Newbie here. Did a search and only found one entry from a while back with no reply.
I’m in the market for a used GEM 2-seater an really need hard doors. I currently travel to dog shows in a RV with a Club Car on a trailer and it gets really dirty. I frequently need to put the rain cover on at the shows but obviously the cart can’t travel on the trailer with the rain cover flapping in the wind.
A GEM with hard doors would be a good solution for me but I need to know if I can add hard doors or if they need to be an original factory installed option.
Thanks for your replies. I’m looking forward to being a GEM owner.
Unless you’re a fabricator I think you’ll find they are a factory only option. You might think about soft doors either canvas or vinyl as these can be aftermarket installs. Hard doors have a poor reputation in the community because of fit and cost issues in general.
BTW I think soft doors are fairly easy to take off and put on and that may be another option though it wouldn’t address your rain and dust issue. I have a rain cover and I’d be tempted to try that and tie it down to the trailer or GEM to see how well that worked. I would think with the addition of some grommets at the bottom you could lash it down fairly tightly though I’ve not tried it myself. Also be sure GEM is Facing forward when you’re trailering it otherwise front window could blow out because of wind pressure. Finally I THINK I saw a recommendation to keep trailering speed to 50MPH as well but wouldn’t swear to it.
Depending on frequency, distances and other uses an enclosed trailer may still be the best option. You could load it with other dog material if you needed to haul more equipment, etc.
When I bought my 2008 2 door with soft doors. I towed in 200 +/- miles at 70 (80 when passing) mph without any problems. I zippered my doors shut and duck taped the front edge of the canvas to the car. I had no problems other than cleaning the tapes stickum crap off the cart. Go for it…
I was speaking generically. Mine are not heavy canvas. I don’t know what they are actually. The seem to be lighter weight and more on the vinyl side. They seem to be the norm sold in the 80’s here on GEM’s. We have three carts all the same soft doors in my hood. In my search back when I was interested in a GEM without doors, I could not find similar doors now for sale.
If I was smart enough to know how… I would post a picture.
I trailered mine for 150 miles on an open trailer. Dealer used a bungee cord to keep the soft canvas doors closed. Wouldn’t want to go too fast and suck them off!