Homebuilt Cab For Gator ATV

2013 - Volume #37, Issue #4, Page #16

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“I priced a new cab for my 550 Gator from Deere and they wanted almost $2,500, which I thought was way too much money,” says Illinois handyman Roy Viel. “I drew up plans on my own and built the cab myself for less than $500. It turned out real nice.”
  Viel started his project by building a wood frame for the front and rear of the roll cage opening. He ran the top and bottom frames parallel to the roll bar. The frames attach to the roll cage and each other with brackets that Viel bolted to the shoulder and seat belt harness mounting points.
  Viel used three sheets of exterior good grade ½-in. plywood for the doors and window frames and one sheet for the rear panel. Each door bolts to the rear of the frame with box hinges. The doors close securely with a paddle latch that Viel adapted from an old truck tool box. Each door has a window made out of 1/8-in. Lexan plastic. Viel also put round porthole windows in the side panels similar to those on his vintage Thunderbird car.
  The lower part of the front windshield was a Deere accessory, and Viel made the upper part from Lexan. The windshield is supported by a center divider that mounts to the roll cage on top and to the cup holder on the bottom.
  To provide a small amount of heat inside the cab, he raised the base of the seat up with 2 by 5-in. rectangular steel tubing. That lets the engine send heat right into the passenger compartment. In the summer, he removes the cab doors and back window to provide plenty of fresh air. He finished off his project with a front bumper that he made from 2-in. black pipe and a rear view mirror from an old car.
  Viel says it took him about 50 hrs. to build the homemade cab. “But it’s time well spent for a retired guy. There’s a fresh air factor to the overall design, but I’m okay with that because I know I won’t suffocate. The big part is that it keeps the wind out,” he says.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Roy Viel, 11445 Edwardsville Rd., Winnebago, Ill. 61088 (ph 815 298-9477).

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Homebuilt Cab For Gator ATV ATV S “I priced a new cab for my 550 Gator from Deere and they wanted almost $2 500 which I thought was way too much money ” says Illinois handyman Roy Viel “I drew up plans on my own and built the cab myself for less than $500 It turned out real nice ” Viel started his project by building a wood frame for the front and rear of the roll cage opening He ran the top and bottom frames parallel to the roll bar The frames attach to the roll cage and each other with brackets that Viel bolted to the shoulder and seat belt harness mounting points Viel used three sheets of exterior good grade ½-in plywood for the doors and window frames and one sheet for the rear panel Each door bolts to the rear of the frame with box hinges The doors close securely with a paddle latch that Viel adapted from an old truck tool box Each door has a window made out of 1/8-in Lexan plastic Viel also put round porthole windows in the side panels similar to those on his vintage Thunderbird car The lower part of the front windshield was a Deere accessory and Viel made the upper part from Lexan The windshield is supported by a center divider that mounts to the roll cage on top and to the cup holder on the bottom To provide a small amount of heat inside the cab he raised the base of the seat up with 2 by 5-in rectangular steel tubing That lets the engine send heat right into the passenger compartment In the summer he removes the cab doors and back window to provide plenty of fresh air He finished off his project with a front bumper that he made from 2-in black pipe and a rear view mirror from an old car Viel says it took him about 50 hrs to build the homemade cab “But it’s time well spent for a retired guy There’s a fresh air factor to the overall design but I’m okay with that because I know I won’t suffocate The big part is that it keeps the wind out ” he says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Roy Viel 11445 Edwardsville Rd Winnebago Ill 61088 ph 815 298-9477

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