Hi there. Did you see the Amphi on E-bay recently?
Art
-----Original Message-----
From: WB6WSN [mailto:
wb6wsn@cox.net]
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 6:29 AM
To:
amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [amphicar-lovers] frist car
----- Original Message -----
From: bill
To:
amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2004 9:43 PM
Subject: [amphicar-lovers] frist car
as this will be my frist amphi i was wondering what would be the
reason to reject any titled body i found as unrepairable thank you
Bill:
Only you can determine what is unacceptable for your ownership. Judging from
many pictures of horrible-condition "Before" Amphicars, I have to say that
nothing is absolutely hopeless. You can enter the Amphi world anywhere along
the continuum, using three these three landmarks.
1. You want a running, swimming Amphi right now! All you want to do is wash
& wax it, and fill the gas tank. You want a professionally restored Amphi,
and there are several talented guys who would love to help you own that
dream. All you need is lots of money. Currently, about $30k ought to be a
decent budget.
2. You want an Amphi, and you can do some moderate work yourself. You have a
place in the garage so you can devote a lot of your spare time to Amphi
work. You will accept a running car that may have some serious leaks, but
short-term patching is within your abilities. You can have a decent running
Amphi that will keep you both having fun and fixing things. Budget around
$12k.
3. You live to weld. You are not intimidated by an engine stored in 6
cardboard boxes. You have a mini machine shop in your garage, with
duplicates of everything in Metric sizes too, and your girlfriend works at
NAPA. You might start your multi-year project with a $1000 pathetic, partial
chassis shell.
I'll add a few more comments directed to the brave souls attracted to option
#3. Anything can be reverse-engineered, given enough time and resources, but
some Amphi-specific parts will stretch the ability of even a master
craftsman. For instance, if you buy a chassis shell, but it's missing the
transmissions, than you may be in a hopeless situation unless you can buy a
transmission somewhere. Good luck! This will eat up much of the savings you
made in buying the shell chassis! Now, if you're missing an engine, that's a
lot easier. Triumph 1147's are available on eBay and lots of other places.
And you can readily rebuild one too, although it will still take you a few
hundred dollars for that task alone. The suspension is also a difficult
area. A good machine shop can duplicate everything except the swing-arms.
(Plain steel, machined to match the original part sizes isn't good enough,
you need forging and heat-treating capabilities.) Also, some of the
transmission internals ar! e unique; few people can cut a gear. And some
parts just don't have old stock or any known replacements; for instance, the
front wheel brake cylinders.
Back a couple of years ago, Hugh gave me an off-hand estimate (without even
seeing the car) of what I would spend on my project. My Amphi was complete,
but had a lot of internal damage and moderate body rust. He said that I
would probably put around $6k into the restoration! Two years along the
path, and I have spent around $2k, and I haven't yet done the engine,
transmissions or paint job. Looks like his estimate was pretty accurate.
The paths to Amphi ownership (except for the most extreme professional
restoration and the most extreme personal project) may all cost the same. I
think it's just a matter of what you spend when. Spend $12k, get instant
fun, and constant minor repair. Spend $5k, get a multi-year, multi-thousand
dollar restoration project. Spend $1k, and we'd like to hear about your
adventure!
Ed
El Cajon
67 Rust Guppy
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
THE AMPHICAR-LOVERS LIST
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before posting requests for information, please check the List
Archives:
http://www.escribe.com/automotive/amphicar/search.html
For more information about this List and other available services
visit:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amphicar-lovers/
To UNsubscribe from this List, just send a blank email to:
amphicar-lovers-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Any other issues may be addressed to the List owner (Mike Israel) at:
amphicar770@yahoo.com
This list is provided as a free service. Please support our sponsors at:
http://www.growerflower.com/default.asp?id=41762
Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ADVERTISEMENT
<
http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=129g4g65...5.3001176/D=gr
oups/S=1705064625:HM/EXP=1093516287/A=2319498/R=0/SIG=11thfntfp/*http:/www.n
etflix.com/Default?mqso=60185352&partid=5285298> click here
<
http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=298...76/D=groups/S=
:HM/A=2319498/rand=399970637>
_____
Yahoo! Groups Links
* To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amphicar-lovers/
* To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
amphicar-lovers-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
amphicar-lovers-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe>
* Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
<http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> Service.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
GORDON IMPORTS INC.. The world's largest source of Amphicar parts and accessories. Visit our new website today.
Linear Mode
