Westinghouse’s predecessor is Marketeer Company. A short history is to properly tell the story of Westinghouse and his electric golf cart.
Merle Williams founded the Marketeer Company in the middle of World War II, when gasoline rationing was in effect. He designed and developed a compact electric vehicle for his wife. When others saw his wonderful creation, they asked for more, and the company was born. It wasn’t until 1951 that he developed the first electric vehicle designed specifically for golfing. Peggy and Merle sold Marketeer to Westinghouse in 1965.
Westinghouse continued to make electric golf carts and other electric vehicles until they sold the business to Nordskog Industries in 1978. Westinghouse’s most popular electric golf cart is probably the four-wheeled 436 series.
Today’s economic situation is not that different from the time of William Merle, we are in the middle of a war, gasoline may not be rationed but it is getting so expensive that the average man cannot afford it. And the current hot phrase is “go green.” And everyone is singing the praises of going electric. Anyone would think that it is a new concept. The truth is, there is nothing really “new” about electric vehicles. They’ve fallen by the wayside with the advent of gas-powered machinery, lost like the Stanley Steamer, electric cars long out of the question, but they’re making a comeback. And indeed, in a small but growing circle, they never really left.
Many vintage Westinghouse golf carts are still around and there are still quite a few collectors, enthusiasts, and admirers. The following is a comprehensive list of some vintage electric golf cart providers and their parts and services.
Fairway golf carts in Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
Jerico Enterprises in Montrose Minnesota.USA
Kenfield Golf Cars Austin, Texas, USA
Vintage golf cart parts Port Townsend Washington USA
New England Golf Cars Seekonk Massachusetts USA
Fairway Golf Car Corp Medford, New York, USA
Kenfield Golf Cars Austin, Texas, USA
Texas Golf Carts Kemah Texas USA
Vintage golf cart parts Port Townsend Washington USA
Carts Plus (a division of AutoPlace) Kelowna British Columbia Canada
There are also many classified ads available online and the prices found range from $600.00 to $1,200.00 and up depending on the year and condition.
There are also some clubs and newsletters that allow vintage Westinghouse electric golf cart enthusiasts to connect and share stories, ideas, trade parts and more. Most electric batteries contain 8 volts and last about eight hours on a full charge. A great inexpensive way to get around and also a wonderful collector’s item.