We get asked a lot of questions at American Retrofits. What's the best golf cart? Should I go lithium? How fast can you make it go? All good questions. But the one that matters most — the one that actually determines whether a customer ends up with the right cart — is the one we ask first: What do you need this cart to do?
That question sounds simple. It isn't. The answer shapes every decision that follows — the platform, the battery system, the motor, the seating configuration, the accessories, the finish. A cart built for a retired couple cruising their Palm Harbor neighborhood every evening is a fundamentally different vehicle than one built for a resort property moving guests across a large campus, or a family in Crystal Beach who wants something lifted and capable for mixed terrain. Same basic product category. Completely different builds.
That's the point. At American Retrofits, we don't have a standard build. We have a process that produces a cart tailored to the person who's going to use it every day.
It Starts With a Real Conversation
We operate by appointment, which means when you come in, we're not distracted by a busy showroom floor. We sit down with you and actually talk. We want to understand how you're going to use the cart, where you're going to use it, who's going to be riding in it, and what matters most to you — performance, comfort, aesthetics, practicality, or some combination of all of them.
We also talk about budget honestly. Custom builds can range from a focused single-upgrade project to a comprehensive ground-up transformation, and the right scope depends on what you're trying to accomplish and what you're comfortable spending. We'd rather have that conversation upfront than build something that doesn't fit your life or your budget.
By the end of the consultation, we have a clear picture of what we're building and why. That clarity is what makes the rest of the process work.
Choosing the Right Platform
Most of our custom builds start with a Club Car or EZGO platform — either a cart the customer already owns or one we source as part of the build. The platform choice matters more than most people realize, because different carts respond differently to different upgrades.
The Club Car Precedent is our most commonly customized platform. It has a large aftermarket ecosystem, responds well to lift kits and larger wheel packages, and its electrical system is straightforward to upgrade. For customers who want flexibility — the ability to add to the build over time — the Precedent is a strong foundation.
The Club Car Tempo has a cleaner, more modern factory design that suits customers who want a premium aesthetic without heavy cosmetic modification. It's a great base for builds that prioritize a refined, finished look.
The EZGO RXV is our preferred platform for performance-oriented builds. Its AC drive system architecture pairs exceptionally well with lithium batteries and Navitas upgrades, and the performance ceiling is higher than most other platforms. Customers who come in specifically asking about speed and power usually end up on an RXV.
The EZGO TXT is the most common cart in the Tampa Bay area, and we've built on more of them than we can count. Its simplicity and parts availability make it a practical base for builds at a wide range of price points.
We'll walk you through the tradeoffs and help you choose based on your goals — not based on what we happen to have in stock.
Building for the Neighborhood Cruiser
A significant portion of our builds are for residential customers in golf cart communities throughout Palm Harbor, Ozona, Crystal Beach, and Dunedin — people who use their cart daily for neighborhood transportation, errands, and evening rides.
For these customers, the build priorities are usually comfort, reliability, and personality. They want a cart that's pleasant to ride, dependable enough to use every day without thinking about it, and distinctive enough to reflect their taste.
A typical neighborhood cruiser build might include:
- A refurbished Club Car Precedent or EZGO TXT as the base
- An EcoBattery lithium conversion for longer range and zero maintenance
- Custom upholstery in the customer's preferred color and material
- A sound bar for music on evening rides
- LED lighting, including accent lighting for nighttime visibility and style
- A windshield for weather protection
- USB charging ports for phones and devices
The result is a cart that's genuinely enjoyable to use every day — not just functional, but something the customer is proud to drive through their neighborhood.
Building for the Beach and Mixed Terrain
Customers in Ozona, Crystal Beach, and Clearwater Beach often need a cart that can handle more than smooth pavement. Mixed surfaces — grass, gravel, sand, uneven paths — require a different approach than a standard neighborhood cruiser.
For these builds, the foundation is usually a lift kit paired with the right wheel and tire combination. We spec these together because the decisions are related — lift height affects tire clearance, and tire size affects ride character and handling. Getting it right requires understanding how the components interact, not just bolting on whatever's available.
A beach and terrain build typically includes:
- A lift kit in the 4–6 inch range depending on intended use
- All-terrain tires in an appropriate size for the lift
- Premium wheels that complement the lifted stance
- Lithium batteries for consistent power on varied terrain
- LED lighting for visibility in low-light conditions
- A rear seat kit if additional passenger capacity is needed
These carts look great and perform well in the environments they're built for. They're also a lot of fun to drive, which doesn't hurt.
Building for Performance
Some customers come in with a clear goal: they want the most capable cart possible. More speed, more torque, more range, more everything. These are our most involved builds, and honestly, some of our most satisfying ones.
A full performance build at American Retrofits starts with the right platform — usually an EZGO RXV or Club Car Precedent — and builds from there:
- A Navitas AC drive system upgrade for dramatically improved torque, acceleration, and top speed
- An EcoBattery lithium battery system to power the AC system at its full potential
- Speed controller tuning for optimized performance output
- A lift kit and premium wheel and tire package to match the cart's upgraded capability
- Upgraded lighting, sound, and accessories to complete the build
The combination of Navitas AC and EcoBattery lithium is where the real transformation happens. AC drive systems are designed to operate with stable, consistent voltage — exactly what lithium delivers. The result is a cart that accelerates hard, climbs hills without hesitation, maintains top speed consistently, and runs efficiently from full charge to nearly empty.
Customers in Tampa, Davis Islands, and St. Petersburg who've gone this route consistently tell us the same thing: they had no idea a golf cart could feel like this.
Building for Families
Family builds are some of our most fun projects. The brief is usually something like: comfortable for everyone, room for the kids, something we'll all actually want to ride in. We can work with that.
Family builds often center on passenger capacity — a rear seat kit to convert a 2-passenger cart into a 4-passenger, or a 6-passenger Villager platform for larger families. From there, it's about comfort and convenience: quality upholstery, a sound system the whole family will enjoy, USB ports for charging devices, good lighting for evening rides, and a windshield for weather protection.
We also think about safety for family builds — seat belts, proper lighting, and for families in communities where road use is practical, a full street legal package with turn signals, mirrors, and brake lights.
The goal is a cart that the whole family looks forward to using — not just a utility vehicle, but something that becomes part of how the family enjoys their neighborhood and their time together.
Building for Commercial and Organizational Customers
Commercial builds are a different kind of challenge. The priorities shift from personality and style to reliability, functionality, and durability. A resort cart that moves guests all day needs to be dependable above everything else. A maintenance cart needs the right cargo configuration. A security patrol cart needs appropriate lighting and a power system that can handle extended daily use.
We've built carts for resorts, schools, property management companies, HOAs, event venues, and athletic facilities throughout the Tampa Bay area. Each application has its own requirements, and we approach commercial builds with the same attention to detail we bring to individual customer projects — just with a different set of priorities driving the decisions.
For commercial customers running multiple carts, we also think about fleet consistency — standardizing platforms and components where possible to simplify maintenance and parts management.
The Build Process: What to Expect
Once we've agreed on a build plan, here's how the process works:
Component sourcing — We source quality components from reputable suppliers. EcoBattery for lithium systems. Navitas for AC drive upgrades. Reputable brands for wheels, tires, upholstery, and accessories. We don't cut corners on parts, because the parts are what determine how the cart performs and how long it lasts.
The build — We build with attention to detail. Wiring is routed cleanly and secured properly. Accessories are mounted correctly, not just bolted on. Finishes are consistent. We treat every build as if it's going in our own driveway, because that's the standard that produces a cart worth being proud of.
Quality inspection — Before delivery, every cart goes through a thorough inspection. We verify that every component functions correctly, every connection is secure, and the cart performs as specified. If something isn't right, we fix it before the cart leaves the shop.
Delivery and walkthrough — When your cart is ready, we walk you through everything — how the systems work, what to expect from the battery and charger, how to care for any new components. We want you to leave confident in your cart, not just excited about it.
If you can't come to us, we offer pickup and delivery throughout the Tampa Bay area. We'll arrange transport for your cart and return it when the build is complete.
Ready to Build?
If you've been thinking about a custom golf cart — whether that's a simple upgrade to your existing cart or a comprehensive build from the ground up — the best first step is a conversation. Call American Retrofits, tell us what you're thinking, and we'll take it from there.
We're located at 603 Alt US-19 in Palm Harbor, and we work by appointment. Every build starts the same way: with us asking what you need the cart to do, and then figuring out the best way to build it.
Visit our custom golf carts page to learn more about what we offer, or call us directly to start the conversation. We'd love to build something for you.
📍 American Retrofits Golf Carts — 603 Alt US-19, Palm Harbor, FL 34683