Shocking Find: B&Z Electra King Project Cars
Incredibly, Barn Finds has featured this next oddity a number of times over the years. Here on craigslist are two Electra King three-wheelers for sale, $1,500 for the pair, or sold separately! These are project cars. The seller indicates that one is complete and can be had for $1,000; the other “needs more work” and is marked at $500. You can probably throw them in the back of your pickup, and drive them home from Perris, California where they’re sitting now. Thanks to T.J. for the tip!
The Electra King was made in the early 1960s through 1980 by B&Z Electric Car Company in Long Beach, California. These on offer are the three-wheel models; if you’re lucky you might run across the scarce four-wheeler someday. With a fiberglass body that’s not going to give Pininfarina any sleepless nights and a 1 hp direct current motor, this glorified golf cart could haul its 500 lbs to a top speed of about 20 mph. It uses five or six batteries stored under the seat with a range of about 20 to 30 miles. The transmission does have a reverse gear; reviewers say the brakes are theoretical at best. The “grille whiskers” tell you this is an early model.
Today, we are in the throes of EV production from Tesla, Rivian, and others, so hot-rodding an Electra King is a real possibility! I am not an electrical engineer, but there must be batteries out there that would really make this little skunk go. Of course, more go – more whoa. Maybe a new brake system, and then of course you don’t want to shake the body apart with all that newfound … energy…. so some chassis reinforcement is a must.
Don’t look for a steering wheel; this one has a tiller. The capacious trunk can haul your groceries or a picnic. The seats are basic, and while we aren’t given much in the way of photos in this listing, here’s a restored Electra King of the same or near year, showing the ammeter and other controls on the dash. With a little work, these two could be Concours examples! How about it, can you see yourself toddling around the neighborhood in one of these?
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Comments
Would it be blasphemy to just install a 12 HP Kohler and call it a day? I have one out in the shed with a centrifugal clutch, it’s supposed to run.
Go for it. Maybe you could get it to stand on end.
Imagine the real possibility of being outrun by an electric scooter in one of these unless “Todd J.” modifies one. It just struck me that I could see Mr. Magoo driving one of these as he says “Oh Magoo, you’ve done it again!”
Indeed! Mr. Magoo is the only one whom I could imgine being seen in one of these terrible, ugly, ungainly things. What on earth were these ¨designers¨ thinking? What were they smoking or sniffing?
That’s almost word for word what I say when I see a contemporary vehicle.
I’m glad to see the modern practice of giving EVs strange faux-grilles has a long and proud heritage. How far we’ve come…
When I was a kid in the 1960s and 1970s, these electric runabouts were common in Claremont, CA where my grandmother lived. There was, and I’m sure still is, a large private retirement community there and these were popular with the old folks. I was thrilled when one of her friends let me wheel one around a parking lot briefly; I would have been about ten or so. Neighborhood EVs are nothing new, though they seemed to die out after this. Not sure why as they made good sense; safety regulations maybe.
Is its range limited to the length of electric cord I see behind it?
Be the first on your block, to have children point and laugh. Perhaps a red nose and a blue wig would complete the package?
My bet is all the kids would want a ride. Better yet, let ’em drive!
Not with that tiller steering. That thing would be on it’s lid in 500ft!
A cozy coupe for grown-ups.
When electric and gas model golf carts first came out steering was all done by a tiller or you walked the course. These 3 wheeled electric what Evers would still work well with new modern lead acid or lithium batteries and they would work as well as any modern day electric cart except they would be slower and not very good on grass covered hills but great on level pavement!
Jim
Looks like the other car [not pictured] has been sold, and the one in the photos has been reduced to $600.00
See what is happening presently in Europe. Google Up:- “POD-RIDE”, Modern Velomobiles, Australian 24hr. Pedal-Prix, Old-time pedal cars and velomobiles. And see their similarity to the Electra King!
in the 50’s and 60’s these were very popular in long beach ca. they even had their own lanes. little old blue hair ladies ran over a lot of people with them.
not surprisingly these were made in long beach.
I bought both of them!
Jealous!! Are you able to fix them up or have someone you know? I have a 66 and 77 and would love to talk to people that work on them.
My husband is fixing both cars! Send your email address or phone number and he can contact you.
I just won a bid on Live Aucioneers for two original pamphlets for these cars…can’t wait to get them!