrodded persay, but it was faster than any electric cart, or governed EZ GOs they had at the golf course It got up to about 30 mph, and was the 3 wheel type with bar steering. It was plainer than yours, but had a green velvet seat! I left it in a barn when I went to college, and my grandfather sold it to the town drunk for 50 bucks, so he could use it to drive downtown to buy groceries (since he had enough DUIs to have no license/car) Not much hotrodding potential, but at age 16 it was kind of big fun burning up the golf course. (rural golf course, in Iowa where ettiquite is not a high priority)
The Golf cart is the brainchild of Tom Leichty who runs a cable tv program called Automotive Lifestyles in Southeast Michigan.His outfit(Iggy Productions)is run by a motorcycle jacketed teddy bear named Iggy and this is his latest mode of transportation. The cart(it's electric)has operating air suspension,drawer pull grille,chrome wheel covers made from gas stove burner covers,Kool Flex rippled side pipes,hand made taillights,fadeaway fenders made by splitting the top of a fibregl*** car top carrier in half,purple and white rolled and pleated upholstery,hand made wooden top,purple suede paint,and about a billion other little trick things.Tom delights in haunting Big Lots and such to find parts to build his creations. He also runs a small automotive museum out of his house(visits by appointment only;ask Denise about the place sometime)that has all manner of automobile ephemera.His wife's custom 55 Pontiac is there as well as a very famous old custom built by ClarKaiser in Detroit back in the 50's called the Utopia. Lest you think he's not a true custom car freak,he built a 54 Chevy hardtop that he purchased new and customized.A pic is included. Tom is quite a character in his own right and a hell of a nice person along with his wife Diana.I see him infrequently although I am technically his art director for the show,I really don't do a whole lot. Anyhow that is the story on the cart.He had it at the Detroit Autorama a couple years ago but I think it is undergoing some rework now at a local body shop so I doubt it will be there this year.Tom will though;just look for him with his camera cart and a teddy bear wearing a motorcycle jacket carrying a megaphone.Tell him I said to say hello.
Holy **** droptank.... now I know what I have. Well, I kind of know what I have.... well, that someone else has one. What is it again??? I bought one of those, identical to the blue one actually... and a motorcycle swap meet in Davenport Iowa a couple years ago. Some guy painted it chevrolet orange and put a blue top, and really nice blue interior in it and called it "The Kavortnick". I'll take a picture of it... This makes me excited.
Johnycola: Check out http://www.3wheelers.com/gal165.html and http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Autoette for information and pictures. There are several different makes of three-wheelers that were manufactured in SoCal after the WWII up until about 1962. The first were probably Autoettes and had a 24 volt Sherman tank turret surplus motor. I've had a total of six over the last 4 years, they are still fairly common in SoCal.
I'll be back down there this week. It's mostly 50's sedans and most of them 4 doors. The place is cool as can be and has some really rare stuff that isn't for sale. He knows what he has but it letting some of it go really cheap anyway. I've been working on this for two years and he's just now selling me stuff. I don't want or need much so if there is anything else cool that he'll sell, I'll turn it over to you guys. No pictures allowed though. He's got a couple of cars in there worth near six figures and doesn't want the word out about what or where they are. I don't blame him for that. That stuff would disappear quickly I bet. I'll see if he'll let me take a picture of some of the custom stuff though.
I've got an old Electric Shopper (like the white one) behind the shop that I'm thinkig about turning into a trailer. They look pretty cool and there's not gonna enough room in the Anglia for an extra pack of gum, so I figured I could build this for a trunk. Gotta finish the car before I need a trailer though, guess I'll turn off the computer and go work on something. Later, Larry T
The Jalopy Journal
