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| Jeffrey Durham, 14, backs up a go-cart in order to work on a six-seater golf cart “limousine” Wednesday. His grandfather, Steve Jones, builds custom-made golf carts. CHRIS CURRY PHOTOS | THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT |
By JEFF HAMPTON, The Virginian-Pilot © June 18, 2007
MOYOCK
Steve Jones drove a stretch limousine golf cart around his Moyock parking lot Friday, stopping briefly to center the chrome steering wheel.
He still had to hook up speakers for the stereo mounted on the carbon-fiber dashboard, clean the body (painted black with blue tribal flame graphics) and wipe down the six seats (upholstered in black vinyl with blue piping).
Working from a small shop on N.C. 168, Jones starts with used stock golf carts and adds lift kits, bigger tires, chrome rims, shiny dashboards, rear seats that flip over for carrying cargo and fancy paint jobs.
His finished, flashy carts grab attention from passersby.
The carts run about 25 mph on six 8-volt batteries. For a price, he can install bigger batteries or a gas engine. Some racing carts can go 100 mph.
"I sell them to anybody and everybody," Jones said. "Poor guy and rich guy. Drag racers and homeowners."
The stretch limousine cart is going for $8,500 to a Canadian company with plans to display it in Las Vegas at one of the largest auto shows in the country.
But most customers of Steve's Custom Carts just want to ride around their neighborhoods in something personalized.
 Steve Jones custom builds golf carts to a client's specifications including putting in a lift kit, radio and more. |
"Everybody wants their original thing," said Cynthia Atkins, owner of Start to Finish. "They don't want to be like everybody else."
Atkins upholsters the seats for Jones' golf carts.
Butch Britt bought a red cart with flames for a different purpose. Britt's father suffers from Parkinson's disease and can't walk well, he said. His son, Joe, takes his grandfather on short rides.
"It's a bonding time for them," he said.
Hunters, campers and farmers also are among the buyers.
"I can't give you specific numbers, but it's one heck of a large business," said Larry Holder, parts manager for Peebles Golf Car Sales in Glen Allen, Va.
His company alone might sell 500 used golf carts a year, and at least two other dealerships in the area sold just as many or more, he said.
Jones was a mechanic for car dealerships and tried customizing motorcycles. Five years ago, a friend gave him a couple of old golf carts. Jones said he fixed them up and sold them on eBay for a good profit.
He's been building and selling them ever since.
Jeff Hampton, (252) 338-6975,
jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com
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