amphiguru

   

Hello Amphicar Owners,

Here's a breakdown of Amphicar sales prices in "concourse" condition:

1990 $30,000
2020 $300,000
2050 $3,000,000
2080 $30,000,000

The factor of 10 times every 30 years follows everything in life.
Go back to the 1800's. Do the math in the 20th century:

Car Rear Estate (SFH)

1930 $300 $3,000
1960 $3,000 $30,000
1990 $30,000 $300,000

During the universal price rises, the purchasing power of the dollar
declines. But the tread mill run is not an equal up and down.
Always there is added value to the manufactured assets. The 1930
car had an optional heater and maybe an AM radio. By 1960, power
steering, brakes, automatic transmissions and power tops were
improvements. At the 1990 level, the first computer controlled
systems were installed in fuel injection programs, cruise control,
A/C, etc. In 2020, cars were destination "preset" with lane
merging, braking and acceleration optionally controlled by your
car's GPS management system. In 2050, an entirely new class of
express roads were finally built near or next to the 1990's
freeways, with the minimum merging speed of 70mph. All 2050
vehicles cruised at 100 to 130mph with complete safety that started
in the 1930's with the optional radio and heater.

As so many of you have pointed out in the Digest postings, new
owners soon discover that they are not the only ones who really
drive and swim their Amphicars. Only an Amphicar provides the
Amphicar experience. You can't get it in a pick-up, limo, Ferrari
(sorry Jim Z.), or anything else. To get to the water experience,
the Amphicar restoration demands a level of working perfection not
required of your traditional loud vehicle. Even a broken fan belt
on the Mississippi would be an unpleasant situation. Sooner of
later we all must pay the labor and parts costs of today, whether
that be 1990, 2020, or 2050 to restore or maintain our Amphicars.
To put it more clearly, that 1930 car of $300 would cost $30,000
minimum to restore today. (Ten times ten times ten)

In future postings, I'll point out the relationship between
technology, wages, and taxes. (This is a bit off the Amphicar
topic, so I may not post it . . . to the relief of many of you.)

Well, I've got to climb into a white Amphicar hull, lie upside down
and glue some heat and noise reducing material to the underside area
of the convertible top boot area. How about you? Has anyone really
been able to totally get rid of the roaring engine noise and heat?
We've tried flex fans and the engine overheats at 60mph on a 85
degree day. Larger water pump pulleys and it runs hot, while at
idle speeds.

Best to all,

Hugh

P.S. Jim Z. owns a "Best in Show" award winning blue Amphicar, and
still drives it to all lakes and events.