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-   -   The officially official Cougar Scooter build thread (https://www.buggiesgonewild.com/showthread.php?t=66626)

Furyous 07-02-2012 10:47 AM

The officially official Cougar Scooter build thread
 
Okay, newbie here makin' mistakes all over the place. I have been posting my thread under "restoration" and getting no response or input. Then I realize that it is for '70's and earlier carts. Duuuuuh. I wanted to start. Full on build bread so that I can gain valuable input from members as well as help anybody out that may be running into similar problems.

This is an unknown year Melex 512 that I bought off of Craigslist for $300. The story I was given was that it was brought to the guy's auto body shop by a Saudi prince who wanted it customized by lifting it, stretching it, and putting the SL Mercedes body on it. After getting just that far, the prince decided to skip town and forget about the cart and the money owed. As a result, the guy took it home and parked in outside in front of his trailer uncovered for about 10 years, intending to fix it up and keep it for himself. http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c2ac-1a37.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c2b4-a97a.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c2bf-da29.jpg


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Furyous 07-02-2012 10:59 AM

Golf carts were recently legalized in my part of town, resulting in a lot of people buying and fixing up carts. Lots of events center around golf carts like cruise nights, poker runs, festivals, etc. at every public event you saw an area of the parking lot full of custom carts and guys hanging out drinking beer. I wanted in! A buddy of mine went to a dealership and bought a brand new gas EZGO. Stretched, lifted, 6 passenger, the works. Over $10k price tag. I told him I could build something better and cooler for less than $3k. I searched Craigslist for some time until three requirements were met- it had to be less Han $500, be able to carry my entire family, and it had to be unlike any golf cart ever seen. I think it exceeds the requirement on all fronts. I have two goals for this cart- to have it running so I can take it on vacation with us at the end of July, and afterwards to disassemble and rebuild with new paint, upholstery, and truck bed liner on the frame in time for the birth of my third child (that way mama can ride around on Halloween after the c section). The ultimate concept for the finished product is painted in Cadillac blue chip color, with duplicolor's reflective paint over bright white stripes, accented by orange pinstriping. The seats will match the stripes, and the trunk will be an insulated beer cooler with drain. Mechanically I will be upgrading to a 48v system, hotter motor, controller, 2 ga wiring, disc brakes, new bushings and hardware. The frame will be treated with POR 15 followed by dark grey truck bed liner. Suspension parts will be powder coated gloss black. Additionally, there will be a sound box making V8 sound come out of the exhaust tips, using an iPod app I found called "XLR8" to make it match the speed of the vehicle. 1960 Pontiac taillights will be mounted in the rear, and the roof will VE covered in white vinyl.

http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c585-ae6e.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c58e-8fb0.jpg


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Furyous 07-02-2012 11:04 AM

The first order of business was to put new tires in so that I could at least roll it around. I picked up a set in eBay for just $170 shipped! The cart then took up space in the garage for several months while I renovated our new house.
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c659-0f11.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c665-347f.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c676-ab80.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c687-6adb.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c695-788c.jpg


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Furyous 07-02-2012 11:05 AM

I didn't get started tearing it down until May. It took no time at all to take the body off and cut away all the rotted metal.
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c6d0-2275.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c6dc-f068.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c6e9-c677.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c6f4-0d0c.jpg


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Furyous 07-02-2012 11:07 AM

I welded in new crossbraces/seat mounts and for the secondary rails I save a little money by using a pair of old bed frame rails I found in the attic of our new house. Notice the brown!
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c754-9b04.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c760-8811.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c76d-3637.jpg


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Furyous 07-02-2012 11:15 AM

I finally got around to fixing the cart so that I could sit in it for the first time! As you can see, the old seat bottoms were a wreck. I wouldnt risk sitting on them.
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c7c1-0eb1.jpg
The set covers we're well made and looked like they were nice about 10 years ago. Now they are stained, brittle, and have some rips. I plan to reupholster them in phase 2 of the build, but for now I'll just make new seat bottoms out of 1/2" plywood. I took the 600 or so staples out (that somebody put in using a freaking desktop stapler!) and tried to clean the covers off with mild soap and a brush. that didn't make much of a difference. you can see where someone left a pair of pliers to rust on the seat.
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c8a4-98ca.jpg
I cut out the plywood out and stapled the covers over the foam onto it. I then used a product called westleys blech white that I use on my whitewall tires to brighten them up, and man did that work. I also had a can of white vinyl spray dye, and used a couple of light coats to cover up the rust stain. Now they look quite presentable.
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c941-e65d.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-c948-bfb0.jpg



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Furyous 07-02-2012 11:20 AM

I then went shopping and picked up some bargains. I got a used alltrax 500 amp controller, a cool aircraft-style steering wheel, 2ga wiring, a nuvi magic on board 48v charger, and some miscellaneous hardware.
I also cut the rear window to be less oval and more rectangular, as well as provide more visibility. I took it to the upholsterer to get it covered in white vinyl, just like a real car. Came out fantastic- French stitching and all.
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-ca66-70e2.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-ca72-2b95.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-ca7d-ae44.jpg


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JcXtreme72 07-02-2012 11:21 AM

Re: The officially official Cougar Scooter build thread
 
That is deffinetly unique. Looks like it's going to be fun.

Furyous 07-02-2012 11:33 AM

Put the new roof on temporarily (read- no place to store the **** thing). I plan to paint the inside with trunk splatter paint and to come up with a weatherproof removable plexiglass rear window.
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-cd7b-6baf.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-cd83-e6b3.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/6cee4950-cd8d-6448.jpg


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Dela 07-02-2012 01:38 PM

Re: The officially official Cougar Scooter build thread
 
"and it had to be unlike any golf cart ever seen."


done.

Looks fun - keep the pics coming!


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