(ET) Re: New I-5 purchased on EBAY in excellent shape

[Monty McGraw <montym swbell net>]

Hi, All ET fans.

I purchased the I-5 that was on sale on EBAY.

After reading the comments last week on this board, I sent the seller 
several emails, asking about the tractors, and why he had no EBAY 
points.
 
 "Smitty" is 71, and has been using an E-12 for over 30 years.  One of 
 his friends who was a lawnmower dealer passed away and he is selling 
 some of the ETs that had been sitting in a warehouse for 30 years.  
 He has never tried to sell on EBAY before - but he absolutely had the 
 merchandise!
 
 Mine had never had batteries installed.  The I-5 owner manual was 
 still shrink-wrapped!  I also got the I-5 front bumper and the rear 
 hitch that has a spring loaded pin.
 
 I bought some Sam's Club 6V batteries on Friday and drove from my 
 home near Houston, TX to Abilene - 400miles - on Saturday morning, 
 talked to Smitty about five hours, loaded up my new ET and drove back 
 Saturday afternoon!
 
 Smitty had five I-5s in good to great condition - mine was the best :)
 and two E-12s.  He had a buyer for two of the I-5s, one of which had 
 the GE Fork-Lift attachment, the other had a Craftsman Dozer blade 
 with Smitty's welding modification to adapt to the ET.  He also had a 
 couple of used mower decks that were also spoken for.
 
 We used the GE instructions and loaded the new batteries into the I-5 
 using the "bags" and plastic covers with battery hold-down brackets.
 
 Turned it on - showed in the green for 'fuel'.  Tried the headlights, 
 front lift and horn - all worked.  The seat switch seemed to give us 
 a little trouble at first, but putting a temporary shim above it 
 seemed to work.
 
 Drove around - my first time on a working ET - it was a real blast.
 
 I have digital pictures I'll be posting (hopefully on Don Barry's 
 excellent ET website) and I scanned the 'brand new' I-5 owners manual 
 so that can be posted too.
 
 My next project is to put the used mower deck I got from Bill into 
 operation with the small mower motors he rebuilt for me a couple of 
 years ago when I got my E20 project tractor.
 
 Also found it to be no problem to transport the I-5 in the back of a 
 small Nissan Frontier pickup.  I bought the Fulton folding aluminum 
 ramp in Lowe's Hardware.  The ramp works best with the pickup and 
 ramp on level ground.  We loaded the I-5 with the ramp almost level 
 and the pickup backed into a slope.  The spacing of the 'rungs' 
 allows the front tires and rear tires to both get 'caught' at the 
 same time.  I pushed a little and Smitty drove the tractor onto the 
 pickup bed.  When I unloaded I had no problem driving the tractor off 
 and onto a driveway.
 
 Also thought the nifty Rubbermaid Sliding Lid Storage Building for 
 riding mowers would fit the ET - it fits perfect.  I even had room to 
 slide the mower deck alongside the mower (haven't mounted the motors, 
 though).
 
 Monty McGraw
Spring, TX
 
 '81 Sebring Electric Postal Van (Comutavan)
'88 Pontiac Fiero that I converted to electric in 1995
'70's GE E-20 Elec-trak still being rebuilt :(
'70's GE I-5 Elec-trak in brand new condition, works great!