COVER STORY: HELLCART

What began as a hobby about six years ago has now turned into a growing golf cart business for Brian Harris of Greenville, North Carolina.

Harris was a Transportation Officer with the Pitt County

Sheriff’s Department for about ten years, traveling to transport offenders from one place to another. He was designing and fabricating custom golf carts during his off hours, and in 2020 opted for early retirement to begin his golf cart business,

360 Golf Carts, full time. He started operating out of a small space but in 2022 relocated to a much larger shop with a showroom, larger service area and more room for his cart inventory.

The company sells used carts from all the major manufacturers, provides service work and sells parts for all brands, plus restoring carts and doing innovative custom projects.

Hellcart is the end result of a vision Harris had for a unique custom cart after putting in countless hours of design and planning. He used a 2002 E-Z-GO® TXT Custom as the basis for the build, but there is very little remaining of the original cart. “We completely stripped the cart down to the ground, and every single bolt and wire is new,” said Harris. He and a friend in Greenville who does metal fabrication and welding work completed all of the cart’s modifications themselves.

“I’ve always wanted to build a cart to my own exact specifications, with this particular MadJax Storm body, and I thought if it sells that would be great, but if not, I’d be thrilled to take Hellcart home to enjoy as my own,” he states. A friend came by during the build and commented on how fast the cart looked just sitting still, and said it resembled a Dodge Challenger Hellcat. He suggested the name Hellcart, and everyone agreed it was the right choice.

Harris spared no expense in outfitting Hellcart with top-ofthe-line modification upgrades and accessories, including:

• Navitas 48v AC Conversion (5kw, 600A) • Patriot Power Source Lithium Conversion • GolfCartKing 400a Solenoid • SGC Rebel Wheels and Tires • SGC Rocker Panels • SGC Coil-Over Shocks Front & Rear • MadJax Storm Body Kit • Boss 10.1" Touchscreen w/ Backup Camera • Boss LED Marine Speakers • VIP Greywood Dash • Hexagon Floor Mat • Lectric Sport Mirrors • SGC Wheel Spacers • AllSports Half Windshield

Harris also custom fabricated all of Hellcart’s parts, including the steering extension, seats and seat roll bar, steering wheel, and all of the cart’s cables.

As to the future plans for Hellcart, Harris says he plans on using it in this year’s Winterville Watermelon Festival, a local event in August in which he has entered other custom carts in the event’s cart parade. “It’s a fun event in the community with a pretty big cart parade, and I’d like to use Hellcart there before I decide if I want to sell it or not.”

Harris is glad he chose early retirement from the Sheriff’s Office to pursue his passion full time and is hoping for a bright future as he grows his business. “I’m getting a very good response to my business and right now 360 Golf Carts is the only cart dealer in all of Pitt County, North Carolina,” Harris said. “Our new location allows us to do more service on carts, carry more inventory of carts and parts and I’m looking forward to adding more employees and ramping up to provide what my customers want.” - GCMAG