lifted club cars - lifted ezgo
Home FAQDonate Who's Online
Go Back   Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum > Modified Golf Carts > Restoration
Restoration Early 70's and older restoration projects



Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-13-2022, 08:30 AM   #1
Lochlin
Gone Wild
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,941
Default 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

In 1989, my folks bought a brand spanking new Columbia Par Car. Back then, jacked up and jazzed up carts really didn't exist yet. These Columbias were just about top-of-the-line, if you had one you were the cat's meow. My parents, like many, lived humble lives and rarely bought new, top of the line anything. This Columbia was one of the few things that they ever really splurged on. It gave my parents, and their children / grandchildren, years and years of enjoyment cruising through the campground.

Perhaps 15 years or so, they sold this cart to another person in our campground. Shortly thereafter, my father passed and mother joined him a couple of years later. The cart remained in the campground, though, changing owners a number of times. I have always longed to get the cart back. Over the years I approached some of these owners and asked about reacquiring my mom and dad's cart. Each time I was rebuffed, however. This past weekend, I saw the cart (which is unmistakable given a custom paint job) stored in the weeds of a campsite that I had not been to before. I knocked on the door, spoke to the cart's new owner, and within 30 min (and a transfer of a little bit of cash), I had my mom and dad's cart loaded up on a trailer and heading home. One way or another, I am going to bring this cart back to life.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 89 1.jpg (123.5 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg 89 2.jpg (96.0 KB, 0 views)
Lochlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2022, 08:41 AM   #2
Lochlin
Gone Wild
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,941
Default Re: 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

Today I started getting after it. Even though I have restored 10 or more carts, there is still nothing like tearing one of these carts down.

Gone:

The oil injection system. I have never been a fan. Gas / oil will be mixed moving forward.

Gone:

Columbia's OEM electronic ignition module. I will be replacing it with an HEI conversion. On this note I got very lucky with this cart. At some point, Columbia switch from an oblong crankshaft end, which is needed to trigger old school points, to a round one that allows the use of hall effect magnets. The latter is tough to do HEI conversions on as there is no "hump" in the crankshaft end to open the points for the HEI. Fortunately, the 89s still had the hump so that makes things easier.

Gone:

The exhaust is roasted and like unrecoverable. OEM is no longer produced so getting this replaced will be interesting.

The motor will come out in the next couple of days. New seals are on the way. A new top end is also in the works.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 89 3.jpg (147.8 KB, 0 views)
Lochlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2022, 07:15 AM   #3
Lochlin
Gone Wild
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,941
Default Re: 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

I got the engine out of the cart today which is always fun (really, I find it fun). The job was made a little easier by only having to remove 3 mounting bolts as a previous owner decided that 3 bolts is just as good as 4. Two of 4 motor mounts are junk so those are all getting replaced.

The primary clutch looks ok but we'll see.

There was no cooling fan on this cart but there were some fan blades in the shroud. Somehow, the original fan disintegrated. Here's hoping that the cart wasn't used too long in that state but, to be fair, these things were hardy and can take some overheating. I have attached a pic of the old "fan" which now consists of just a base, and the "new" one that I got from an old Harley motor that I have sitting around. It's actually very solid but I "rust reformed" it anyway.

I got a new fan side crank seal installed but the clutch side will have to wait as the one I received is wrong.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Cart 1 Rotated.jpg (152.6 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg Fan Rotated.jpg (69.3 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg Fan Seal Rotated.jpg (72.8 KB, 0 views)
Lochlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2022, 06:41 AM   #4
Lochlin
Gone Wild
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,941
Default Re: 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

Just a bit more progress. The clutch side crank seal has been installed. While installing the seal I was able to inspect the piston via the cylinder's exhaust port. It's clearly missing a ring and is scored pretty bad. Once I get the motor back in the cart I will have to take the top off and see if the cylinder needs replaced in addition to the piston.

New motor mounts are installed so the motor should be back on today.

Apparently, a previous owner decided that the cart needed new tie rod ends and, rather than buying some, made some from a bolt, washers, and hose clamps.......both sides. So much for safe driving.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Motor Mounts.jpg (105.5 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg Tie Rod End.jpg (30.9 KB, 0 views)
Lochlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2022, 06:59 AM   #5
mrmotoguzzi00
Gone Wild
Club Car
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Posts: 387
Default Re: 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

Glad you got it back :)
mrmotoguzzi00 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2022, 08:56 AM   #6
Lochlin
Gone Wild
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,941
Default Re: 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

The motor is back in the cart and the top end is off. For the record, I prefer to work on the top end with the motor in the cart rather than out of it as I find it easier to have the motor be stable for this work.

The piston is in better shape than I expected given that it lost a ring at some point. I am still going to replace it, though. The cylinder is far better than expected. It's smooth same for some glazing that I should be able to remove via honing.

For the record, this motor was so full of oil that it was still seeping out from here and there while I moved the motor around. Hence why I remove the oil injection functionality on these old carts and just mix the fuel. With so much oil, it will interesting to see what kind of condition the muffler is in once I get to that point.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Motor Back In.jpg (80.6 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg Cylinder.jpg (41.8 KB, 0 views)
Lochlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2022, 08:39 AM   #7
Lochlin
Gone Wild
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,941
Default Re: 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

Got some more work done on the Columbia. The cylinder honed out really nicely. It had all of the "normal" bumps and bruises for a cart this old and treated poorly. All but one imperfection came out by way of the hone. There remains a smallish "groove" in the cylinder wall, too small for a photo. I was afraid to completely remove it as it may have made the cylinder too big. It's perhaps half an inch long and a hair's width deep at most. It won't affect performance at all.

The new piston is in and the top end is back on the cart. I put a new carb on as well. After some lubing, the accelerator cable is working great. The choke cable is unraveling, though, and needs to be replaced.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg New Piston .jpg (71.2 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg Top End Back On.jpg (58.6 KB, 0 views)
File Type: jpg New Carb.jpg (33.9 KB, 0 views)
Lochlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2022, 08:45 AM   #8
Lochlin
Gone Wild
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,941
Default Re: 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

Pulled the wheels off to rust reform / inspect the front end and got to take a better look at the hillbilly tie rod ends.

For any future readers who like to "backyard engineer" things. I 100% understand that sometimes you have to do what you have to do get stuff done. If you have to resort to things like making tie rod ends out of a bolt, a bunch of washers, and a hose clamp, though, then you are not only jeopardizing the safety of whoever is on your cart but whoever else might get hurt when this "part" fails and the cart can't be steered when at speed.

Fortunately, new tie rod ends are still available for this cart and will be ordered.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Hillbilly Tie Rod End.jpg (23.5 KB, 0 views)
Lochlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2022, 12:35 PM   #9
colu41
Getting Wild
 
colu41's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 118
Default Re: 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lochlin View Post
Pulled the wheels off to rust reform / inspect the front end and got to take a better look at the hillbilly tie rod ends.

For any future readers who like to "backyard engineer" things. I 100% understand that sometimes you have to do what you have to do get stuff done. If you have to resort to things like making tie rod ends out of a bolt, a bunch of washers, and a hose clamp, though, then you are not only jeopardizing the safety of whoever is on your cart but whoever else might get hurt when this "part" fails and the cart can't be steered when at speed.

Fortunately, new tie rod ends are still available for this cart and will be ordered.
I'm thinking of replacing mine on my 89 also. Cant seem to find them for less that $38 a piece!
colu41 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-16-2022, 09:12 AM   #10
Lochlin
Gone Wild
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,941
Default Re: 89 Columbia Restoration; Sentimental Version

Quote:
Originally Posted by colu41 View Post
I'm thinking of replacing mine on my 89 also. Cant seem to find them for less that $38 a piece!
Yeah, when I come across an old cart that someone wants to sell me they are typically shocked by how little I am willing to pay. They see "newer" used carts selling for thousands of dollars and are stunned when I tell them I can't pay more than $500 for their 40 year old cart that hasn't run in 15 years. Parts for these things aren't always easy to come by and, when they can be found, they can be pricey.

The Par Car I am describing in this thread cost me $300. To be honest, that's too much but I didn't want to risk not getting it back. Here is what have spent / will spend on this cart to make nice again:

Crank Seals, 40
Battery, 75
Seats, 400
Piston / Rings, 30
HEI rig, 40
Wheels / Tires, 400
Paint, 300 (I don't rattle can anything)
Brake cables, 140 (Yikes! I may try to adapt something from another cart)
Tie rod ends, 100 (yikes again!)
Choke cable, 30 (but this was a universal one that I had to adapt. OEM was $70)
Voltage regulator, 30 (this was universal one. OEM was $60)
Points plate, 20 (This was from a motorcycle that I adapted. OEM was $120)

And that's what I know so far. I may well find other things that are needed.

This $300 cart will cost north of $2000 when it's all said and done and that's just the cash. I am not considering the 40 to 60 hours I will have into it. Granted some of that spend is "bling" (paint /wheels) that you don't really need but if you want a nice cart that's what it takes.

People ask me, "Why don't you ever sell some of your vintage carts and make some money?" My answer? I can't afford to take those types of losses!
Lochlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply
Go Back   Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum > Modified Golf Carts > Restoration


Thread Tools
Display Modes


Similar Threads
Thread Forum
'83 Columbia Restoration Restoration
Precedent OBC version 5.3 Electric Club Car
OBC replacement. Which version? Electric Club Car
Columbia Harley davidson restoration Gas golf carts
1989 Columbia Par Car Restoration project Members Rides


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:43 AM.


Club Car Electric | EZGO Electric | Lifted Golf Carts | Gas EZGO | Used Golf Carts and Parts

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This Website and forum is the property of Buggiesgonewild.com. No material may be taken or duplicated in part or full without prior written consent of the owners of buggiesgonewild.com. © 2006-2017 Buggiesgonewild.com. All rights reserved.