(ET) New Idea Electrak

[XURQ03A prodigy com ( LEE A HART)]

This is my first attempt to post to the Electrak list.

I acquired a (very) used "New Idea" brand electric garden tractor. I 
believe
it is just a re-branded Electrak, but don't know for sure. Can anyone help
identify it?

The basic chassis is a long square steel 5-sided box (open on top). A large
sheet metal stamping forms the back fenders and seat support. Another sheet
metal piece forms the hood. The dashboard is fiberglass. Three 6v batteries
were in front, and three more in the rear (36v). The motor is mounted
transversely between the battery boxes, and connects to the 3-speed 
transaxle
via a V-belt.

It has a 2-blade mower deck, powered by a separate motor. The controller is
completely gone. The transformer and diodes are all that is left of the
charger. It was left outside with dead, frozen, burst batteries in it for 
at
least several years, so the battery boxes are a rusty mess.

And yet...

I hooked a 12v battery to the motor with jumper cables, and it ran! I 
drove it
with 3 flat tires up the ramps and into my truck to bring it home.
Tractorin-stein lives!

So, the next step is to figure out what it is, and how to fix it. Anyone
recognize it?

Lee Hart                     If you would not be forgotten
4209 France Ave. N.          Soon as you are dead and rotten
Robbinsdale, MN 55422 USA    Either write things worth the reading
phone (612) 533-3226         Or do things worthy of the writing
e-mail XURQ03A prodigy com   (Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac)