Restoring a 50-year-old electric cart (9 months in 13 minutes)

I bought this 36-volt 1977 Cushman Titan electric industrial cart for $600. Of course, it doesn't work. So let's get it running again and learn a bit about how 50-year-old electric vehicle technology worked along the way.
I hope you liked this video! If you want to see more, then please consider subscribing. And if you have any thoughts or questions, please share them in the comments below. I try to respond to anyone who stops by.
Thanks for watching!
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ SPECIAL THANKS +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
Thanks to ‪@FearOfWater‬ for the excellent music as always! Go check him out: / fearofwater
Thanks to Super Cheetah (my son) for the Angels singing in the Cushman Craigslist ad!
‪@GeoffreyCroker‬'s excellent intro to DIY metal plating video: • Electroplating - Easy ...
‪@SuperfastMatt‬'s great DIY brake line video: • DIY Brake Lines The Ea...
‪@dereksasquatchgarletts7924‬'s time-saving tip for using straps to help with brake cylinder replacement: • Cushman brakes
Thanks to JDDeutschland for the side-by-side art! commons.wikime...
Thanks to Mlsguy0037 for the golf cart art! commons.wikime...
And thanks to Susan Sam for the groundhog photo! commons.wikime...
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I might get paid if you buy from these links, so if you do so, thank you!
Project Lab, the Hat! projectlabhow-...
The most useful coffee mug ever, definitely scientifically proven: projectlabhow-...
‪@goldenmateenergy‬'s 100ah bluetooth battery: amzn.to/3DB9pux
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Twitter: / andrewreuter
Instagram: / reuter_andrew
Facebook: / projectlab.how
Patreon: / andrewreuter

[@FearOfWater]

I NEED MORE TRUCKS!

[@AndrewReuter]

Moar trucks!!!! squidbillies.fandom.com/wiki/Truck-Boat-Truck Thanks as always! My son got a Minilab 3 for Christmas, so he’s the source of the only other music here; the “Angels singing” in the Craigslist ad clip. Credited as Super Cheetah in the spirit of the one-man Fear of Water vein. Take care!!!

[@MobWithGuns]

As someone who worked at convention centers and trade shows for decades. These Cushmans are workhorses around those buildings. You’d be amazed at how much they can tow or move on a flat surface

[@AndrewReuter]

Very cool! Good to know!!!

[@Quacks0]

Love the awesome "father-son bonding time" and "grampa-grandson bonding time" clips starting at around 2:30 --- always a more satisfying video when you include other adult and "cute kid" family-members in the procedure! :D

[@herzogsbuick]

"i was so young, and asleep, what happened?" "well malcolm, your dad tried to replace you with some 'manual methods' to fix the brakes on the cushman...he would've told me it wasn't your fault, while being melted alive, rolling around in brake fluid. at least i think that's what his screams meant." edit: subscribed.

[@AndrewReuter]

🤣🤣🤣 “Definitely don’t feel haunted by this for the rest of your life or anything. Now, off to school!” Thanks!!!

[@brucemitchell5637]

I love how you get your son involved and let him get his hands dirty, that's the only way you can learn something is by trying it yourself, not by watching someone else!

[@AndrewReuter]

Thank you! Well said!

[@GeoFry3]

We used those for years at Edward's AFB. Flip the seats down, and it was a two or four-seater flatbed. Flip them up and it would seat six. Loved them.

[@moba2k]

Three generations of males crammed into this little bitty cart, priceless. This is how memories are made.

[@AndrewReuter]

Well said!

[@TheProluthier]

This is the most honest restoration video I have seen on KZbin! With all the small highs and big lows somebody can encounter. I laughed at your face when the brakes finally worked!😆 Really great video!

[@AndrewReuter]

Thank you very much! And glad to hear it! 😄

[@Quacks0]

Well, y'know, Andy --- fixing up the cart may indeed have taken you nine months and been a ton of work, but of course, seeing the joyful beaming smiles on your children's faces when you're taking them for a ride in the now-operable cart made it ALLLLL worth it! :D :D :D

[@AndrewReuter]

You nailed it! All for the quality time.

[@Quacks0]

@@AndrewReuter Yep, fer sher --- well, hard work is always easier and more pleasant when you know that you will be making other people happy besides just yourself by completing the task. :D

[@diymatt]

Hey Andrew! Imagine my surprise when I got a mention in your video, then I'm like....hmmm...I can't recall flaring brake lines on a video. Looks like you mixed me up with SuperFastMatt. :). I retired my KZbin aspirations a while ago. I'm happy I'm still in your memories though. Great video and happy to see you still getting after it.

[@AndrewReuter]

Bahaha! Your channel will always be stuck in my brain I guess. Totally respect the decision there. Thanks for your work regardless and hope you’re still doing well!

[@ptonpc]

Just had a look at your channel. It looks fun. Hope life is treating you well.

[@morrisputman8592]

Duuude! You did a fantastic job on the brakes! A friend of mine is restoring a old miget MG and these brakelines can be tough! Awesome video.

[@Shady-Shane]

Groovy baby, yeah!

[@AndrewReuter]

🤣 The million point turn for the win!

[@aleksandersats9577]

I don't know if you have but I would highly recommend adding oil or grease on the old bearings, especially in the motor. It will help a lot or at least to keep the old bearings going for a while longer. Helps more if you remove the old grease/oil and clean it up before adding new grease/oil

[@AndrewReuter]

Great point! Have not touched that stuff yet but will have to dig in.

[@icarus901]

Is this the austin powers million-point-turn vehicle??

[@AndrewReuter]

Bahahaha! I’m happy to see I am not the only person to wonder this. I think he was driving the Taylor Cushman version of this cart; looks a little rounder. BUT very similar otherwise. Still a two row seater and such.

[@corey_nz]

I've always wondered how old electric vehicles like this did speed control. That whole coil setup is... scary in how wasteful it is 😬 Though I do appreciate how simple it is in its operation

[@paradiselost9946]

it has far less waste than you think. the only time that full current flows is during acceleration or when stalled. as soon as the motor reaches cruising speed, its acting as a generator, generated BEMF almost equal to EMF.

[@corey_nz]

@@paradiselost9946 ahhh yes, of course, I didn't really think that through fully. I'm usually only thinking about motors in terms of their max current in order to spec wiring/supply sizes. Usually spec'ing these to withstand max draw continuously

[@AndrewReuter]

Definitely a very cool setup! One other commenter said that electric trains still use similar tech, so clearly any losses are outweighed by the positives of the tech in that case.

[@carllinden533]

Subscribed for the dad advice. But for real that motor controller is crazy cool! Oh yeah and brake jobs on vintage stuff sucks! Had a very similar experience with my 1976 Sachsenring Trabant 601, except instead of the brakes doing nothing, they wouldn't release, this made taking off the drums so exciting and not the least bit frustrating whatsoever.

[@AndrewReuter]

🤣 Oh man that sounds horrible! Looking forward to that bit of fun someday! Thanks for the sub and kind words!

[@Quacks0]

9:28 Uproarious and satisfying list, LOL --- I especially love #3 :D :P P.S. No, but seriously, folks --- very nice, Andy, that you pleasantly and readily acknowledged that you had indeed given your respectful/obedient son the opposite directive before --- I love that! So many parents are too snooty to admit that either they were mistaken or that "permanent" rules may indeed be different in a certain instance. :D

[@AndrewReuter]

😄 Thanks for the kind words! And well said! Really was at a loss for words when he called me on that because I had earlier said to stay off the thing while we were working on it…

[@Quacks0]

@@AndrewReuter Yes, and of course, it's a praising nod to YOU and your good job of parenting, in that Little Man respects and cares so much about what Daddy tells him to do, and also that he has the confidence to gently speak up when he has a concern. :D

[@GrandsonofKong]

Sometimes it's a loooooooong wait, but always enjoy your video posts. Have to freeze to read you Dad Tips and other comments, followed by a laugh or chuckle on my end. I think that Lockheed Wagner Brake design was done in the early-60's and just repeated on your 77 cart. The look on your daughter's face in that last clip is a classic! Happy 2025!

[@AndrewReuter]

Bahahaha, thanks for the kind words as always! Thanks for the info too. Take care and happy 2025 as well!

[@dfwrider3830]

that motor controller works exactly like how the electric trains i work on work. ours has 29 positions and uses a cam with a bunch of wheels to connect and disconnect contacts to energize different paths through different resistors. but the concept is the same.

[@AndrewReuter]

Oh really? Had no idea! Will have to look into this, very cool that the tech is still in use on something of that level.

[@Olaftr]

Good fun! I had a 3 wheel Cushman and got tired of the sparkey speed controller so swapped it for a Curtis 1206 - I think. I have been doing fun things with those controllers. I still have a few and you are welcome to them and free advice if you like.

[@AndrewReuter]

Thanks, I might take you up on that! Happy New Year!

[@mfbfreak]

Leave the ancient control system in place! I love seeing those old electromechanical systems, and they're getting rarer and rarer. It's worth keeping one alive for historical and technical curiosity reasons.

[@lanceleader2]

And these coils are perfect to keep coffee hot.

[@AndrewReuter]

Fair point for the history! If I go down the upgrade route, maybe I can do a dual system where the original electrics remain in place and can switch between them…

[@AndrewReuter]

🤣 A feature, not a bug!

[@tonycosta3302]

My grandparents had that same yellow Cushman on their farm. The only annoying thing was the switches on the accelerator pedal would arc and stop working from time to time. They should have used a relay system.

[@AndrewReuter]

Very cool! And good to know on the pedal arcing. It seized in the on position already, which was the source of the shed hole… so I’m definitely thinking strongly about upgrading. Thanks for the comment!

[@Quacks0]

@@AndrewReuter There are variable-power modules now (modern trolling-motors use them, I think) that work on more/fewer electrical pulses rather than battery-wasteful --- and failure-prone --- rheostats and coils. The way I understand it, this improved design means that you always get full voltage to the motor for maximum torque; the juice just gets fed more or less often, and so the motor turns faster or slower as a result. :D

[@PotentiallyAndy]

We have at least one of those at the factory I work at. Our maintenance guys ride round on it. They mounted a vice on the back. It’s a three wheeler.

[@AndrewReuter]

Very cool, fellow Andy! (Or potentially Andy!)

[@fl3162]

Great edit.

[@AndrewReuter]

Thank you!

[@ptonpc]

Happy New Year! Okay you need to lean into the Cushman, the Cushman is your friend......

[@AndrewReuter]

🤣 Sounds good! This thing indeed is awesome. Have a gas Truckster that I bought for $300 sitting here too, but THAT ONE will be a project…

[@RichardT2112]

You did everything I would have done, only it took you less time! 😂 Happy New Year to you and yours!🎉

[@AndrewReuter]

Bahahaha, fair enough! Happy New Year to you and yours as well!

[@Quacks0]

5:14 "Voltage, schmoltage! Just turn --- it --- on!!!" POW!!! :P 5:47 There --- now THAT'S more LIKE it! :D

[@AndrewReuter]

🤣 Yup!!! Was one way to figure out where that wire went…

[@Quacks0]

@@AndrewReuter LOL yep --- well, how did you know that the headlight was just 12 volts instead of 36??? P.S. That's one thing to note here, though --- if you have to charge the three batteries in series instead of in parallel, you would be charging them unevenly because the batteries would have gotten discharged unevenly, in that one of them would have been "also" used (i.e., in addition to running the cart's motor) for powering the headlight, and so it would have gotten discharged more than the other two batteries. It's something like those horridly-designed two-speed cordless drills back in the '80's and '90's, where (rather than their being fitted with an electronic variable-speed module) they used either three batteries (3.75 volts) or five batteries (6.25 volts) in series for the low and high speeds, respectively, but then all five of the batteries were charged in series at maybe 7 or 8 volts, causing those first three batteries to not get charged to the same level as the last two because they'd have been discharged more from your sometimes using the drill at its lower speed. Plus of course, these older units used nickel-cadmium batteries with their infamous "memory" problem, and so this unequal charging would have been an even worse problem! I don't know HOW many "dead" two-speed drills I used to see at yard sales, probably for this very reason. I restored one of these drills that a friend gave me by replacing the batteries, but I removed the "low" speed switch so that it always just ran on the five-battery speed and thus discharged them all evenly.

[@peterbarlow8912]

Good luck finding them that cheap. Bought a Cushman 875P several years ago for $3K. it was a pristine ‘91 hanger queen with fresh batteries. The zinc is still on the lug nuts. The P stands for passenger as it has a folding second row bench seat that becomes flush with the rest of the bed. I’m starting to have frame paint issues. They never removed the scale before painting the steel angle framing members. The cheapest one I’ve seen lately was $800 and it looks like they ran into a tree. Taylor Dunn and Motrec are a couple of other brands of these industrial carts.

[@AndrewReuter]

Very cool find with that 875P! And thanks for the market analysis!

[@lhongkho1091]

Great job, thanks for the video!

[@AndrewReuter]

Thanks as always! Hope you’re doing well!

[@fellipec]

If I understand correctly, was your dad and your kids with you fixing the cart? Like 3 generations doing a project together? How cool man!

[@AndrewReuter]

Yup! Felt like an awesome moment! Thanks!

[@lhongkho1091]

Carburetor cleaner can clear the clogged break fluid hose in a blink of an eye

[@TheDistur]

Learning is fun.

[@AndrewReuter]

Agreed!

[@Moxie4358]

I would love to have the old electric setup you have for when you upgrade the whole motor and throttle system!!! I’ll even buy it if want btw my name is David.

[@chrisk7626]

I used to work for Valley College I used one of those everyday as a gardener. Very fast. I don't know if it was true but they warned the hell out of me don't take it in big puddles otherwise you'll be electrocuted.😮 PS my boss said it burned up one set of batteries a year just for FYI.

[@Roll-UpRainer1510]

Nice vehicle, nice project! But please, show the commentary a little bit longer. Greetings from Germany

[@AndrewReuter]

Thanks as always Roll-up! Will see what I can do about the gags. Hope you’re doing well!

[@rkeantube]

nice, according to the specs of the Orion 1000, it can do 120A cont. and 150A max for 5min. should be ok for flat ground. if you are going up hills prob get batteries with BMS that can do 200A.

[@AndrewReuter]

Good to know, appreciate the analysis!

[@agent0066]

This looks suspiciously similar to the 2010 Motrec 36v site trucks we have at work.

[@AndrewReuter]

Very cool! Had not heard of Motrec before this. Will have to look them up.

[@ericclone]

how did the underweight issue get fixed?

[@AndrewReuter]

Insert the gif of Homer backing into a bush here… I didn’t fix it yet. I’ll probably do so by either adding weight or adding an electric front axle for front wheel drive.

[@tastywavn]

Wisconsin, let's go.

[@dereksasquatchgarletts7924]

Thanks for mention! I do love those older Cushman electrics.

[@AndrewReuter]

You bet! Thanks again for the vids! Saved me a lot of time!

[@matchox_backwards]

so thats what my matchbox car is

[@asbestosfiber]

You need to paint that duck tape on the shed, If you paint it, it's just like the metal and will last for decades. Also - Buys a cart for $500. Spends $100 on gas to get it, Spends $1300 on batteries, $500 on tools, $500 on parts. Tells wife and friends "hey look at the cart I got for $500!" 😉

[@AndrewReuter]

Good tip on the paint!!! 🤣 And love that logic. Andy: We’re saving so much money over buying one new! Wife: … why are we buying one, period? Andy: … what’s that over there???? *runs away*

[@lhongkho1091]

You should use lithium polymer battery if you can get your hands on those.

[@Kalvinjj]

Eh I would suggest keeping the Li-FePO ones. There's an abundance of space for them, no real necessity for more power or loads of more range, and it's a garage project. The safer batteries sure help on that case.

[@lhongkho1091]

@@Kalvinjj Lithium polymer battery is less prone to fire hazard caused by impact, it is the safer battery, sorry for my bad english : )

[@Kalvinjj]

@@lhongkho1091 But it's the other way around, Li-FePO (which he is using) barely catches fire when punctured, Li-Ion/Li-PO ones catch fire violently and can't be put out easily. I understand your good intentions now but in that case, he's got the right ones already.

[@lhongkho1091]

@@Kalvinjj i stand corrected : ) happy 2025 to you and everyone

[@k.b.tidwell]

Don't lie, that was the one Roger Moore rode in Moonraker, wasn't it? For further excitement, get a #4509 bulb! 100w, 12v, same size as your 4411. I sell them as aircraft landing light bulbs in my auto parts store, but I've also sold MANY to lake fishermen who will install them in a rubber utility light housing like used for rearward lights on tractors, making them waterproof. All the fish hear is, "Come to the light!"

[@o0julek0o]

I don’t know how to explain this but I want one of these so insanely bad it hurts. Even though I’ve absolutely zero reason to own one.

[@AndrewReuter]

Cheering for you to get one one day! Very cool experience driving one, with the forward control steering and everything.

[@sgas]

how much did you put into this? In terms of money

[@benmanuel3502]

Looking forward to the next chapter!

[@AndrewReuter]

Thank you!!!!

[@madmodders]

4:30 That is a misconception. Let's say you have a 36 V, 2 kW motor, 55.5 A, and you want to have it output 1 kW, you can't waste 1 kW in a series resistor. To have 1 kW motor output you want 25,5 V over it, and thus the current is lowered to 39.4 A, and you want to waste the rest 10.5 V over the resistor, therefore wasting 413 W (same current). So when resistively halving the motor power output, your total power is 1413 W. Not 2 kW. And if you want 500 W output, the voltage is half of 36 = 18 V, and then you're wasting 500W over the resistor = total power 1 kW.

[@werewolf74]

Can you take that 3 way switch resister and turn it into, say, a 3 way power? level one is 1/3 power then 2/3 then 3/3 full power ? like instead of resist, allow? forgive me im not an electrician, what i mean is. You take an electric motor... you give it less than max power it goes slower. so you just take the 3 switch system and do power TO the motor in 3 steps.

[@AndrewReuter]

Cool idea! No clue if it’s possible either but will investigate!

[@FluePeak]

Couldnt you actually put in a small 50/100cc engine on one of thoose?

[@BradHouser]

BTW: Geoffrey is pronounced the same as Jeffry.

[@bluewhaleadventures152]

The honest commentary is both refreshing and familiar. Awesome video and project. Subscribed!

[@AndrewReuter]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! And thanks for the sub!

[@R.Daneel]

So... low speed starts the grass fire, and high speed let's you get away. Unless there's a slope.

[@sgas]

9:13 why is it scary to pull hubs?

[@c0ldc0ne]

1:43 "lithium iron"

[@AndrewReuter]

Yup! I didn’t know this variety existed. Not the highest performing battery type out there but more than enough for this and also less volatile: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery?wprov=sfti1

[@c0ldc0ne]

@@AndrewReuter You and me both, I thought you mispronounced lithium ion. I'll go and eat my crow now (with some fava beans and a nice chianti of course).

[@Iowa599]

Do a Tesla swap! 😂

[@AndrewReuter]

🤣 Someday, there’s gonna be a LOT of electric donor parts out there… not a bad idea…

[@Ty-Jack]

Relatable

[@paradiselost9946]

call me crazy, but all that old electrical gear? it comes with a descriptive manual, and its ALL serviceable. failing that, bits can be fabricated, modified, or altered. whereas things like the batteries... touch switches. LCD screens. microprocessors... all undocumented. all unrepairable. all look flashy and nice and sophisticated, but imho... all junk. one day, that "high tech gadgetry" will stop working and thats that. no way to fix it other than make more landfill... this thing survived since the seventies, and it still works. and other than a few minor changes, that switchgear is probably identical to something made in the 30s. you actually are NOT "pulling full power all the time" through the old switchgear. maybe be archaic, may have some losses in the resistive heating, but one has to bear in mind the motor only draws full current when it is NOT spinning. when it produces no BEMF. once its running, and cruising with barely any load, its BEMF is almost equal to the applied EMF and the current reduced accordingly. the maximum current is pulled when accelerating. and only when accelerating... they never would have been a viable product if they drained their batteries in a few minutes at part load... rather, they did perfectly well on the limited energy stored in lead acid batteries, enough to build a successful international business from their performance...

[@AndrewReuter]

Thanks for the analysis!

[@craigpigbob5063]

wow.. just wow... brakes are not that hard.

[@raychambers3646]

I see your using child labour ! Good vid , sometimes these things are really sent to try us .

[@AndrewReuter]

🤣 Thank you! Agreed!!!

[@melvinthemechanic]

As a mechanic I wont comment on this

[@AndrewReuter]

🤣 Fair enough!

[@qlimaxbass5022]

Hi happy new year please upload videos more offten..... Not after 6 months.

[@AndrewReuter]

Thank you, you too! And will see what I can do!

[@haywoodyoudome]

If you think working on brakes is "dangerous and scary as heck" then maybe you should take up another hobby and let your wife's boyfriend do the real work.

[@AndrewReuter]

I appreciate that you’re joking around, but I want people to understand that it’s not the working on brakes part. It’s the 1) doing a repair in a non-standard way, and 2) putting things under relatively extreme tension with a strap or chain. Ex: I went to school with a girl who grew up to marry a farmer. Seemed like he was a nice, super hard working guy. Their lives were thrown into major, major turmoil when the guy had a chain brake and hit him in the face. Many years later, he still is without his ability to provide a livelihood and care for their many kids like the dad he used to be. He’s still there and is an awesome husband/dad but I’m sure he wishes that never happened. That strap could do a similar thing here for someone trying this approach. The strap could brake and send the hook flying into your face, changing your life forever. So, you really need to respect the situation if you’re going to try something like that. Think about where that thing is going to fly and keep your head out of the way. Either way, gotta accept the risk of that OR the other brake job risks; pinched fingers, springs in your eyes, asbestos in your lungs, etc. If you don’t want to accept those risks (ex. Because you want zero risk of leaving your kids without a livelihood because of your hobby) then there’s no shame in hiring someone to do this. That’s actually more manly than being afraid of looking weak! But at the same time, can’t live a life without risk, so gotta make that call yourself. And don’t let fears of seeming weak sway you there.