Your problem with the transmission could be a number of things. The most likely and easiest to fix is that it's out of adjustment, or has been misadjusted. There's some good information in the transmission section of the board.
If you pull the plate that's covering the starter mount on your engine, you should be able to see a ring gear. If there's no gear, it will be a little more difficult to change your engine over to electric start.
Don
Stuck in the seventies- not in the swamp.
(6) Attex, a Hustler, a Super Swamp Fox, (2) Tricarts, (3) Tri-sports, a Sno-co trike, 3 Dunecycles, and a Starcraft! ...so far