Just found a Tote Gote 404

Docdc

Docdc

#1
#1
I must be a hell of a guy. I went to Canfield car swap shop yesterday as there is a 74 year old man who loves the car swaps. He can no longer walk shows so I loaded up the golf cart and we spent the day there. Just as a preface, it seems like we NEVER see Tote Gotes in Ohio. Low and behold in the infield is a Model 404. I have been wanting a Gote forever BUT....I have a friend who bought a 1960 Forest Service F-100 out of Utah and he has been whining he wants a Gote to put in the back so it looks good at the car shows. I must be a hell of a guy...I called him up and said I was looking at one. He doesn't believe me. OK, I called you just to mess with you fool! So I send him pictures. He wants me to put the thing on a lift and inspect every bolt for originality and functionality. I finally lost it and told him take it or leave it because I will take it home. OK. The thing gets bought.

I go get my truck at the end of the day and drive it to the infield. As I am loading the bike, someone wanders along and wants to buy the bike. He keeps telling me to sell it to him and blow my friend off. On and on he goes. "I'll pay you lots more money". Are you kidding?? First I can't go back on a deal and second...IT"S NOT FOR SALE!!! Lol. Anyway...home it went.

Here are the pictures from the show...



I just took it off of the trailer and here is what I see today.


Some thoughts...first I do not think this is the original engine as it has a Pulsa Jet carb on it. I know enough to be seriously dangerous...I could be wrong. It has LOTS of compression and spark. The throttle doesn't move the cable but it appears the twist may be all there and salvageable. Everything else looks correct and most important, not abused. The top of the handlebar may be a bit tweaked but that's it. Also, there is that third funky seat on it. I really don't think that's original but again, it may be. Other than that, I wish I had just kept it for myself. I must be a hell of a friend.

The seller wanted $500 and it was negotiated to $375. Too much?? Too little?? Who knows.

Doc
 
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RobertC

RobertC

#2
#2
Wow Doc....what a score...!

I don't know about Tote Gote values, I do know I am tight, and I'd have paid that all day long...:thumbsup:
 
steven Durham

steven Durham

#4
#4
Great find and a very fair price. Intriguing for me is the back of the bike frame it looks like it might be a game rack could it possibly pull out of the top frame tubes ?

Steve
 
Docdc

Docdc

#5
#5
steven Durham said:
Great find and a very fair price. Intriguing for me is the back of the bike frame it looks like it might be a game rack could it possibly pull out of the top frame tubes ?

Steve
Click to expand...
Thanks everybody.

Steve,
It does pull out of the frame tubes. I do not have the round part further towards the seat for the actual game rack nor do I have the rack. I am sure I could possibly fabricate the two parts and the rack itself but I would maybe need a pattern. Lots for me to learn about this one.

Doc
 
Davis

Davis

Well-Known Member
#7
#7
That is a great score and as far as the rear extension rack and front buddy seat they are original options tote gote offered you did well on that buy for sure. Do you know what hp and year the motor is?
 
owend

owend

#8
#8
I think you bought a really nice bike for the money Doc.. can't wait to pick up at Windber in June:laugh: Did you remember my Sidekick I rode in the parade, made it all the way with the wrong belt!
 
Richard Trotter

Richard Trotter

#11
#11
Nice find docDC, That is a very nice 404. The pulsajet carb shouldn't be a concern, all of the 4hp Briggs had the pulsajet. The only 4hp 404 with the flojet were the ones changed at the Tote Gote factory. Briggs made them stop changing the carbs on later production models. There are 2 straps on the frame in front of the seat. The holes punched in those straps were to fit the the briggs remote tank used for the flojet set-up. I haven't seen the extension used on the back of the gote, but it looks like factory paint. It could have been a prototype cargo extension.
 

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Richard Trotter

Richard Trotter

#12
#12
Davis is right about the rack, you are just missing a few parts. I am just guessing about the throttle problem but I suspect you are missing the throttle return spring. It was a long spring that went from the 'bell-crank' on top of the motor and hooked to the jackshaft. These were always a problem and when they fell off the gote took off at full throttle.
 

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trapdoug

Member
#13
#13
DSCN1288.JPG

This 400 series is a 5 hp with the Briggs pulsa-jet carb engine. The drive belt almost made it around the block three times before shredding. I put on a 28390 Dayco, but it may need another inch, maybe a 28400. The throttle is not sensitive with the linkage to the pulsa-jet - mostly on or off.
 
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trapdoug

Member
#14
#14
I just got this off Craig's List. I first questioned if the engine had been changed cause of the carb arrgt. My other gotes are 600 Gotes with the Flo-Jet. DSCN1287.JPG
 
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