Restoring a 1957 Marketeer

[seavandal]

I'll be working on the aluminum kick plate under the seat today. I was going to paint it aluminum color, but all of the paints I tried scratched easily. I will scrub it after sanding it, and brighten it up with Eagle 1 Aluminum Mag Cleaner. I tried out a spot and it looks good. There are some deep corrosion spots that still show, but I'll chalk that up to patina.
The electrical is going well but I still have a few head scratchers to work out. I should have it hooked up by tomorrow. Just hoping there is no smoke and melting wires! I do have a fuse for the electrical system. If it fails, I have a guy that can troubleshoot the system.
Here is a picture that I found online with a light blue paint job option at the dealer.

[seavandal]

Got some plywood to fabricate the floor boards, seat back rest, and "behind the seat" utility shelf. I'm off tomorrow to get estimates on re-upholstery. Should be a couple of hundred to make the seat look good.
After that, button up the electrical, get some batteries, put the canopy back on, and head to the local Riteaid to get some Thrify ice cream. My daughter has first dibs in shotgun for the main voyage.
Two weeks away. Looking forward to the ride.
Chris

[Chip_Dill]

Looking good!!!
I have been working on wiring the last few days. I have the headlight working and charger receptacle hooked up. I will post some pictures soon. I did take it on my maiden voyage with my wife. We have a video of her laughing the whole way down the driveway. I told her she would love it once it was done. I guess she didn't believe me. :-)

Question,
My cart is rigged for a forward and reverse. I notice your cart doesn't have it. Do you have a way to change direction of the motor?

[seavandal]

Hey Chip. My car has a little 3way toggle switch. It switches to solenoids that connect forward and reverse on the motor. Middle switch position is neutral.
Most cars that I have seen have a really big switch that goes directly to the motor. There is no switch like that on my car.
I finally finished connecting all wiring today. There were a few bugs and a broken switch that needed tending to. I will button up the wiring and clean it up tomorrow.
I got an upholstery guy to check out the seats, look at the car, understand what I need, and give me a great price for the job. He should be done with it tomorrow or Thursday.
The floorboards need to be covered. I will probably go with the thin ribbed black rubber mat material. The original was a thin flat rubber mat that was painted to match the car.
I will put the top on when all is complete. I still need to find a seal to go around the lower part of the canopy where it meets the car body.
It looks like I could be driving this car soon!
Chris

[seavandal]

The seats are in! I got a great upholsterer to get the job done. It is marine vinyl in the natural linen color. Nice look and matches the car's colors.

[seavandal]

Yesterday, I painted the bumpers to match the canopy. I installed them today. Nice addition to give the car a trimmed look.
The doors and handle hardware went on the car too. The doors touch the bumpers when I hyper extend them open. Gotta watch that. I'll keep a can of "antique white" Rustoleum on hand for future touch ups.
I will work on the foor mat tomorrow. The floor boards are cut and fitted. Aluminum trim bolts the floor in place.
All I have left to find is the trim between the body and canopy. What do you have for that trim?
Here are current car pics.

[Chip_Dill]

It is looking good. I have been working on mine slowly as I have been fairly busy. I installed my top and carpeted my floor and trunk. I don't know if the motor is original, but it gets up and goes pretty well.
I still need to install and wire the turn/marker lights. As far as trim between the body and top, I don't have anything nor did i find it that way. I will take some better pictures of the details as I get closer to being done but here are a couple from last night.

I am a retired fire captain so I have put a fire sticker on it that says, "Dillywood Fire" I am personalizing it a bit.

[seavandal]

Nice ride Chip! The car is looking absolutely awesome! That headlight rocks. What a fitting color for a firefighter! Now, all we have to do, is find places to go in our carts! What's your plan on using it?
I am into vintage trailers and go to several rallies. Many rallies, I don't attend. I might just load up the car, grab a tent, and squat on someone's site. Riding in style to check out other people's trailers should be fun.
I picked up four 6v Trojan T105 batteries yesterday. I'll be installing them today or tomorrow. I'm sure I have to charge them up for a first time use. Those batteries are big compared to the wimpy marine betteries that are in the car now.
Just a couple more days to finish up my car. Photo op later.
Congrats on a great restoration Chip. All that work finally paid off!
Chris

[seavandal]

The Marketeer car and tilt trailer are finished. There are still a few tweaks to do, but the car is done.
The Harbor freight trailer has been another challenging project to finish. It works perfectly. I was driving the car up and onto the trailer, which was pretty hairball. A neighbor stopped by and suggested I put an electric winch in the trailer. So, I put one on that has a remote. So cool! I hook it up, pull it up the ramp I installed on the trailer, and on it goes real slick. I had to add a diamond plate aluminum ramp in order to move the center of gravity forward. This allows the front tire to go about a foot further forward. The trailer was too heavy in the back.
Here are a couple of pictures of the rig. The last one is of the fold down ramp being installed. I can't seem to flip my pictures right side up!
Chris

[Chevota Guy]

This has been one great thread to follow. Both of the carts undergoing the restoration are absolutely beautiful. Congrats.

I really like seavandal's trailer mod, very cool.

I'll bet those carts turn heads !