Barn find! Cart! What do you think??

[Lil Timber Buck]

Has anyone ever seen one like this? Has anyone ever overhauled a cart from this condition to like new again? This one is still VERY structurally sound and strong. It has surface rust, but it should sand blast right off. It is a bit long for my little man, but we can cut it to fit if needed. He is a stout 37 inch stallion.

Measurements:

47 inches wide at the widest part of the seat bars

36 inches at the highest part of the seat bars

21 in aluminum wheels

Shafts angle in and are 82 inches not including the "Cab" at all

Questions:

Did you paint yours or powder coat it?

For road/trail use, what tires would you use? I would think mountain bike.

What was the original setup and use of this cart?

Approximate age and value??

Got one like it? I would love to see it or some before and after photos of your restoration projects.

What else can you tell me about carts? I have never had one.





Here's Timber



THANKS!!

 

[Minimor]

My neighbor has a cart like that--only fixed up with wood seat and floor and good paint--it is small horse (14--14.2 hh) size though with bigger wheels he did use it in a 15hh mare. As I recall he paid $300 or $350 for it. The fenders were very rattly and he talked of taking them off, not sure he did--I think it would be too big for a 37" horse, even with the shafts cut down and bent in.

I had a pony cart that was about the dimensions of your cart and it was too big on a 39" horse. Even with 20" wheels (which I tried) it was too wide and too top heavy.

 

[romewhip]

That's a cob size jog cart, or it was. It was probably used for training arabs or morgans to harness, or possibly trotters. For an idea of sizing the shafts on a mini cart are usually about 48-52" long from tip to singletree. Another measurement that's going to be important is the one straight across from shaft tip to shaft tip. This cart is likely too wide. What does it weigh? It looks like even with shafts cut down it will be too big and too tall and so when your guy is hitched it will put a lot of downward pressure on his back. What is the height of the shafts when perfectly parallel to the ground? Then what is the height of your guy where the shaft loops rest on his harness? Those measurements will determine if the cart would put pressure and weight on him or not.

 

[paintponylvr]

As to wheels/tires - you have a buggy shop there in TN (Buggy Bobs, in Shelbyville) They come up on a Google search. A phone call or two to them might even be a good thing - they may be able to better answer some of your questions.

Also, there are places in OH that have the wheels that will fit on this cart - heavier duty rims with no air, solid rubber tires. Less shock absorbing than pneumatic wheels, but much heavier and no flats...

I can't really answer to the size... I would think that you could probably cut the shafts shorter, but don't know if that will put to much weight on his back/harness gig saddle. You can go with slightly different sizes of wheels to raise or lower the cart and balance it somewhat.

Looks like, if you refurbish this cart, you also need to add a single tree.

 

[Lil Timber Buck]

Thanks everyone! I will look into it!

 

[dangerranger]

The first cart I drove looked just like that! I have to dig for pics. It too had the shafts too long. I cut them down. and bent the shafts to narrow them some. It was never ideal but it worked and is still being used by a neighbor . Their dad bought it for their pony and I had the harness! So we hitched up their pony and went for a ride! That was before I knew anything about driving, or what could happen! It turned out their riding pony was a natural at it! now he drives everywhere! The worst thing about that style cart is there is no adjustment for weight ballance. You will have to sit forward or back to ballance the cart. Im a big guy, and to stay ballanced I had to be leaning forward quite a bit. It was not good for my posture, and I could not stay in it very long. But a lighter driver was OK in it.

 

[dangerranger]

Heres a pic.



You can see where the shafts were shortened just ahead of the dash. I also bent the shafts in and the shaft tips out to narrow them for Sparky. He is 40" tall. This pic is 6 or 7 years old and that cart is still exactly the same. And still even has the same tires! DR

 

[disneyhorse]

I think your cart sounds too large for your mini. I would find something appropriately sized for him.

 

[Gone_Riding]

It doesn't look balanced to me. My dad's made and modified a lot of horse & mini carts. It would definitely need lots of work to make it work, that's for sure! I'd start with something better suited... It'd save you a lot of work, time, and peace of mind to go with something more fitting.

 

[Lil Timber Buck]

Oh cool! Thanks for the pic. Thanks for the advice everyone! I think we might just fix it up anyway and if it doesn't work out, it will just be a yard ornament lol.