We already told you about the custom cart culture in The Villages. Here’s your chance to join the party no matter where you live. Popular YouTube car reviewer Doug DeMuro has listed a highly modified 1986 Elmco cart on his CarsAndBids auction site, and it’s something you have to see to believe.
Why head to the first tee in a beige Club Car when you can ride in Jackie Gleason-inspired style in this Rolls Royce-themed creation? It features an authentic Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament and other Rolls badges, wire wheels, sunroof, an integrated cooler and a built-in fan system for those sweaty Florida days.
Elmco carts were considered the top-of-the-line in the custom-cart world in the 1970s and 1980s, and versions like this Royal Ride could cost upward of $14,000—the equivalent of $40,000 in today’s dollars. That makes the current bid of $4,100 a screaming bargain.
According to the seller, the new owner will have a few DIY projects to undertake once he or she takes possession. The six-battery, 36-volt powerplant is due for replacement, the top is faded, and there’s the sticky remnants of old stickers on the bodywork. A new 48-volt lithium battery goes for about $1,500, but it’ll also provide 80 to 100 miles of range and reduce the cart’s weight by 300 pounds.
The cart is in Boca Raton, Fla., and the no-reserve auction ends Thursday.